Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, these air fryer chicken thighs come together in under 30 minutes with a simple spice rub and fresh lemon. No oven needed.
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 2 lbs total
- ½ lemon, juiced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp dried oregano or herbs de Provence
- 1 tsp olive oil optional, for extra crispiness
Instructions
- Pat dry: Use paper towels to thoroughly dry each chicken thigh. This is the most important step for crispy skin.
- Season: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over both sides of each piece. Mix all dry spices in a small bowl and rub the mixture all over the chicken.
- Preheat: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
- Cook first side: Place thighs skin-side down in a single layer in the basket. Cook for 12 minutes.
- Flip and finish: Flip each thigh skin-side up and cook another 10-12 minutes until the skin is deeply golden and the internal temperature reads 165°F.
- Rest: Remove from the air fryer and let the chicken rest for 3-4 minutes before serving.
Notes
- >For boneless skinless thighs, reduce total cook time to 18-20 minutes and check at the 16-minute mark.
>Do not overlap pieces in the basket - cook in batches if needed.
>For BBQ variation, brush sauce on in the last 3 minutes of cooking.
>Leftovers keep in the fridge up to 4 days. Reheat at 375°F for 4-5 minutes in the air fryer.
