Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – Crispy and Juicy!

Make perfectly tender and juicy air fryer chicken thighs in under 20 minutes! With simple seasonings, these chicken thighs are packed with flavor to create an easy chicken dinner the whole family will love. No boring dried out chicken here. This chicken is insanely good!

The Best Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are one of my go-to no-fuss easy dinners. I love using thighs because the dark meat stays perfectly tender and juicy. With bone-in, skin-on thighs, like I use in this recipe, you will have the juiciest chicken!

Chicken thighs are also more flavorful than chicken breasts and cook up nice in the air fryer. The simple seasoning rub creates a subtle sweet and savory flavor.

Here is why I love this bone-in chicken thighs recipe:

• No marinating time: Toss everything together in a bowl and pop them in the air fryer. That’s it!
• Versatile protein: Chicken thighs are great for meal prep because they taste great with a variety of dishes.
• Quicker than an oven: The air fryer cooks quicker than a standard oven so these juicy chicken thighs are ready in under 20 minutes!

Why Cook Chicken in an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is a magical piece of kitchen equipment. It’s essentially a mini convection oven with hot circulating air. The constant flow of hot air helps the food crisp up all over and cook evenly.

I love using the air fryer because there is no need to turn on my oven. It also generally requires less cooking time than the oven.

With little to no oil needed, it makes clean up easy too. On busy weeknights, the air fryer is my go-to because the chicken cooks quickly and easily.

Ingredients You Need

You probably already have all of the ingredients to season these chicken thighs in your pantry.

NOTE: The full list of ingredients with measurements is provided in the recipe card below.

• Chicken Thighs: Use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe to yield crisp skin and juicy meat.
• Baking Powder: Helps create the crispy skin.
• Ketchup: Creates the base of the rub and adds subtly sweet flavor.
• Tomato Paste: Adds flavor to the chicken.
• Brown Sugar: In addition to a bit of sweetness, the brown sugar helps brown up the chicken and create the crispiest skin.
• Seasonings: You will need paprika, garlic powder, and salt.

Kitchen Tools Needed

• Air Fryer: Use your favorite air-fryer. I recommend using a 6-quart air fryer (or larger) to fit 4 large chicken thighs. If your chicken thighs are smaller, you may be able to fit them in a 5-quart or smaller air fryer.
• Instant Read Thermometer: A must for your kitchen to ensure the chicken is cooked to 165°F.
• Mixing Bowl: To mix together all of the ingredients before cooking in the air fryer.

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Crispy air fryer chicken thighs frequently make an appearance on my dinner menu because they are quick, easy and delicious!

1. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl. Toss everything together to coat the chicken all over.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 5 minutes. Add the chicken thighs to the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 15 to 18 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The chicken thighs are cooked through when an internal thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thighs registers 165°F. (Or you can cook at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes.)

Optional Garnish: If you want to elevate the presentation of these crispy chicken thighs, you can serve them sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley or with a few lemon wedges on the side.

Tips for Juicy Air Fried Chicken Thighs

• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket: For best results, make sure the chicken thighs are placed in a single layer in the basket, without touching.
• Spray the basket: While I don’t find the need to spray the air fryer basket, you can spray it with a little bit of olive oil spray or cooking spray to help the chicken crisp up a little more, if desired.
• Flip the chicken halfway through: This ensures that you have crispy chicken skin on both sides of the chicken.
• Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness: Chicken is cooked through when an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
• Meal prep: Mix together all of the ingredients and store in a zipped-top bag or storage container.

Storage and Reheating

Storage: Refrigerate leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

To reheat: Place leftovers in a baking dish and reheat in the oven at 350°F or in the air fryer.

To freeze: Freeze the chicken thighs in an air-tight freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

Serving Suggestions

Serve air-fried chicken thighs with any of your favorite side dishes. Here are a few of my favorites!

• Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes
• Cilantro Lime Rice
• Cajun Butter Corn
• Cucumber Tomato and Feta Salad (Goes with Everything Salad)