Learn to air fry boneless chicken thighs in just a few simple steps! Boneless skinless chicken thighs are seasoned then air fried for a quick and easy dinner kids love!
They are crisp & juicy with all the flavor you could want in a chicken recipe. Pair with family favorite sides to create a dinner meal that will be requested over and over. The leftovers are even delicious the next day!
Along with this air fried chicken, add Air Fry Chicken Legs, Crockpot Ranch Chicken, Chicken Cutlet Sandwich and Air Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu to the menu rotation soon!
Learning how to air fry chicken takes dinner up a notch. You can create restaurant-style chicken thighs, breasts, and drumsticks right at home without the excess oil.
The crispy outside and juicy center makes this recipe a kid’s favorite. They can enjoy the chicken whole, shredded or chopped while dipping into their favorite sauce.
Makes for a great weekday or weekend meal! Plus, the leftovers can easily be reheated the next day without complaints. Serve with Oven Roasted Crispy Potatoes – your kids will thank you!
For more recipes that make great leftovers, check out Taco Quesadilla, Gluten-Free Baked Ziti, Sheet Pan Sausage and Veggies and How To Make Tuna Sushi Rolls.
To get started, gather the equipment and ingredients then follow the written instructions or printable recipe card. Enjoy!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs ✅
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ✅ ✅
- 1 teaspoon onion powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley ✅
- 1 teaspoon salt
Gluten-Free Guide: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten.
How To Make
Place the chicken thighs into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, and salt.
Using clean hands, mix well.
Air Fry
Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Place the chicken thighs onto the air fryer tray.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature hits 165°F.
Serving Suggestions
You can pick any side dish to pair with crispy chicken thighs. From potatoes and rice to veggies, casseroles and soups, there are many possibilities.
- Potatoes: Sweet Potatoes In Instant Pot, Pan Fried Sliced Potatoes, Steakhouse Baked Potato, Gluten Free Potato Salad, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
- Rice: Long Grain White Rice (Instant Pot), Basmati Rice (Instant Pot), Gluten Free Spanish Rice, Quinoa Instant Pot, Jasmine Rice (Instant Pot)
- Vegetables: Roasted Frozen Vegetables, Air Fry Green Beans, Brussels Sprout Apple Salad, Broccoli Salad without Mayo, Roasted Frozen Cauliflower
- Casseroles: Cheesy Green Bean Casserole, Easy Sweet Potato Casserole, Gluten Free Corn Casserole, Butternut Squash Casserole
- Soups: Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Soup, Instant Pot Loaded Potato Soup, Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup, Instant Pot Minestrone Soup
Storing Air Fry Boneless Chicken Thighs
In the fridge: Store up to 3 days in a covered container.
In the freezer: Store up to 3 months in a covered container or in a Ziploc bag. Store whole or shred prior to freezing.
Reheating Instructions
Microwave: Place in a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 30-second increments until hot. Reheat chicken whole or shredded.
Air fryer: Place back on the air fryer tray and into a preheated air fryer (380°F) for 3-5 minutes or until hot.
Oven: Place in a baking dish into a preheated oven (350°F) for 5-7 minutes or until hot.
Shred leftover chicken to add to soups, casseroles, tacos, burritos, enchiladas or your favorite chicken recipe.
Substitutions & Variations
- Season with smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
- Serve with dipping sauce(s) such as ketchup, barbeque, buffalo or ranch.
- Marinate the chicken in the fridge overnight for a deeper flavor.
- Top the chicken with shredded cheese, buffalo or barbecue sauce before serving.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice or Italian dressing on the top prior to serving for a tang.
Frequently Asked Questions
The internal temperature should always be 165°F before serving.
The chicken takes 15-20 minutes unless larger thighs are used, or the air fryer is overcrowded then you may need to extend the cooking time. Always cook chicken until the internal temperature hits 165°F
Yes! Fresh bone-in thighs can be swapped for boneless thighs. The cooking time will need to be adjusted based on size as typically bone-in takes longer to cook. Our suggestion would be to increase the cooking time by 5 minutes, temp the chicken then repeat if needed.
Yes, frozen chicken can be safely cooked in the air fryer. It does take longer to cook so we recommend adding an additional 10 minutes to the cooking time then temping. If less than 165°F, continue cooking until the temperature is reached.
If you don’t own an air fryer or prefer to use the oven, preheat to 375°F then bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken thighs reach 165°F on the inside. For crispy skin, place the baking dish in the broiler for 3-5 minutes.
Kids In The Kitchen
Cooking tips and suggestions for kids making this recipe.
- Let the chicken rest after cooking before slicing to keep moist and juicy.
- Air fry similar sized chicken thighs to promote even cooking.
- Use a meat thermometer to temp the internal temperature of chicken (should be 165°F) before serving.
- Prevent overcrowding the tray by keeping space between each chicken thigh and not stacking.
More Chicken Thigh Recipes
- How To Boil Chicken Thighs
- Ninja Foodi Italian Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Bone In Chicken Thighs
- Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs
CKC Features both Gluten-Free Guidance and Kids Cooking Instructions: If you’re new to eating gluten-free we understand it’s overwhelming trying to figure out which foods may contain gluten and which ones don’t. All of our gluten-free recipes marked with this symbol ✅ represent foods that need to be checked for gluten or cross-contamination.
The ⭐️ symbol in the recipe below denotes the steps in which kid cooks may need a helper (depending on age). If there is no ⭐️ symbol, that step (or recipe) doesn’t require a helper.
Air Fry Boneless Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- medium-sized bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs ✅
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder ✅ ✅
- 1 teaspoon onion powder ✅
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley ✅
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prep the chicken thighs. Place the chicken thighs into a mixing bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, and salt. Using clean hands, mix well.1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon salt
- ⭐️Air Fry. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Place the chicken thighs onto the air fryer tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature hits 165°F.
Notes
- Season with smoked paprika for a smoky flavor.
- Serve with dipping sauce(s) such as ketchup, barbeque, buffalo or ranch.
- Marinate the chicken in the fridge overnight for a deeper flavor.
- Top the chicken with shredded cheese, buffalo or barbecue sauce before serving.
- Squeeze fresh lemon juice or Italian dressing on the top prior to serving for a tang.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Serve leftovers whole or shred to add to soups, casseroles, tacos, burritos, enchiladas or your favorite chicken recipe.
Nutrition
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