Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

• 1.25 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (I’ve been using a fine-grained table salt for this)
• a few cracks of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• squeeze of lemon to finish

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1. Trim the Chicken Thighs: Optional, but I usually cut off the little bits of fat (the chunkier white strips) from the edges of the chicken thighs.
2. Season the Chicken: Toss the chicken thighs with the spices and olive oil. For the best flavor, let it marinate anywhere from 15 minutes to 2-3 hours in the fridge. (Also fine to skip if you’re short on time!)
3. Air Fry Chicken: Air fry at 375 for 11-13 minutes, until deeply golden and a bit crisped on the outside, and at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit on the inside. (I use a meat thermometer to check!)
4. Slice Chicken: Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let it rest for a few minutes; cut into bite-sized pieces. Squeeze lemon over the top if you want.
5. Serve: Serve with your favorite sauce (see notes for a smoky aioli that I love), baked potato or roasted veggies, in a rice bowl, or on a salad!

Smoky Paprika Aioli (my current favorite sauce with this): Whisk 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup yogurt, 1 clove freshly grated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 teaspoon salt (more to taste).

Spice Coverage on The Chicken: Every package of chicken thighs is a slightly different size, so if your package is 1.5 pounds or more (or if you love a lot of spices), you may want to add a few extra shakes of spices to get more complete spice coverage!

Preheating the Air Fryer: I do not preheat my air fryer. I just put the chicken in, turn the air fryer on, and then make sure to use a meat thermometer to check that it’s completely cooked.

Lining the Air Fryer: I also don’t line the air fryer basket with anything. I just put the chicken thighs directly onto the grill grate. 

Flipping the Chicken: I also do not flip the chicken thighs halfway through. I’ve tried it, but I like the texture better with just the top being crispy and the underside being a bit juicy. If you think you want both the top and bottom to be crisped up a bit, you can air fry for 8-9 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes to get both sides a bit crisped.