These Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are quick, easy, and packed with flavor. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are coated with olive oil and a simple blend of paprika, garlic, onion, white pepper, black pepper, and kosher salt, then air fried until the skin is nicely browned and the chicken is cooked through.
The air fryer makes these chicken thighs especially convenient for a weeknight dinner. There is very little preparation, and the combination of crispy skin and juicy chicken makes this a recipe you can come back to again and again.
If you prefer boneless chicken thighs, they work too—just reduce the cooking time and begin checking the internal temperature earlier.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- In a small bowl, combine the white pepper, kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Coat the chicken thighs with olive oil. Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken.
- Lightly spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place the chicken thighs in the basket, skin side up, making sure they are not overcrowded. Cook for 15 minutes.
- Flip the chicken thighs and cook for an additional 3–4 minutes, skin side down, or until the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the air fryer and serve immediately.
Notes
Always preheat the air fryer before adding the chicken.
Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket. This is especially important when using a rotisserie basket available with some air fryers, as overcrowding can prevent the chicken from cooking and browning evenly.
For boneless chicken thighs, reduce the cooking time by approximately 5–6 minutes, but always check the internal temperature to determine when they are done.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Art of Cooking Recipes (Paulson Pursuits} is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Meat juicy and cooked through.