This easy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs recipe is perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight dinner or a fun game-day snack. The boneless chicken thighs are coated in a simple marinade mixture, then air fried in less than 20 minutes. The result is juicy, flavorful chicken with a crispy exterior that is low-carb, keto, and gluten-free.
Do you love buffalo chicken flavored everything?
Well, this air fryer buffalo chicken thighs recipe is for YOU! Not only is it packed with flavor, but it's also super easy to make.
Just like my Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs recipe, these buffalo chicken thighs are perfectly cooked in only 18 minutes.
That means you can have supper on the table in no time at all! Serve it with Air Fryer Broccoli and Instant Pot Rice for a meal your whole family will love.
This recipe is so easy to make; anyone can do it! This is the perfect recipe to have in your back pocket on those busy nights when you have no idea what to cook!
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🍗 What are buffalo chicken thighs?
Buffalo chicken thighs are a dish made with chicken thighs that have been coated in a Buffalo sauce. This sauce is made with hot sauce, butter, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. The chicken is then baked or air fried.
❤️ Why this recipe works
- The air fryer cooks the chicken quickly and evenly so you'll have juicy, flavorful chicken with a crispy exterior.
- Make it even quicker by using store-bought buffalo sauce. A good one to use is Primal Kitchen buffalo sauce. It contains real ingredients like pumpkin seed butter and avocado oil. Plus, it is Whole30 Approved, Keto Certified, and Certified Paleo.
- The chicken is not breaded, so this recipe is gluten-free, low carb, and keto-friendly.
- This is an easy recipe with a prep time of just a few minutes. This makes it perfect for busy weeknights.
- This chicken can be on the table in less than 60 minutes, including the marinating time; making it perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
- You will love this flavorful homemade buffalo sauce, and it is so easy to make!
- This buffalo chicken is one of my all-time favorites and is perfect for meal prep.
- It's super versatile - you can use it in salads, wraps, pasta, or as a main dish.
- Did I mention how flavorful it is?!?
🍗 Ingredient Notes
You can easily find all of the ingredients for these buffalo chicken thighs at your local grocery store.
- Chicken thighs. I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. Trim any excess fat off of them before marinating.
- Hot sauce. I used Frank’s RedHot sauce. It has great flavor and I use it every time I make buffalo chicken or buffalo chicken wings.
See the printable recipe card for quantities and a full list of ingredients below.
📖 Substitutions
- Chicken thighs. You can also use bone-in chicken thighs. However, the cook time for bone-in skin-on chicken thighs will need to be increased slightly.
- Hot sauce. You can use your favorite hot sauce, or use a store-bought spicy buffalo sauce.
- Butter. A great alternative is also margarine, olive oil, or avocado oil.
- Worcestershire sauce. You can use white vinegar instead for a tangier flavor.
- Spices. Change up the spices to make this your own. You can even add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make the buffalo sauce even hotter.
🍯 Variations
- For a zesty twist, add some lemon juice to the buffalo sauce.
- For a bit of sweetness, add a teaspoon of honey to the buffalo sauce.
- To make it extra spicy, add a dash or two of cayenne pepper to the buffalo sauce.
🍗 Step-by-Step Instructions
To make this air fryer buffalo chicken thighs recipe, start by trimming any extra fat off of the boneless skinless thighs. Pat the thighs dry with paper towels.
Next, make the buffalo sauce by whisking together the hot sauce, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and chili powder in a small bowl.
Place chicken thighs in a baking dish, large bowl, or Ziploc bag. Pour 1 cup of homemade buffalo sauce over the chicken thighs. Place them in the fridge to marinate for at least 25-30 minutes. The longer they sit, the more flavorful they will be.
When you're ready to cook the chicken pieces, preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the chicken thighs to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to leave space between them so the hot air can circulate.
Air fry the chicken for 12 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, place the leftover buffalo sauce into a small saucepan. Heat it on the stove until hot.
After 12 minutes, flip the chicken over with tongs.
Place the air fryer basket back in the air fryer and cook for 6 more minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
Pro Tip: To tell if the chicken is done, use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken; it should be 165 degrees F.
