Dinner

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

These Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are perfectly seasoned and extra-crispy thanks to a secret ingredient. This super tasty air fryer chicken recipe has gone viral on Pinterest, and once you try it, you’ll understand why it’s so popular! 😊

overhead view of three cooked air fryer crispy brown chicken thighs on a white serving plate

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Are you ready for some incredible chicken thighs? Let the air frying begin! This recipe is juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and flavorful all the way through.

“Best chicken thighs I’ve made! Will only be cooking them like this from now on”

~reader Kaila from Pinterest

Ingredients Needed for Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Ingredient quantities for this easy air fryer chicken thighs recipe are located in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Chicken thighs: For this recipe, we’re using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for maximum flavor. If you don’t want to use bone-in and skin-on thighs, hop over to this recipe instead.
Olive oil
Paprika
Garlic powder
Pepper
Cumin
Salt
Baking powder: Baking powder is the secret ingredient that helps make these chicken thighs so crispy! Don’t skip it.

How To Make Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer (Quick Overview)

The steps below are just a quick overview of how to make the chicken thighs in the air fryer. The full process in detail is located in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Combine all the dry ingredients in a small bowl.

Important Tip

For best results, preheat your air fryer for 5-6 minutes at 400 F before placing the chicken thighs into the air fryer.

overhead view of chicken powder seasoning mix in a white bowl with black lines as decore on a white marble countertop

This Recipe’s Secret Ingredient 🤫

Baking powder is the secret ingredient that will make these chicken thighs extra crispy! How does it work? The baking powder (NOT soda!) reacts with the oil on the skin to create microscopic air bubbles, which in turn create the oh-so-crispy skin that so many of us love.

And for a little more science: the baking powder raises the pH level of the skin, which also helps the crispiness factor.

Place chicken thighs onto a clean plate. Pat the thighs dry to remove any moisture and then coat them evenly on both sides with olive oil.
Evenly sprinkle the seasoning mixture onto both sides of the chicken thighs and rub in to coat.

overhead view of brown seasoning mix on three chicken thighs laying on a sheet pan

Place the chicken thighs into the air fryer basket.

overhead view of three partially cooked brown chicken thighs in a black air fryer basket

Cook at 400 F for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, use tongs to carefully flip the thighs over. Then cook for another 6-10 minutes, until the outside of the chicken is crispy and browned.
Check the internal temperature of the chicken thighs to make sure they have reached at least 165 F.

Note

Some people (myself included!) prefer the taste of chicken thighs heated up to 185-195 F instead of 165 F. Give it a try and see what you think!

Let rest for 5-10 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

More Air Fryer Recipes

If you love your air fryer as much as I do (mine gets used at least five days out of the week!), then you’re always on the lookout for more air fryer recipes.

Here are a few more to try from our recipe archives here at Filling and Fabulous:

overhead view of air fryer garlic parmesan chicken thighs on a white plate ready to serve — **Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken**

overhead view of a seasoned and evenly sliced air fryer chicken breast on a bed of salad greens in a wooden bowl, ready to be served — **Air Fryer Garlic Parmesan Chicken**

Looking for an Air Fryer?

If you’re looking for an air fryer, I can’t recommend the Ninja Foodi enough. It’s not only an air fryer but also a pressure cooker, slow cooker, dehydrator, and more! I love it and use it daily.

Here’s the Air Fryer I Use!

overhead view of three partially fully cooked and crispy brown air fryer chicken thighs in a black ninja foodi air fryer basket

What Sides Go Well With Air Fryer Chicken Thighs?

Chicken thighs are pretty versatile! Here are a few ideas:

overhead view of oven roasted vegetables on sheet pan including broccoli, red peppers, summer squash, onions and cauliflower — **Oven Roasted Vegetables**

sideview of bacon green beans in a white serving bowl — **Oven Roasted Vegetables**

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