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.
April James says
Absolutely ???? delicious!
Lauren says
This recipe is amazing and so crispy! I dusted the chicken thighs with some flour before air frying them and sprayed with olive oil. So good! Thank you
Shawn Dyson says
These were delicious thank you
Jo says
Easy and delicious ????
Michael Razey says
that was bloody ripper
the best chicken I've had for a long time
Linda B says
Easy recipe, had all the ingredients and no messy bowls clean up after!!
Saved this recipe into my rotations.
Hector Flores Ortiz says
Excellent recipe great taste
douglas wagner says
I made this last night and it was great. Chrispy skin, just right.
Shirley says
Very good!! Chicken was so moist. I did cook mine in four minute increments. I will making it again.
Jen says
These were great,! Thank you!
Al says
Thanks for the quick and easy recipe! Almost no mess and delicious crispy skin!!
Sara says
I didn't even know chicken thighs was a thing… I followed the directions to a T...without a doubt the most flavorful, tender, juicy, perfectly well crisped chicken thigh I've ever experienced wouldn't change a thing, thank you for such a perfect recipe
Vaul Martin Jr says
Very easy and skin is definitely crispy! Will do again.
Claire says
Thank you for such a delicious recipe. We have just purchased an airfryer and this recipe was so easy to cook, for a newbie like me. Will definitely make this again. Yum yum!!
Marilyn says
I can't wait to try this. I just pulled out my pack of chicken thighs from the freezer and this recipe popped up as 5 stars when looking for ideas. Will come back with feedback but I'm so excited
Jean in says
These came out great! Nice and crispy outside and moist inside. I had to A/F in two batches as my thighs were large (sounds funny but very true). The cook time and temp were spot-on. Thank you, Jennifer for this tasty recipe! I'm fairly new to A/F's, and they give some excellent results.
Joanne says
Very easy and delicious. Will definitely make it again
Paul says
Just got my air fryer and this was one of the first recipes I tried and was not dissapointed.
Absolutely delicious, crispy chicken thighs!
Thank You Jennifer!
Marija Webers says
My son just made these - they were outstanding!
thank you.
Jnc says
Okay disclaimer, I never buy skin & bone in thighs cause they just aren’t worth the time to me.
But my fiancé went to the store today & I forgot to mention that.
I just air fried these thighs with the time & directions here (I did use my normal seasoning blend). & Holy crap. This is delicious!!! The skin is so crispy!! I just might be a changed woman lol bone in/skin on from now on!
Gail says
Delicious!!!!!
Jini says
This recipe is what helped me stickbto low carb when first starting as it was an easy basic recipe that the family loves. My husband tells people that after 35 years of marriage I finally learned how to cook. Thank you Jennifer for all your recipes.????
Terry W Mccleary says
Came out great! Various sizes, do require some attention to time! I appreciate the help ????
Rich says
Once again people put their recipes on line and never give the temp
of the fryer to begin with. So, yes it's a good recipe, but I am tired of going on an Easter Egg Hunt for the most important item to the recipe. I used to own an Italian restaurant in Chicago, and the first item for any recipe would be the cooking temp.
Jennifer Banz says
The temperature is literally in step 1 of the recipe.
Rose says
Lol, yup. Says 380° right there. Maybe reading isn't a requirement for owners of Italian restaurants in Chicago. ????♀️ Thanks for the recipe! Trying it tonight!
Suz says
Super easy, REALLY crispy (succulent meat), and very tasty. I make enough for 2 people for 2 nights. I change up din din by having various veggies or salads with it. Why didn’t I think this up?? I’m very grateful for this recipe!! Tonight will be our third time!! Once it’s second nature then I’ll start changing some spices around.
Ronda Lee says
Cooked tonight the thighs in your recipe using the seasoning in the recipe. I just bought a new range with air fry. It was really good. I will cook these instead of fried chicken.
JB says
So much flavor, super easy and crispy!
Jenny says
Really tasty. I added more of the seasonings and used sweet paprika. The skin was in indeed crispy but the meat stayed tender.
Kate says
These thighs were delicious. Even my husband, who typically doesn’t like chicken thighs, really enjoyed them.
Floyd Warmsley III says
It amazes me how easy it is to cook with the air fryer. Thank you for the recipe. I really enjoyed the chicken thighs.
Melissa says
Made this tonight for supper and ohhh man so delicious and crispy. This will be my go to recipe now. Thank you.
Bill Almstead says
Great recipe! Awesome flavor! I simply added a half teaspoon of black pepper to this recipe to give it a little more kick. ????????
C.Samp says
GREAT recipe! Simple and tasty. I have never liked thighs much, but grocery prices now have lead me to the thigh value packs! Key for me in this recipe is trimming the intramuscular fat and extra skin super well so that I can just eat the thigh straight up without running into big globs of fat/gristle. And the skin really does render well so it's crisp and I can take a bite or two of it. Seasonings are nice and basic. I also love subbing them with Old Bay - quick, easy and so tasty! Thanks much for this recipe!
MELISSA says
It's not her recipe. The recipe was stolen from http://www.skinnytaste.com!
Jennifer Banz says
Um no, I posted my recipe over 2 years before her. https://web.archive.org/web/20200812100048/https://jenniferbanz.com/air-fryer-chicken-thighs
Della says
Don't think so, Melissa. I made the recipe from Skinny taste and it was too salty!
Ryan says
Awesome seasoning, yummy ????
Pat G says
Best ever, moist, crispy, perfect seasoning.
Patricia Williams says
No leftovers...compliments from my 17-year-old son!
Elizabeth Guill says
Chicken was delicious. But the smoke alarm went off!!! House smells bad
Shane says
If you had to make more than 4 at a time you have to change out the oil each time or it will start smoking.
I myself will add a little more oil each time while cooking batches of something to save time.
It's not recommended to do this but it doesn't smoke.
Eileen Ross says
Try putting some water under basket. It will eliminate a lot of smoke. I do this with steaks.
Lynn says
This was my first air fryer success! I had a "picnic pack" of chicken - 4 legs and 4 thighs or so, so I made 2 batches of mixed sizes. We ate one while the other cooked. . . I substituted the regular paprika for the smoked (can't stand smoked paprika). . . I also gave it a few more minutes to make sure it was done. So good! And, much to my surprise, the fryer wasn't too hard to clean (at least the part you can see). . . I used Melaleuka Tough and Tender and a scratchy pad. . . no problem.
Mavis says
Great Recipe! I usually don't leave comments, but I thought that I should for this recipe. I had 4 chicken thighs and followed your recipe in the air fryer. Thanks for a delicious and easy recipe.
Virgi says
I will be trying this recipe. I’m new to air frying.