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Home » Keto Recipes » Air Fryer Recipes

Published: Mar 20, 2020 · by: jenniferbanz

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs - Super Crispy!

Pull those bone in, skin on chicken thighs out of the refrigerator and make these air fryer crispy chicken thighs tonight!  In under 30 minutes you will have a delicious family friendly dinner.

keto chicken thighs in an air fryer

Related: I get all of my grass fed beef and pasture raised chicken from Butcher Box.  Read my honest review here.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

This is the perfect way to cook chicken thighs for that extra crispy skin and no need to heat up the oven.

  • Just 5 ingredients - chicken thighs, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano, and onions powder (plus salt and pepper but those don't count!)
  • Cooks quickly thanks to the air fryer - These take about 25 minutes in the air fryer...which is great!
  • No splatter on the stove top!

Personally, I think the air fryer is the best invention besides a home coffee maker.  I use mine just about everyday!

I love to make burgers, pork tenderloin, crispy pork chops, and even crispy Brussels sprouts.

My method for crispy chicken thigh skin

I start by pre-heating the air fryer before I spray with cooking spray.  I do this only when I want my food to be really crispy.

I make sure the chicken thighs are patted dry and any excess skin is cut away.

Then I mix the chicken thighs with all of the seasonings.

chicken thighs in a zip top bag with seasonings

Now we can place the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket skin side down.

I do this so the skin can start to render the fat without browning the skin too much.

I also do this with my Air fryer whole chicken recipe.

chicken thighs in the air fryer basket

My Air fryer has a 6 quart basket so 4 chicken thighs fit perfectly.

If your air fryer is smaller you would need to cook these in batches.

After the chicken thighs cook skin side down, we can flip them over and continue to cook them until the skin is nice and crispy and the internal temperature is 165F.

Making this a complete meal

I like to serve these air fryer chicken thighs with cauliflower Mac and cheese, keto green beans with bacon, or a broccoli salad.

chicken thighs in an air fryer basket

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs - Super Crispy!

These air fryer chicken thighs are ready in under 30 minutes, perfectly seasoned and perfectly crispy. Everything is better in the air fryer!
4.68 from 535 votes
PRINT RECIPE SAVE TO FAVORITESSaved! PIN RECIPE
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 239kcal
Author: Jennifer Banz

Ingredients

  • 4 Bone in, skin on chicken thighs, trimed of excess fat and skin
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon Oregano
  • ½ teaspoon Onion powder

Equipment

  • Air Fryer (Here's the air fryer I like best on Amazon)
  • Meat Thermometer (Click here for the one I like best on Amazon

Instructions

  • Preheat your air fryer to 380F for 5 minutes. After pre-heating, spray with cooking spray.
  • Add the chicken thighs to a large zip-top bag or a bowl with a lid. Top with the kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano and onion powder. Shake to coat.
  • Place the chicken thighs in the air fryer, skin side down, for 12 minutes.
  • Turn your chicken thighs skin side up and cook for 10 minutes more. If you would like your chicken thighs super crispy. Cook for 4 minutes increments to get your desired crispness.
  • Thighs are done when an internal meat thermometer reads 165F. Serve.
Servings: 4

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 239kcal | Protein: 32g | Fat: 11g

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy only. Please re-calculate on your own with the ingredients and amounts you used for the most accurate data.

Keyword :gluten free, recipe for chicken thighs in the air fryer

More Air Fryer Recipes

  • Air Fryer Whole Chicken
  • Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
  • The Best Frozen Salmon in the Air Fryer
  • Air Fryer Salmon Nuggets

Reader Interactions

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    Recipe Reviews




  1. Roxana Lopez says

    March 24, 2023 at 9:56 pm

    5 stars
    I used your method (with my own spice choices) for air frying chicken thighs tonight for dinner. They came out perfect! Done to perfection, with a lovely crisp skin. Thanks so much for the recipe.

    Reply
  2. Annie says

    March 04, 2023 at 12:54 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time to use an air fryer. So excited. Turned out perfect. Loved the seasoning mix. I will be making this again

    Reply
  3. John says

    March 02, 2023 at 3:47 pm

    5 stars
    So good great recipe 👍

    Reply
  4. Leilah B. says

    February 27, 2023 at 7:09 pm

    Delicious and my 5 year old enjoyed making this too and enjoyed it! <3 great idea putting them skin side down first to render the fat!

    Reply
  5. Jill C says

    February 26, 2023 at 6:46 pm

    5 stars
    Definitely our go to recipe. We use boneless thighs and turn out perfect every time! 👏👏👏

    Reply
  6. Cindy Davis says

    February 20, 2023 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipe!I won’t cook it any other way.My husband raved over it.Thanks……

    Reply
  7. Theresa says

    February 13, 2023 at 2:42 pm

    5 stars
    My daughter loves to make salad and she always beg me to air fry some chicken thighs and legs to go with it. This has become our favorite meal ever since. Thank you

    Reply
  8. Sherry says

    February 09, 2023 at 7:15 pm

    5 stars
    I had never cooked bone-in chicken in the air fryer and boy was it delicious! Crispy, juicy, tender!!!

