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.
windy says
great recipe with excellent directions that even I could follow.
Suzanne says
I love chicken thighs in the airfryer! They come out so moist and juicy! I love your dinner ideas too, it always helps to have a good suggestion for sides!!
I always give the tops a spritz with oil before cooking to give any meat or breading a little extra crispiness! Thank you for a great recipe!
Anna says
No sense in coming up with my own description ???? I agree with all the 5-star comments. Fantastic recipe.
Anita says
Absolutely delicious and one of my favourites. Will make it a lot.
Kathy says
This is the first time I have cooked chicken in the air fryer and we were amazed at how good it was. I made some for my husband without the seasoning because he wants just the basic salt and pepper, but mine were made exactly as the recipe showed. They were juicy and the skin was very crisp. We did add the extra four minutes of cook time as we love crispy skin. They were perfect, no changes necessary.
Petunia says
I made this chicken, added a bit of wing sauce. WOW. it came out just like fried. I will probably cook my chicken this way all the time
Amanda says
I'm thankfu lto have stumbled across this recipe. It was a hit with my picky eaters and is easy and packs flavor!
Michelle says
Can you make with frozen chicken thighs?
jenniferbanz says
They should be thawed first
Debra says
This is a great recipe! It is simple, fast and tasty. Thank you, Jennifer!
Angela Clark says
We enjoyed these easy air fryer thighs tonight for dinner. I had thighs in the fridge already but almost went out to dinner because I didn’t want to cook, I found your recipe and decided to try. They were delicious, saved us from eating out and we will make them again
Sherry says
I tried this tonight, doubled the recipe but removed 1/2 tsp of garlic and replaced with 1/2 tsp of dried mustard and it was amazing, the family loved it ! Thank you
Patty Duke says
Oh, YUM!!! We tried this recipe and it was just as described, perfect! The chicken thighs were crispy and juicy and perfect in almost every way and very satisfying. We have a Ninja Foodie XL Air Fry Oven to cook 4 (or as many as 6 if need be) of the thighs and they were really very crispy and yet tender The timing in the recipe was almost perfect as it was in the recipe, and we did add the 4 minute cook time, as suggested, for that little extra crunch. The second time we made it, we tried adding some Arcadia Kitchens Cajun's Choice Creole Seasoning, and it was so amazing and yummy, too. We just subbed 1/2 of the Smoked Paprika amount with the Cajun's Seasoning, and it gave it a whole different, yet delightful taste. My hubby likes things spicy, and it made the chicken just "a little" spicy. Crispy? Yes, I even wanted to eat the skin! The chicken thighs are inexpensive (we got ours at Sam's Club) and we will get 3 meals out of a package which only cost (just under) $6.00. Amazing. We will put this recipe in rotation for our meals and for company, too. We will be subscribing to Jennifer's pages for her recipes, and even trying to take the Keto Challenge! Thank you so much.
Joan says
Made these for dinner tonight!! They were delicious!
Linda M says
Do you keep it on air fryer or use the roast button?
jenniferbanz says
Air fry
Kenya says
Perfect! Marinated them in the spice mix & a little bit of grapeseed oil. Better tasting & crispier than frying with flour. A+
Katie says
Made this last night. Perfect directions, everyone LOVED, super tasty. Putting this in our dinner rotation!
Lara M says
I love this recipe!! The ingredients are exactly suited to my taste. I use a lot more smoked paprika, but that’s because I just can’t get enough of it. The cooking time is perfect too. Other than finger foods, this is literally the only time I use the air fryer.
Ann S says
Cooked chicken thighs tonight. They came out moist & done on the inside & crispy on the skin side. Husband approved this time. I usually over cook it.First time I used Af for homemade food.
Amber says
Fantastic!!!!!!
Cindy says
This chicken was exactly as Jennifer writes. It was crispy and had a delicious taste. The only addition I would make is to pierce the chicken pieces before adding the seasonings. This enables the chicken to absorb the seasonings.
Amy says
Great recipe. We've made it numerous times. Family hit!
Flora says
Super easy and absolutely delicious!!
Carmen says
So good! I brushed some BBQ on them after the initial cook time then did the additional 4 minutes like suggested and it was seriously perfect!
Winnie says
Can you use chicken drumsticks instead?
jenniferbanz says
yep!
Katie says
Same timing for legs?
Liz Vasquez says
How do you make seasonings adhere to the chicken thighs?
I followed your recipe but had a problem with that. So I had to re-season my chicken.☹️
jenniferbanz says
It sounds like the skin may have dried out. You could brush some oil on them before seasoning
Francesca says
This was great, thank you! I’ll be sure to make it again.
Debby says
Yum
Julie says
Simply delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Dar says
Easy, very tasty and crispy. Saved this recipe
Doug says
I used Lawrys seasoning salt. Dried my thighs well, coated with evoo then dusted with Lawrys. Air fried according to your recipe. Turned out yummy.
Sal Ferraro says
These were great! Mine were fully cooked after 20 min and sooo crispy. Thank you!
Susan says
All I can say is AMAZING! Who knew chicken thighs could taste this delectable! These little jewels turn out with super crispy skin and soooo juicy on the inside. Just like the other reviewers, I am hooked!
kendra says
OMG! This was sooo good! and quick to make, I misread and used Parsley instead and it still came out delish! This will be a goto for me for quick meals!
Joe says
Very very good! Thank you
Joyce says
I am totally blown away by these. Will be having this chicken a lot!!!
Leigh says
Makes the most perfect, juicy thighs with crispy skin! Will use this recipe over and over again, can simply swap out seasonings and get something different but still with a perfect cook!
Linda says
This recipe is my -go to - for chicken thighs. Everyone always raves about them!
Peter says
My wife and I have cooked chicken thighs using your recipe three times already. We loved it! It came out great every time. We are making it again today. Thank you.
Diana Romano says
Love your recipes since I’m trying to eat better. My question regarding chicken thighs in the air fryer. I have a full size unit, would I place the thighs on rack or basket? Thank you….Diana
jenniferbanz says
Do you mean a full size oven? I would put them on a sheet pan with a rack
Cheryl says
I’m assuming I could use boneless thighs as well??
jenniferbanz says
Yes but they will cook much more quickly
Katrina says
Tried these last night, they were delicious! Hubby and kids loved it! Can’t wait to make it again!
Pamela Walker says
Literally the first time I have bothered to leave a review. These thighs were luscious. My super picky husband declared these worthy to be in the weekly meal cycle. Praise indeed!