When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the air fryer and place it in a large bowl. Pour the remaining buffalo sauce over the chicken and toss to coat. Alternatively, you can also brush buffalo sauce onto the chicken thighs.
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
Garnish with sliced green onions if desired, and serve with your favorite side dishes, celery sticks, or carrot sticks.
Enjoy!
⏲️ Make-ahead directions
To make this recipe in advance, prep the chicken and place it in the fridge to marinate for up to 8 hours.
You can also cook the chicken and reheat it to enjoy later. This makes it perfect for meal prep. Make it early in the week so you can enjoy it all week long.
💭 Top tips
- For best results, let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes if you can. This will help to tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. No time? Don't worry about it; the chicken will still taste great if you skip this part. Life is busy; I get it. 🙂
- Cook the chicken thighs in batches if necessary, to ensure that they cook evenly. Overcrowding the air fryer basket will result in uneven cooking.
- Flip the chicken halfway through for even cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removing them from the air fryer. This will ensure that they are cooked through and juicy. If you want crispier chicken increase the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.
❓ Recipe FAQs
Buffalo sauce is usually made from a combination of hot sauce, vinegar, butter, and spices. Some recipes also include Worcestershire sauce, garlic, and onion.
Air frying chicken thighs results in crispy, juicy chicken that is lower in fat and calories than traditional fried chicken. The high heat of the air fryer also helps to seal in the flavor of the chicken, making it a delicious option for a quick meal.
This Buffalo sauce is made with a combination of hot sauce, butter, and Worcestershire sauce. If any of these ingredients are not properly combined, the sauce can separate. Make sure to whisk the ingredients together thoroughly before using.
To make baked buffalo chicken thighs, follow the recipe above. Then, when it's time to bake them, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place chicken thighs equally spaced on the baking sheet. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Toss with remaining buffalo sauce in a large bowl.
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
You can also freeze chicken for up to 2 months. To retain the best flavor, wrap the chicken tightly in plastic wrap, then place it inside a Ziploc bag. To reheat the frozen chicken, place it in the fridge for 24-48 hours before you want to cook it. Reheat in the air fryer or oven until hot.
🥙 What to serve with this buffalo chicken thigh recipe
You can serve it with leftover buffalo sauce or blue cheese dressing for dipping. It also tastes great with a side of Air Fryer Green Beans, Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, Air Fryer Stuffed Mushrooms, or Instant Pot Rice.
I also like to serve it with Air Fryer Cauliflower and Broccoli and Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes.
👩🏻🍳 More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes to Try!
If you like this post on Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs, please take a moment to rate the recipe 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 and leave a comment below with your thoughts!
📋 Recipe
Easy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Tongs
- Baking dish
Ingredients
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup Frank's hot sauce
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs with a sharp knife or kitchen shears. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
- Make the buffalo sauce by whisking together the hot sauce, melted butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and chili powder in a small bowl until smooth.
- Place chicken thighs in a baking dish, large bowl, or Ziploc bag. Pour 1 cup of homemade buffalo sauce over the chicken thighs. Place them in the fridge to marinate for at least 25-30 minutes.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the chicken thighs to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to leave space between them so the hot air can circulate.
- While the chicken is cooking, place the leftover buffalo sauce into a small saucepan. Heat it on the stove until hot.
- After 12 minutes, flip the chicken over with tongs. Cook for 6 more minutes. To tell if the chicken is done, use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken; it should be 165 degrees F.
- When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the air fryer and place it in a large bowl. Pour the remaining buffalo sauce over the chicken and toss to coat.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.
- Garnish with sliced green onions if desired, and serve with your favorite side dishes, celery sticks, or carrot sticks.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- For best results, let the chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes if you can. This will help to tenderize the meat and infuse it with flavor. No time? Don't worry about it; the chicken will still taste great if you skip this part. Life is busy; I get it. 🙂
- Cook the chicken thighs in batches if necessary, to ensure that they cook evenly. Overcrowding the air fryer basket will result in uneven cooking.
- Flip the chicken halfway through for even cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit before removing them from the air fryer. If you want crispier chicken increase the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.
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