    Reply
  9. Brittany says

    January 31, 2023 at 11:03 pm

    5 stars
    Needed to figure out how to use my new air fryer and while I was taking my time finding recipes online, planning meals, etc., the boyfriend shows up with chicken thighs (expecting me to know what to do with them). Scrambling for what to do, I didn’t even have chicken thighs in mind for meals so back to the search I went and found three to choose from, changed my mind mid-prep, and settled on this one.

    Made it for the first time about a year ago, and I feel like this is all we’ve eaten since. Maybe not ALL we’ve eaten, but pretty darn close, as he seriously begs me to make it at least once a week, MINIMUM.

    Thanks for the delicious recipe. You’re a lifesaver!

    Reply
  10. James says

    January 30, 2023 at 5:59 pm

    5 stars
    Well, these were great! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Making again tonight!

    Reply
  11. Kath Kelly says

    January 29, 2023 at 5:02 am

    The best!!

    Reply
  12. Elaine says

    January 27, 2023 at 3:20 pm

    Thank you!

    Reply
  13. Julie says

    January 25, 2023 at 12:31 am

    5 stars
    I’ve made this dish several times & always turns as the recipe says. Super crunchy & tastes amazing! Best of all my family loves it.

    Reply
  14. Jay says

    January 24, 2023 at 3:10 pm

    5 stars
    I made this today and we loved it. The skin was nice and crunchy yet the inside was tender and moist. Loved it!!!!

    Reply
  15. Sherralee says

    January 18, 2023 at 6:56 pm

    5 stars
    Great flavour and directions 😀 Will definitely make again.

    Reply
  16. Dawn says

    January 17, 2023 at 4:36 pm

    I just purchased an air fryer and after cooking up this recipe for chicken thighs, I asked it "Where have you been all my life?" I absolutely LOVE this recipe, and it will become my go-to.

    Reply
  17. Amanda says

    January 17, 2023 at 4:18 pm

    I feel like I’ve moved up in the world of air frying because my new oven has air frying capabilities. I would guess there would be no change in time cooked or heat settings? Looking forward to trying it!

    Reply
  18. Jessica P says

    January 15, 2023 at 7:33 pm

    5 stars
    I keep coming back to this recipe. I’m gluten free (not by choice) and this feels so close to fried chicken. It’s juicy and flavorful and CRUNCHY! I do like a little more seasoning than OP but I stick with the same seasonings. If you haven’t done this, do it.

    Reply
  19. Carmen says

    January 14, 2023 at 7:36 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe, absolutely delicious!

    Reply
  20. Kelly says

    January 14, 2023 at 6:22 pm

    5 stars
    My 1st time doing thigh’s in AF. Outstanding!! Made a bit more seasoning mix.
    This will be my only go to from now on

    Reply
  21. Karen says

    January 11, 2023 at 8:36 pm

    5 stars
    Fantastic flavor! My adult son took a bite, looked surprised and said, "Oooo! Yummm."

    Reply
  22. Jody says

    January 10, 2023 at 5:58 pm

    5 stars
    Loved them!!! Sooo juicy and delicious. I did double the spice rub.

    Reply
  23. Mel says

    January 08, 2023 at 10:33 am

    5 stars
    Great recipe chicken lovely and crispy

    Reply
  24. Sara says

    January 03, 2023 at 6:47 pm

    Best chicken thigh recipe ever! Only thing I change is adding a few mornin items for cook-time. They’re so good crispy! Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  25. Laura Hudelson says

    January 03, 2023 at 6:31 pm

    I read this many times and you do not say what setting to cook them on, Sue fry? Bake? Broil? Which is it??

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      January 10, 2023 at 12:52 pm

      Air fry

      Reply
  26. Ester H. says

    December 24, 2022 at 6:21 pm

    5 stars
    I just flipped over my chicken thighs for the 10 remaining minutes and I can't wait until I can eat them. They smell delicious. This is my first time cooking chicken thighs in my air fryer. I'm so excited about this recipe. Thanks Jennifer!!

    Reply
  27. Kathy says

    December 24, 2022 at 11:34 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I left out the garlic powder due to allergies.

    Reply
  28. Melissa Milich says

    December 18, 2022 at 11:23 am

    5 stars
    I have been reading that it's not a good idea to spray cooking spray directly into your air fryer.

    Reply
    • Dee says

      December 22, 2022 at 1:56 am

      5 stars
      You are correct I just put oil on the chicken then put it in the zip lock with all the seasonings and then put in air fryer and put teaspoons of butter under the skin…. Yummy perfecto🤌🏾

      Reply
    • GGG says

      January 24, 2023 at 6:57 pm

      I use the non-aerosol canola spray and it doesn't harm the non-stick. I made the mistake of using PAM in my previous air fryer and it destroyed the finish.

      Reply
  29. D says

    December 16, 2022 at 4:40 pm

    5 stars
    I cooked these last week and absolutely LOVED them. They came out so crispy & flavorful. I had to use regular paprika because I didn’t have smoked but I know the smoked would’ve made them even more better. I will definitely use this recipe again. Thank you!

