Best 8 Air Fried Chicken Thighs Recipes

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In the culinary realm, air fryers have emerged as game-changing appliances, revolutionizing the way we prepare our favorite foods. Among the many delectable dishes that can be crafted in an air fryer, air-fried chicken thighs stand out as a true delight. Juicy, tender, and infused with a crispy golden-brown exterior, these chicken thighs offer a guilt-free indulgence that rivals traditional fried chicken without compromising on flavor. With their versatility, air-fried chicken thighs can be seasoned to suit any palate, making them a perfect canvas for experimenting with different herbs, spices, and marinades. Whether you prefer a classic Southern-fried flavor or a spicy kick inspired by global cuisines, air frying allows you to create a customized culinary experience with minimal effort.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS



Air Fryer Chicken Thighs image

Tasty, quick, chicken thighs, with juicy meat and a crispy skin; you will love this chicken that is ready for the table in less than 30 minutes!

Provided by Bibi

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Chicken Thigh Recipes

Time 30m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 skin-on, boneless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
  • Pat chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and brush the skin-side of each piece with olive oil. Place chicken thighs, skin-side down, in a single layer on a plate.
  • Combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a bowl and sprinkle half the seasoning mixture evenly over the 4 chicken thighs. Turn thighs over and evenly sprinkle remaining seasoning mixture on top. Place chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer, skin-side up.
  • Fry in the preheated air fryer until chicken is brown and juices run clear, about 18 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 213.4 calories, Carbohydrate 0.9 g, Cholesterol 70.9 mg, Fat 14.2 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 19.3 g, SaturatedFat 3.6 g, Sodium 355.2 mg, Sugar 0.2 g

AIR-FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS



Air-Fryer Chicken Thighs image

This air-fryer chicken thighs recipe creates meat that is crispy on the outside but super juicy on the inside. The paprika and garlic seasoning blend comes through beautifully. -Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 20m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1-1/2 pounds)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Steps:

  • Preheat air-fryer to 375°. Brush chicken with oil. Combine remaining ingredients; sprinkle over chicken. Place chicken, skin side up, in a single layer on tray in air-fryer basket. Cook until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 170°-175°, 15-17 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 255 calories, Fat 18g fat (4g saturated fat), Cholesterol 81mg cholesterol, Sodium 511mg sodium, Carbohydrate 0 carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 23g protein.

CRISPY AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS



Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs image

Juicy, tender dark-meat chicken with the crispiest skin in less than twenty minutes-who could ask for anything more? Serve these lightly seasoned chicken thighs as is, or toss them while still hot with your favorite barbecue or buffalo sauce to give this quick and easy anytime meal an extra kick.

Provided by Food Network Kitchen

Categories     main-dish

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Steps:

  • Mix together the granulated garlic, onion powder, thyme, paprika, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry and add to a medium bowl. Add the olive oil and half of the spice mix, then toss to combine.
  • Add the flour to the remaining spice mix and stir to combine. Transfer the flour mixture to a large resealable bag. Add the seasoned thighs to the bag, seal well and toss until the chicken is fully coated in the flour.
  • Preheat a 3.5-quart air fryer to 400 degrees F. Add the chicken thighs to the air fryer basket, skin-side down and without touching. Cook, flipping skin-side up halfway through, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part (avoiding the bone) reads 165 degrees F, about 18 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS



Air Fryer Chicken Thighs image

The air fryer really turns out the perfect chicken. It's so moist and tender with a perfectly crispy skin. Plus, these only take around 20 minutes so they're easy enough for any night.

Provided by Karly Campbell

Categories     Chicken

Time 25m

Number Of Ingredients 8

4 bone-in chicken thighs
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cracked pepper
1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Steps:

  • Add all of the ingredients except for the parsley to a large zip top bag and seal. Smush the chicken around in the bag to coat in the seasoning.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees for 5 minutes.
  • Place the chicken thighs, skin side down, in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Flip the chicken over and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 346 calories, Carbohydrate 2 grams carbohydrates, Cholesterol 166 milligrams cholesterol, Fat 25 grams fat, Fiber 0 grams fiber, Protein 31 grams protein, SaturatedFat 6 grams saturated fat, ServingSize 1, Sodium 756 grams sodium, Sugar 0 grams sugar, TransFat 0 grams trans fat, UnsaturatedFat 18 grams unsaturated fat

AIR FRIED MAPLE CHICKEN THIGHS



Air Fried Maple Chicken Thighs image

This subtly sweet, yet savory, chicken thigh recipe is crisped to perfection in an air fryer.

Provided by thedailygourmet

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Fried Chicken Recipes

Time 1h35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 15

1 cup buttermilk
½ cup maple syrup
1 egg
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated onion
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon granulated garlic
½ teaspoon honey powder (such as Savory Spice®)

Steps:

  • Combine buttermilk, maple syrup, egg, and 1 teaspoon granulated garlic in a resealable bag. Add chicken thighs and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
  • Combine flour, tapioca flour, salt, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, granulated onion, pepper, cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, and honey powder in a shallow bowl.
  • Preheat an air fryer to 380 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Drain and discard marinade from chicken thighs. Dredge chicken through flour mixture and shake off excess. Place chicken skin-side down in the preheated air fryer and cook for 12 minutes. Turn thighs and fry an additional 13 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 415.4 calories, Carbohydrate 50.8 g, Cholesterol 113 mg, Fat 13.4 g, Fiber 1 g, Protein 23.3 g, SaturatedFat 3.9 g, Sodium 1885 mg, Sugar 26.7 g

AIR-FRIED BREADED CHICKEN THIGHS



Air-Fried Breaded Chicken Thighs image

Wonderfully crisp and juicy air-fried chicken thighs. These won't get crispy all the way around on the bottom, but it's an easy oil-free way to get that crunch on top with just a few steps. Let the air fryer do all the work!

