Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

 

Crispy-skinned, spectacularly juicy, and garlic paprika-rubbed Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are a no-effort recipe that earns unanimous praise and augments kitchen swagger. Quicker than the regular oven with even better results, your air fryer will quickly become your favorite way to cook chicken thighs!

Two Essential Tips for Perfect Air Fried Chicken Thighs

Here are some quick tips to make sure your air fryer chicken thighs are the best ever!

• Use Bone-In, Skin-On Thighs. I highly recommend using budget-friendly bone-in, skin-on chicken for this recipe. As with this Baked Bone-In Chicken Breast, Braised Chicken Thighs, and Air Fryer Whole Chicken, the skin locks in moisture. The bone flavors the meat from within and makes it harder to overcook the chicken.
• Check the Temp. While using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs gives you better protection from dry meat than if you were to use boneless skinless chicken thighs, you can still overcook chicken thighs (and you can DEFINITELY undercook them). For best results use an instant read thermometer.

More Ways to Season Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

• Parmesan. Add 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese to your spice mixture. (I’ll have this with Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad, please.)
• Spicy. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to the spice mixture.
• Brown Sugar. Add 2 teaspoons of brown sugar to the spice mixture. (For a BBQ-like finish, serve the thighs with my scrumptious Barbecue Sauce or any bbq sauce.)
• Italian. Add 2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning to the spice mixture.
• Curry. Add 2 teaspoons curry powder to the spice mixture. (This would be delish with Turmeric Rice.)
• Garlic Butter. Omit the smoked paprika, add an extra teaspoon of garlic powder, and swap the olive oil for melted butter. (Perfect for pairing with Garlic Pasta.)
• Lemon. Add zest of 1 lemon to the spice mixture. (Try this with Pasta al Limone or Lemon Rice. YUM!)
• Marinated. This recipe includes a great chicken rub; you can also try my favorite Chicken Marinade or Chicken Thigh Marinade, or use this Dry Turkey Brine (it works for chicken too!). Be sure to pat the chicken dry prior to cooking.
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