    Reply
  30. Natasha says

    December 12, 2022 at 1:09 pm

    5 stars
    Tried this last night in a hamilton beach toaster oven/air fryer and it was amazing! I've never cooked with smoked paprika and I always hear it in recipes and mean to try it. Finally bit the bullet and glad I did with this recipe sooo good. I also did roasted potatoes in the basket beside kept them separate. Potatoes only take about 10 mins so I put them in after flipping the chicken. Thanks for this! This is definitely going straight into my regular rotation.

    Reply
  31. Lisa says

    December 07, 2022 at 11:27 am

    5 stars
    Awesome, comes out perfect.

    Reply
  32. Ken says

    December 04, 2022 at 5:06 pm

    5 stars
    Just made it and was delicious keb

    Reply
  33. Janice Cappelli says

    December 01, 2022 at 3:46 pm

    5 stars
    The chicken thighs boneless were great thank you for the recipe

    Reply
  34. Elaine Stephenson says

    November 26, 2022 at 7:14 pm

    5 stars
    This is the only way I'll cook chicken thighs now.

    Reply
  35. Patrick D. says

    November 21, 2022 at 6:03 pm

    5 stars
    Simple and quick as can be and really tasty.

    Reply
  36. Kacie says

    November 20, 2022 at 4:22 pm

    5 stars
    Very good! Will use this method often from now on. The thighs were perfect. Thank you!

    Reply
  37. Ymile Thompson says

    November 20, 2022 at 7:46 am

    5 stars
    Quick and easy as promised. Importantly DELICIOUS!

    Reply
  38. Lynn says

    November 19, 2022 at 7:48 pm

    5 stars
    We made this tonight and it was great! This is only the second thing I've tried in our new air fryer (the first was frozen French fries, so not really a recipe.) This chicken came out perfect, crispy outside and juicy inside. The spice mix was tasty too. And it was so simple to make! Thank you for the recipe.

    Reply
  39. Emily Newton says

    November 17, 2022 at 3:02 pm

    5 stars
    This is LITERALLY one of our favorite recipes to use. So easy. So fast. The chicken is flavorful and so juicy. My son asks for me to make this as much as possible...and I'll be honest -- he is totally ravenous when it's done and would probably eat them all if I let him. Thank you for putting together such a fast and easy recipe!

    Reply
  40. Sara says

    November 16, 2022 at 5:50 pm

    5 stars
    This was really tasty! I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  41. LVChris says

    November 15, 2022 at 2:51 pm

    5 stars
    The thighs were excellent. And the directions and narration were spot-on. Great job!

    Reply
  42. Laura Beth says

    November 03, 2022 at 4:51 pm

    4 stars
    Easy and delicious. Moist and crisp.

    Reply
  43. Julianna says

    November 02, 2022 at 5:43 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve used a couple of different recipes but I feel like the time and temperature was really good with this recipe! The chicken came out to a crispy perfection! Will be using this recipe weekly!

    Reply
  44. Jam says

    November 02, 2022 at 3:27 pm

    This will be my new go to recipe whenever I have bone in chicken thighs in my fridge! Soo crispy and juicy!

    Reply
  45. Arlene says

    November 01, 2022 at 4:46 pm

    Love this simple recipe! It’s the second time I’ve made it but it doesn’t fail to disappoint. So easy when you don’t have a lot of time to prepare dinner. It’s a keeper!

    Reply
  46. Ann Honeycutt says

    November 01, 2022 at 12:22 am

    5 stars
    It’s delicious!

    Reply
  47. Jan says

    October 29, 2022 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    I made this for supper tonight...2 legs and 2 thighs. The chicken was moist and the seasoning was delicious. This recipe is a keeper!
    Note: My chicken was only about 3/4 thawed, so I added 2 minutes to each stage and it was perfect.

    Reply
  48. Heather says

    October 27, 2022 at 8:53 pm

    5 stars
    This is my favorite chicken thigh recipe. I couldn't even begin to tell you how may times I've made it. I usually forget to take them out of the freezer and this still works great. I add 3 minutes to each round, and finish with the 4 minutes to get the extra crispy skin, and it never disappoints. No matter what seasoning blend I use. Thank you for making weeknight cooking life easy!

    Reply
  49. Rose says

    October 26, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    5 stars
    OMG what a fabulous tasting moist chicken recipe. I put the seasoning in a ziplock bag with oil and mixed the chicken instead of spraying my basket. Yessss my hubby loved the crispy skin. I don’t eat skin but where there was no skin the spices carmalized on the meat. Oh my thighs must’ve been small because I stopped 4 minutes short. Done to perfection thank you 👍👍

    Reply
    • Patrick D. says

      November 11, 2022 at 4:30 pm

      Good idea about putting the oil and the spices rogether in the bag. I'll try out this recipe in a few minutes. Thanks.

      Reply
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Jennifer

Hey there, I'm Jennifer! I’m the creator behind Low Carb with Jennifer and author of the cookbook Live Life Keto. 

I've been cooking low carb/keto for the past 10 years and it has helped me shed over 70 pounds!

My keto recipes reflect my philosophy on cooking...everything needs to be easy, fast, exceptionally delicious, and use common ingredients.

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