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This ultra crispy air fryer chicken thighs recipe is quick and simple to prepare, perfectly seasoned, and makes the juiciest, most flavorful chicken! The crispy skin is just the best.

You may also like my Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings or Easy Baked Chicken Thighs.

closeup of crispy air fryer chicken thighs on a plate

Why you’ll love it

Air fryers are magical little appliances that can make “fried” chicken without all the mess and fuss of deep frying. There’s very little oil in this air fryer chicken thighs recipe, so they’re much healthier. And tastier. This will absolutely be your new fave way to cook chicken!

Pantry ingredients make up the irresistible seasoning rub in this easy air fryer chicken thigh recipe. You don’t need much to let the chicken shine! Chicken thighs are more flavorful than chicken breast, and this makes a great weeknight dinner. That crispy skin. Mmm…

What you’ll need

  • Chicken thighs – we’re using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • Olive oil – a little goes a long way in an air fryer to make the skin crisped up and golden
  • Seasoning – our simple rub includes Italian seasoning (a blend of delicious dried herbs in a single jar), onion powder, and garlic powder along with salt & pepper
ingredients for air fryer chicken thighs in prep bowls

Tools for this recipe

Check out Natasha’s favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!

  • This is my air fryer model. The hot air circulates like a little convection oven for even cooking. I use kitchen tongs to turn the chicken.
  • An inexpensive instant read meat thermometer ensures it’s at least 165F in the thickest part (but I like chicken thighs to be 175F or more since it makes them more tender).
  • I love to clean the air fryer basket with Dawn Powerwash.

How to make air fryer chicken thighs

This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.

adding seasoning rub to a prep bowl with chicken thighs and cooking in an air fryer

Spray your air fryer with cooking spray, and preheat it. Dry the chicken with paper towel, and add to a prep bowl. Rub with olive oil, and toss with the seasoning. Add the thighs, skin-side down, to the basket. Cook, flipping halfway. Let rest before serving.

Helpful tips

  • Air fryers and the size of chicken thighs can vary, so if your air fryer runs hot or you’ve got smaller chicken thighs, you may want to test them for doneness a bit earlier than the recipe timing suggests so that they’re not overcooked.
  • Often, the basket air fryers cook a bit slower than the oven-style ones. This recipe has been tested in a basket-style air fryer. Luckily, chicken thighs are more forgiving than chicken breasts, so a bit of overcooking isn’t a bad thing!

Substitutions and variations

  • I use a sea salt grinder for most of my cooking, but sometimes I like to switch it out with Tony’s seasoning or seasoning salt.
  • You could swap the seasoning rub for your favorite jarred variety. Some ingredients like brown sugar and paprika can burn, though, so be mindful of timing.
  • If you want to make this with boneless skinless chicken thighs, they will cook faster. Try 12-14 minutes total at 400F.

What to serve with air fryer chicken thighs

Leftovers and storage

  • Store for 3-4 days in a covered container in the fridge.
  • Reheat in the air fryer at 375F for about 4-6 minutes, or more depending on size and how cold they are. Let them sit for a couple of minutes or so to redistribute the juices.
  • You can freeze them for 3 months, but keep in mind that the skin won’t be as crispy when it’s thawed as originally.
a plate with an air fryer chicken thigh, brussels sprouts, and mashed potatoes with gravy

If you made these chicken thighs in the air fryer, please leave a star rating and review below! I’m also on Instagram if you want to tag me so that I can see your S&L creations.

closeup of crispy air fryer chicken thighs on a plate
5 from 3 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

This ultra crispy air fryer chicken thighs recipe is quick and simple to prepare, perfectly seasoned, and makes the juiciest, most flavorful chicken! The crispy skin is just the best.
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 4

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 4 large bone-in skin-on chicken thighs about 1.5-2 lbs. total
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Instructions 

  • Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray and preheat your air fryer to 400F.
  • Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels and add them to a fairly large prep bowl. Toss/rub them with the olive oil, salt & pepper (I'm generous with both), Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder.
  • Add the chicken thighs (skin side down) to your air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 12 minutes then flip (use tongs to make it easy) and cook for another 10 minutes or until crispy and cooked through. If your chicken thighs are particularly small or large, you may need to adjust cooking time, and keep in mind air fryers can vary in their wattage.
  • Let the chicken rest for 3-5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Air fryers can vary a lot, so if you know yours runs hot, for example, check on the chicken a couple of minutes prior to the cooking time elapsing to see if it’s done. If your air fryer isn’t as powerful, simply add on some extra time if it’s not cooked yet.
  • Chicken is cooked at 165F internal temp, but I prefer chicken thighs to be at least 175F to be tender, and I like to give the skin time to crisp up. They don’t dry out the same way as chicken breasts do so don’t worry if yours go over.
  • If you’re doubling or tripling the recipe, you will need to cook the chicken in batches. Don’t crowd the air fryer basket or the skin won’t be nice and crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 353kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 24g, Fat: 28g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 142mg, Sodium: 112mg, Potassium: 316mg, Fiber: 0.4g, Sugar: 0.1g, Vitamin A: 121IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 22mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

© Salt & Lavender Inc. Content and photographs are copyrighted. Sharing this blog post is much appreciated, but copying and pasting full recipes without authorization to social media is strictly prohibited.

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Hi! Iโ€™m Natasha.

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5 from 3 votes

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8 Comments

  1. Elizabeth says:

    Hands down the best recipe. I love crispy chicken and this is easy and delicious. Cater the spices to your liking- I did Natashaโ€™s recommendation for my kids, and added cayenne and paprika to mine.

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you, Elizabeth!!

  2. Corine says:

    5 stars
    Excellent!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you so much!

  3. Jessica Taylor says:

    5 stars
    This recipe was ridiculously easy and delicious. The spices on the chicken were very flavorful. The chicken was juicy and the skin was crispy perfection. My whole family liked it so much we had it two nights in a row!

    1. Natasha says:

      Aww I love that!! ๐Ÿ˜€

  4. Penny says:

    5 stars
    Oh so good!

    1. Natasha says:

      Thank you so much, Penny!! ๐Ÿ˜€