Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Name: Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil; 5 chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on); 1 tsp dried Thyme; 1 tsp dried Oregano; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp paprika; ½ tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp onion powder; ¼ tsp salt; ¼ tsp black pepper

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These Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are seasoned with a simple blend of spices and cook up nice and crispy in the air fryer.

We love to serve these up with some Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus, buttered corn, or Easy Rainbow Roasted Vegetables for a complete and hearty family dinner! I LOVE that I don’t have to heat up the house with the oven to make chicken thighs in the air fryer.

Chicken made in an air fryer tastes just like deep-fried, but is much healthier! A light coat of olive oil is all you need to make the lovely herbs and spices blend into the chicken as it cooks. It’s amazing!

Air Fryer Chicken Thigh Recipe

Cooking chicken in the air fryer is so simple, but you can go as fancy as you like with the spices. I like to use chicken thighs with the bone-in, because bone-in meat makes the meat so tender and juicy when it’s cooked. Just like my amazing Air Fryer Ribs, you won’t go back after making chicken this way!

Ingredients Needed

Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need to whip up Air Fryer Chicken Thighs. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the printable recipe card below.

Chicken Thighs – bone in, skin on
Thyme – dried
Oregano – dried
Cumin
Paprika – sweet or smoked
Garlic & Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper

Raw chicken thighs o white plate with glass dishes of olive oil and spices on wooden cutting board.

How to Make Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer

It’s so quick to prep the chicken thighs, and then all that’s left is to cook them in the air fryer. Make sure you pre-heat the air fryer while you’re prepping the chicken to be efficient with time.

Prepare Chicken

In a large bowl or zip close bag, cover the chicken with olive oil and make sure to coat it completely.

Raw chicken thighs in a glass bowl with hand pouring olive oil on top.

Add Seasoning

Add the seasoning to the chicken and toss it to coat it completely in the spices.

Don’t be afraid to mix it with your hands to get the seasoning all over every piece, especially on and under the skin.

Raw chicken thighs in glass bowl with spices on top, resting on wood cutting board.

Cook Chicken

Place the chicken thighs in the basket of the air fryer and make sure the chicken thighs don’t overlap.

Cook the chicken for 20-24 minutes, flipping the chicken thighs over halfway. Check the internal temperature of the chicken at the thickets portion to make sure it reaches 165℉.

Raw chicken thighs in basket of air fryer, touching but not overlapping.

Sometimes the chicken thighs are larger and smaller sizes, and the larger ones may need a few more minutes to cook. You can remove smaller thighs that reach 165 ℉ and let them rest under foil.

Once all thighs are cooked through, remove from air fryer and let rest for 5 minutes before enjoying.

PRO TIP: Resting the chicken under foil helps all of the lovely juices to redistribute into the meat, making it extra flavorful and not dried out.

Cooked chicken thighs with crispy skin in basket of air fryer.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

Make sure you check the internal temperature of the chicken close to the bone to get an accurate reading. An instant thermometer works great!
You can substitute any of the spices with your favorites. Oregano for sage, thyme for parsley, etc.
If you don’t like the skin on the chicken, you can take them off before coating in olive oil and spices. They are very delicious when they’re crispy though!

Make Ahead and Storage

Refrigerate: Any leftovers can be cooled and transferred to an air tight container, then refrigerated for up to 4 days before reheating. Reheat in the air fryer to make it crispy again!

Freeze: You can prepare the raw chicken breasts with olive oil and seasoning then freeze for up to 3 months before thawing and cooking.

Freezing leftovers is easy! Just cool, transfer to freezer safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months.

5 cooked crispy chicken thighs on a white plate with green dish towel.

Common Questions

Can I put raw chicken in an air fryer?

Yes! This recipe uses raw chicken thighs. Air fryers can be used for much more than pre-cooked chicken nuggets!

How long does an air fryer take to cook chicken?

It depends on the size and cut of the chicken. Breasts can take anywhere from 18-24 minutes, and thighs with bone in usually take 20-24 minutes.

How do you cook chicken in the air fryer?

Make sure you coat the chicken in a neutral oil first to prevent sticking! Then coat with desired seasoning and cook as directed in the recipe card below.

What temperature do I set my air fryer to cook chicken?

This recipe cooks at 400 ℉ to get the optimal crispy skin on the outside and juicy insides, without taking too long to cook.

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Recipes

You can NEVER have enough easy chicken dinner recipes on hand. We love to try new ones, I hope you give at least one of these a try!

Bite of juicy chicken on a fork above plate of food.

If you love this recipe, don’t forget to leave a comment and tell me how it goes! I hope you enjoy this amazing juicy air fryer chicken thigh recipe as much as we do!

Cooked chicken thigh on white plate with corn and sweet potato.

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