Provided by Rebekah Rose Hills

Time 1h40m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

4 medium bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
nonstick cooking spray

Steps:

  • Place chicken thighs and buttermilk in a non-reactive container with a lid or a resealable plastic bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  • Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Pour off buttermilk and let chicken rest on the counter while preparing the breading mixture.
  • Combine flour, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and black pepper in a large, shallow bowl or pie plate; whisk or stir with a fork until evenly combined.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 375 to 380 degrees F (190 to 195 degrees C). Spray air fryer basket lightly with nonstick spray.
  • Once air fryer is hot, press chicken thighs, 1 at a time, into the breading mixture and make sure breading sticks onto all sides as much as possible. Gently set into the air fryer basket. Repeat until all thighs are breaded and in the basket. Do not stack them on top of each other.
  • Set air fryer for 25 minutes. When the time is up check temperature with an instant-read thermometer. Internal temperature should be 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). If they aren't quite done but the breading is getting dark, just close the basket again and let them rest, or you can turn the air fryer on again for a few minutes and check again. Serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 849.7 calories, Carbohydrate 14.9 g, Cholesterol 288.8 mg, Fat 49.1 g, Fiber 0.8 g, Protein 81.5 g, SaturatedFat 14.1 g, Sodium 990.6 mg, Sugar 3.7 g

AIR-FRIED CHICKEN



Air-fried chicken image

Use an air fryer to make these easy chicken thighs, and add the seasoning or sauce of your choice. It's an easy way to cook chicken when you're busy

Provided by Anna Glover

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 4

4 large or 8 small chicken thighs, skin on
1 tbsp sunflower or olive oil
1 tbsp plain flour
seasoning of choice (use salt and pepper, or ½-1 tsp of either smoky BBQ, ras-el-hanout, garlic granules, celery salt or garam masala)

Steps:

  • Toss the chicken thighs in the oil, making sure they are all well-coated.
  • Mix the flour with the seasoning, then toss with the chicken thighs - it will be a very light coating, but you can double the flour and seasoning if you prefer a thicker coating.
  • Arrange the chicken in one layer on the tray of an air fryer without a paddle, and program to cook for 35 mins. Check the thighs are cooked by pulling the flesh on the underside of one away from the bone - it should come away easily and there should be no pink remaining. Cook for another 5-10 mins if needed. The skin should have bubbled and crisped up, and any excess fat from the chicken will have dripped into the base of the fryer (you can discard this). Don't leave the chicken in the fryer, or the steam will make the skin soft again.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 250 calories, Fat 16 grams fat, SaturatedFat 4 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 4 grams carbohydrates, Fiber 0.6 grams fiber, Protein 22 grams protein, Sodium 0.24 milligram of sodium

AIR FRYER BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN THIGHS



Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Thighs image

Dinner doesn't get any more simpler than this main course! It uses basic ingredients most will already have.

Provided by thedailygourmet

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Pork

Time 2h35m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

½ stick butter, softened
½ clove minced garlic
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried basil
⅛ teaspoon coarse salt
freshly ground black pepper
⅓ pound thick-cut bacon
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 teaspoons minced garlic

Steps:

  • Combine softened butter, garlic, thyme, basil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Place butter on a piece of wax paper and roll up rightly to form a butter log. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
  • Lay one bacon strip flat on a piece of wax paper. Place chicken thigh on top of the bacon and sprinkle with garlic. Open up the chicken thigh. Place 1-2 tsp of the cold finishing butter in the middle of the chicken thigh. Tuck one end of bacon into the middle of the chicken thigh. Fold over the chicken thigh and roll the bacon around the chicken thigh. Repeat with remaining thighs and bacon.
  • Preheat an air fryer to 370 degrees F (190 degrees C).
  • Place chicken thighs in the basket of the air fryer and cook until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 453.2 calories, Carbohydrate 1 g, Cholesterol 150 mg, Fat 34.3 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 33.4 g, SaturatedFat 13.9 g, Sodium 440.8 mg

Tips:

  • To ensure crispy skin, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels before cooking.
  • Use a light coating of oil to help the chicken thighs crisp up in the air fryer.
  • Season the chicken thighs generously with your favorite spices and herbs for extra flavor.
  • Preheat the air fryer to the desired temperature before adding the chicken thighs.
  • Cook the chicken thighs in a single layer to promote even cooking.
  • Flip the chicken thighs halfway through the cooking time for even browning.
  • Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs to ensure they are cooked through.
  • Let the chicken thighs rest for a few minutes before serving to allow the juices to redistribute.

Conclusion:

Air-fried chicken thighs are a delicious and healthy way to enjoy this versatile protein. With just a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of cooking time, you can have a flavorful and crispy meal that the whole family will love. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy weeknight dinner, give air-fried chicken thighs a try. You won't be disappointed!

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