Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

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Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. Even better, this recipe is on the table in just 25 minutes! 

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS

1. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees
2. Using a paper towel, pat the chicken dry
3. Season both sides with Dry Italian Seasoning Mix
4. Place onto air fryer rack
5. Spray top of chicken thighs with non-stick cooking spray
6. Cook 10 minutes, flip, then cook 10 more minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees

Start by gathering the ingredients. Then, preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

INGREDIENTS FOR AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS

• 6 Bone-In, Skin-on Chicken Thighs
• 1 Packet Dry Italian Seasoning Mix
• Non-Stick Cooking Spray
• Paper towels

INGREDIENT SWAPS FOR AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS 

• Swap the bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for boneless, skinless chicken breasts if preferred. Just know that without the skin, you will not get as crunchy of a piece of chicken. 
• Swap the dry Italian seasoning mix for any of your favorite seasoning combinations.
• Use avocado oil spray, canola oil spray or olive oil spray.

Next, using paper towels, pat the chicken dry. Do not skip this step - it is key to making the chicken crispy.

Next, season both sides of the chicken thighs. 

AIR FRYER CHICKEN SEASONING COMBINATIONS

Skip the extra trip to the store to purchase a seasoning mix. Grab your spices from the cabinet and try out one of these combinations! I personally love to season my fried chicken with a Homemade Italian Seasoning. 

Check out these other spice combinations for your air fryer chicken thighs!

• Smokey Spice Rub
• Asian Rub
• Mexican Seasoning Mix
• Homemade Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Once your chicken thighs are seasoned to your liking, place the onto the air fryer rack. 

PRO TIP: This air fryer rack is dishwasher safe so simply throw in your dishwasher once you are done cooking

Next, spray the top of each chicken thigh with a non-stick cooking spray. I usually use an avocado oil spray. Make sure to flip your chicken thighs to spray both sides!

CAN YOU STACK CHICKEN THIGHS IN AN AIR FRYER?

It is highly recommended that you do not stack your chicken thighs. Stacking can cause uneven cooking - no one wants to bite into an undercooked piece of fried chicken!

Also, by laying your the thighs in a single layer, you can make sure the chicken gets extra crispy. I start by placing my chicken thighs skin side up on the rack.

HOW DO YOU COOK CHICKEN THIGHS IN AN AIR FRYER?

Once the chicken is on the air fryer rack in a single layer, add the rack to the air fryer.  Then, cook for 10 minutes, flip the chicken thighs, then cook 10 more minutes.

You will know your chicken thighs are ready to be served when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

WHAT IS AN AIR FRYER?

An air fryer is an appliance that circulates hot air with a built-in fan to cook food at a high temperature. It eliminates the need to heat a large pot of oil to create your favorite fried foods. 

Never used an air fryer? Check out this step-by-step guide on how to use the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Oven.

1. Press the POWER button to turn on your appliance 
2. Turn the START/PAUSE dial to select your desired cooking function
3. Press the TIME/SLICE button to select your cooking time 
4. Press the TEMP/DARKNESS button to select the temperature - use the dial to adjust to a different darkness level
5. Press the START/PAUSE dial to start the cooking process - if you need to add more time, turn the dial. If you need to pause the air fryer, press the dial.

TIPS FOR MAKING BEST AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS

• Place the baking pan on the rack under the air fryer pan as the chicken will drip and the pan will catch the juices. This eliminates the having to clean the bottom of the air fryer after cooking.
• Preheat your air fryer before adding your food. This helps your chicken thighs cook evenly once they are added to the oven.
• Do not panic if you see smoke. Sometimes food will get lodged in the heating coil causing smoke. Simple unplug your appliance, remove the food from the heating coil, and continue cooking.

Related: Family favorite chicken thigh recipes Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Thighs, Instant Pot Bone-In Chicken Thighs, and Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs.

WHAT DO I SERVE WITH AIR FRYER CHICKEN THIGHS?

You really can't go wrong when it comes to picking a recipe to serve with your air fryer chicken thighs. I recommend picking a different recipe each time you make fried chicken.

These recipes are some of my family's top requests when it comes to side dishes. 

• Parmesan Rhodes Rolls Recipe
• Cheesy Mashed Potato Bites
• Instant Pot Broccoli
• How to Roast Acorn Squash 
• Crock-Pot Red Potatoes

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES

If your house is anything like mine then you are cooking chicken at least once a week. Keep things interested by trying one of these chicken recipes!

• Southwest Chicken Chili
• Greek Chicken Thighs
• Chicken Sausage Soup
• Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Recipe
• Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti 

If you enjoyed the recipe make sure to leave a comment and a star rating below!  Then follow me on social media and tag #createkidsclub if you make the recipe.  I love seeing what you come up with! 

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