Pull those bone in, skin on chicken thighs out of the refrigerator and make these super crispy air fryer chicken thighs tonight! In under 30 minutes you will have a delicious family friendly dinner.
Looking for boneless skinless chicken thighs?
I have a version for that here → Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Whenever I want a quick dinner I reach for this Air Fryer Chicken Thigh Recipe
I've been making chicken thighs this way since I bought my first air fryer back in 2018, and it's one of those recipes that never gets old. It's reliable, easy, and always turns out exactly how I want it. In fact, this is one of the meals my family asks for at least once a week, which tells you everything you need to know. It's simple enough for a busy night, but good enough that everyone actually looks forward to it.
The seasoning on these chicken thighs is what really makes them stand out. It's simple, but the combination of smoked paprika, garlic, oregano, and onion powder gives them so much flavor without overpowering the chicken. As the thighs cook, the spices mix with the rendered fat from the skin and create that crispy, flavorful coating that makes these hard to beat. You don't need a complicated marinade or a long ingredient list, just a few staples that work every time.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
This is the perfect way to cook juicy 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.
If you prefer the oven, my Oven Baked Chicken Tenders recipe is another reader favorite.
My method for crispy chicken thigh skin
I start by pre-heating the air fryer before I spray with avocado oil cooking spray. I do this only when I want my food to be really crispy.
I make sure the chicken thighs are patted dry with a paper towel and any excess skin is cut away.
Then I mix the chicken thighs with all of the seasonings.
Now we can place the chicken thighs in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer skin side down.
I do this so the skin can start to render the fat without browning the skin too much. It gives the best results!
I also do this with my Air fryer whole chicken recipe.
My Air fryer has a 6 quart basket so 4 bone-in chicken thighs fit perfectly.
If your air fryer is smaller you would need to cook these in batches.
After the bone-in 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 using an instant read thermometer.
The result is the juiciest chicken with the crispiest skin.
Tips from Jennifer's Kitchen
- Trim the excess fat and skin: This is essential for crispy chicken thigh skin. I have purchased packages of chicken thighs that need to be trimmed a lot! You just want to leave enough skin to cover the top flesh of the chicken.
- Cook above the safe temp: You may need to cook these over the 165F target temperature to get the crispy skin we are after. That's okay because chicken thighs are very forgiving. In fact, they reach their peak tenderness between 185°F-195°F (85-90C)
Frequently Asked Questions
Most of the time they just need to cook longer. Make sure you trim the excess skin on each thigh (sometimes there is quite a bit around the edges)
I do when I want extra crispy skin. Starting with a hot air fryer helps the outside cook right away. Just like pre-heating your oven, pre-heating your air fryer is essential for even cooking and consistent cook times.
I would recommend my recipe that is dedicated to boneless skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer.
It really depends on the size of your air fryer. Some baskets, like my 7 quart air fryer, can hold 4 chicken thighs. You want to make sure to have them in the basket in an even layer for even cooking.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve these air fryer chicken thighs with cauliflower Mac and cheese, keto green beans with bacon, or a broccoli salad.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
Recipe Card
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs - Super Crispy!
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
Method
- Preheat your air fryer to 380F (193C) for 5 minutes. After pre-heating, spray with cooking spray, if desired.
- 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.
- Remove from the bag and place the chicken thighs in the air fryer, skin side down, and air fry at 380F (193C) for 12 minutes.
- Turn your chicken thighs skin side up and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes. If you would like your chicken thighs super crispy. Cook for 4 minutes increments to get your desired crispness.
- The chicken thighs are done when an internal meat thermometer reads 165F (74C) inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken thighs and the wattage of your air fryer. You may need to cook these over the 165F target temperature to get the crispy skin we are after. That's okay because chicken thighs are very forgiving. In fact, they reach their peak tenderness between 185°F-195°F (85-90C)
Notes
- Trim the excess fat and skin: This is essential for crispy chicken thigh skin. I have purchased packages of chicken thighs that need to be trimmed a lot! You just want to leave enough to cover the flesh of the chicken.
- Pre-heat the air fryer: This ensures consistent cooking and the fat will start to render from the skin right away.
- Start cooking the chicken thighs skin side down: This is my method for super crispy skin without the tops getting too brown.
James says
Well, these were great! Thanks for sharing the recipe. Making again tonight!
Kath Kelly says
The best!!
Elaine says
Thank you!
Julie says
I’ve made this dish several times & always turns as the recipe says. Super crunchy & tastes amazing! Best of all my family loves it.
Cathy Cline says
Great recipe! Seasoning is very tasty. Thighs with skin & bone are very moist! Thank you!
Jay says
I made this today and we loved it. The skin was nice and crunchy yet the inside was tender and moist. Loved it!!!!
Sherralee says
Great flavour and directions 😀 Will definitely make again.
Dawn says
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.
Amanda says
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!
Jessica P says
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.
Carmen says
Thank you for this recipe, absolutely delicious!
Kelly says
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
Karen says
Fantastic flavor! My adult son took a bite, looked surprised and said, "Oooo! Yummm."
Jody says
Loved them!!! Sooo juicy and delicious. I did double the spice rub.
Mel says
Great recipe chicken lovely and crispy
Sara says
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!
Laura Hudelson says
I read this many times and you do not say what setting to cook them on, Sue fry? Bake? Broil? Which is it??
jenniferbanz says
Air fry
Ester H. says
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!!
Kathy says
Delicious! I left out the garlic powder due to allergies.
Melissa Milich says
I have been reading that it's not a good idea to spray cooking spray directly into your air fryer.
Dee says
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????????
GGG says
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.
D says
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!
Natasha says
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.
Lisa says
Awesome, comes out perfect.
Ken says
Just made it and was delicious keb
Janice Cappelli says
The chicken thighs boneless were great thank you for the recipe
Elaine Stephenson says
This is the only way I'll cook chicken thighs now.
Patrick D. says
Simple and quick as can be and really tasty.
Kacie says
Very good! Will use this method often from now on. The thighs were perfect. Thank you!
Ymile Thompson says
Quick and easy as promised. Importantly DELICIOUS!
Lynn says
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.
Emily Newton says
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!
Sara says
This was really tasty! I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks for sharing!
LVChris says
The thighs were excellent. And the directions and narration were spot-on. Great job!
Laura Beth says
Easy and delicious. Moist and crisp.
Julianna says
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!
Jam says
This will be my new go to recipe whenever I have bone in chicken thighs in my fridge! Soo crispy and juicy!
Arlene says
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!
Ann Honeycutt says
It’s delicious!
Jan says
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.
Heather says
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!
Rose says
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 ????????
Patrick D. says
Good idea about putting the oil and the spices rogether in the bag. I'll try out this recipe in a few minutes. Thanks.