Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – SUPER CRISPY and JUICY! (VIDEO)

Why use the Air Fryer to make Chicken?

Air Fryers are mini convection ovens that use hot air circulating rapidly to cook – this rapid hot air results in fast evaporation, which means your food cooks fast enough to NOT dry out, while getting a crispy exterior. This is perfect for dishes like Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, or Air Fryer Chicken Tenders because it means the chicken will be JUICY while the exterior gets SUPER CRISPY! The best part is – it cooks in less than half the time it would normally take in an oven!

What to Serve with Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are such a simple and delicious way to enjoy chicken – I like to serve it with comfort vegetable sides like Creamy Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, or Honey Roasted Carrots for a delicious dinner for the entire family! You can also never go wrong with Crispy Smashed Potatoes (or Chili Oil Smashed Potatoes for a spicy kick)! I personally love eating it with my Roasted Green Beans with Bacon or Garlic Bok Choy.

It’s one of those comforting home cooked meals, just like my Braised Beef Short Ribs or Crispy Chicken Parmesan! Make sure to complete the meal with some freshly baked Milk Bread rolls!

What Ingredients do I need for Air Fryer Chicken Thighs?

The best part about making Air Fryer Chicken Thighs is that it requires a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry!

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!

• bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs – I like to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for several reasons:
  • The skin protects the meat of the chicken during the cooking process, locking in moisture.
  • The chicken skin gets SUPER CRISPY in the air fryer, which is one of my favorites parts to eat!
  • The bone adds extra flavor to the chicken meat.
  • Bone-in chicken is harder to dry out or overcook. It also takes longer than boneless chicken, which in this case is a good thing when trying to achieve a crispier skin.
• kosher salt, divided
• black pepper
• paprika
• garlic powder
• dried herbs, rosemary, thyme or herbs de province
  • The beauty of this recipe is that you can swap out the herbs and customize to your preference! I included some ideas below in the “Expert Tips” portion of this post.
• baking powder – This is my secret ingredient to the crispiest chicken skin! Simply put: baking powder increases the ph level of the chicken skin, which allows the bonds in the skin to break out more easily, leading to a crispier skin when cooked!
• neutral oil

Feeling like pork instead? Make my Air Fryer Crispy Pork Belly. Want a non-meat alternative? Try my super crispy Air Fryer Tofu!

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs: Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

1. Dry Brine the Chicken Thighs

Place your raw bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in a mixing bowl or tray. Sprinkle kosher salt generously on the MEAT side of the chicken. Set aside and let rest for at least 15 minutes. The purpose here is to allow the salt to absorb INTO the meat, seasoning it throughout and locking in moisture.

2. Season the Chicken

Combine your spices in a small bowl. Add to your raw chicken in a mixing bowl along with a tablespoon of neutral oil and mix to combine well.

If you are not using skin-on chicken, skip this next step.

Once combined, flip each piece of chicken skin side up. Sprinkle a pinch of baking powder (1/4 tsp total) onto the skin of each chicken thigh and rub it in well until you don’t see any more baking powder on the chicken skin.

3. Air Fry the Chicken

Place skin side down in the air fryer tray and air fry at 400F for 12 minutes.

After 12 minutes, flip each chicken thigh so the skin is facing up. Pat the skin dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture – this will further help the skin crisp up in the air fryer. Don’t worry if the skin looks a little raw still – this second air fry will allow them to crisp up beautifully!

Air fry again for 12-14 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and skin looks golden crispy. Let cool for a few minutes before digging in!

Storage, Reheating, and Make Ahead Tips

If you’re want to prepare Air Fryer Chicken Thighs ahead of time:

• Season the raw chicken (steps 1-2) and cover in the refrigerator until ready to cook. NOTE: I would only do this 1-2 days in advance.
• Once ready to cook, resume step 3.

Storage once the Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are already cooked:

• Refrigerate cooked Air Fryer Chicken Thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. NOTE: the skin will not remain crispy once refrigerated.
• Freeze cooked Air Fryer Chicken Thighs in an airtight container for up to 1 month. When ready to reheat, first thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Reheating Instructions for Air Fryer Chicken Thighs:

• To reheat, place the cold chicken thighs skin side up in the air fryer and reheat at 350F for 6-8 minutes until the skin becomes crispy and meat is warmed through.