Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs make for a quick and simple weeknight meal. Seasoned with a simple yet super flavorful rub made of pantry-staple spices and herbs. Air fried until perfectly done. Resulting in juicy tender chicken on the inside and crispy skin on the outside.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs (skin and bone-in)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp pink sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
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Pat chicken thighs dry and place in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and rub thighs making sure they're well coated with oil.
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In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic powder, onion powder, pink sea salt, black pepper, paprika, dried oregano, and dried thyme. Mix together then sprinkle over thighs. Rub in making sure thighs are well coated with spices and herbs.
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Place chicken thighs in air fryer basket skin side down. Make sure to leave room between each thigh. Cook in batches if you have too. My air fryer has two baskets so I cook 2 thighs in each basket at the sane time.
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Set air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook thighs for 12 minutes. Flip over and air fry for for another 8 minutes.
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Remove chicken thighs from air fryer and serve while still warm. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
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- Rub spices and herb blend well into thighs- You want to spread it around evenly throughout thighs and get under the skin. Make sure most of the seasoning doesn't stay over the skin. Your thighs could end up over seasoned on the outside of the skin and under-seasoned inside.
- Place chicken thighs in air fryer skin side down first- Having the skin cook first will start to render fat without browning the skin too much.
- Don't overcrowd your chicken in air fryer basket- This will prevent air from circulating as chicken cooks. Which will prevent chicken from cooking evenly.
- Switch up your seasonings to play around with the flavors- Substitute oregano and thyme for Italian seasoning; use smoked paprika instead of regular paprika for a more smokey flavor; add turmeric for more color; drizzle some fresh lime juice, etc.
- Substitute for olive oil- Avocado oil, coconut oil, or butter can all be used as substitutes.
- Use meat thermometer to make sure thighs are done- Depending on how big your chicken thighs are cooking time may vary. Use a meat thermometer to make sure thighs have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.