Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

This is the most amazing air fryer chicken recipe! This recipe is easy to prep and will be done in 20 minutes. Juicy and delicious, these crispy chicken thighs use no oil, no flour, and are gluten free.

Jump to:

• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions
• Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
• Expert Tips and FAQs
• Best Air Fryer Recipes
• Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
• Oven Baked Instructions
• Expert Tips and FAQs

If you're looking for air fryer recipes, you've come to the right place. These air fryer chicken thighs are about to wow your tastebuds.

I've created some of the best air fryer recipes such as these Crispy French Fries and my Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders. These are both really good air fryer recipes for beginners and are beyond delish. As for this recipe, it's about to become a family favorite dinner.

Who remembers Shake N Bake? I used to love those seasoning coated packets that were popular so long ago. Shake and bake recipes were yummy. On my way to the office one morning, I was listening to Beth and Friends, which is a popular local radio station here in Phoenix.

Beth had a guest recipe creator on her show who was talking about this amazing sounding spicy thighs recipe. Since I was driving and couldn't write down the recipe I decided to email Beth, tell her about my food blog, and ask her for the recipe.

She gave it to me and told me to share it with my readers here at Recipes Worth Repeating. After I made her baked chicken thighs in the oven, I knew this would be amazing as well as a really good healthy air fryer recipe. And let me tell you, these air fryer chicken thighs are beyond amazing!

Ingredients You'll Need

Beth refers to this recipe as "spicy", but when you look at the list of ingredients, you'll see that they aren't a "HOT" kind of spicy. This air fryer fried chicken is just full of amazing seasonings.

For this fryer chicken, you'll use 5 boneless skinless thighs. You can also use bone in thighs, skin on thighs, as well as drumsticks. If you enjoy eating the skin, then using skin on thighs is the way to go.

For the breading, use panko breadcrumbs. Gluten free panko is also really good with this recipe. No oil is needed!

For the seasoning, I've fallen in love with this spice mix. Cumin, curry powder, paprika, chili powder, salt, and black pepper is the best chicken seasoning. And, it's always fun to play around by using a sweet paprika versus a smoked paprika. Personally, I love using smoked paprika.

Step-by-Step Recipe Instructions

Cooking chicken thighs has never been easier and if you're looking for the quickest way possibly to get dinner on the table, chicken thighs in the air fryer in the way to go.

We're going to start by doing that shake shake method. Using a gallon size plastic bag, place all the seasonings and the thighs in the bag. Shake the bag until each piece is well coated. Expert Tip: A lot of people don't like using plastic bags and prefer to use a bowl. I've found that if you use a large bowl with a lid, you can shake the bowl and it coated the meat really well.

Next, place each piece evenly in the basket. I have a 6 quart basket so 5 pieces fit perfectly. Remember, this recipe does not need any oil. The natural fat from the thighs will serve as the oil needed to get the job done.

I have a Cosori which has a lot preset options. If yours has a chicken preset, select that option. The screen will display 20 minutes. Press the start button and sit back while your kitchen gadget does all the cooking.

If yours doesn't have that preset, set the temperature to 360°F for 20 minutes or until the meat has reached a temperature of 165°F.

You read it right. The chicken thighs cook time for this recipe is 20 minutes. Air frying is a faster cooking method due to the rapid air circulation technology. It will stop cooking after 20 minutes. From there, open the basket and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. I like to sprinkle on some fresh chopped parsley to add a bit of color to the dish, but this is optional.

Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

A lot of people have asked me if they can make this chicken thighs recipe in the oven and the answer is Yes! If you don't have an air fryer or if you just want to make these in the oven instead, here's how you do it:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Combine the breadcrumbs and spices in a plastic bag or bowl.
• Place each piece in the bag or bowl and shake until the mixture is covering each piece.
• Place each piece on a baking sheet or pyrex dish and bake for 20 minutes.
• Open the oven and turn over each piece.
• Continue baking for 20 more minutes or until the meat reaches 165°F.

Expert Tips and FAQs

• Some air fryers cook differently than others - I've heard from many of my readers that some brands and versions cook faster than others. My recommendation is to start checking the internal temperature of the meat when it has air fried for 18 minutes to see if the meat has reached 165°F. You're not going to disrupt the cooking by opening the basket and checking.
• Mine doesn't have the chicken option. What temperature should I use and how long should it cook? Set it to 360°F for 20 minutes or until the meat has reached 165°F.
• Can I use chicken breasts or drumsticks to make this recipe? I haven't made this recipe using breasts, but I'm sure they are amazingly tasty. They won't be as juicy as thighs because breasts have less fat. Drumsticks are absolutely delicious, especially with this recipe.
• Should I rinse the thighs before I bread them? Anytime you rinse raw chicken, you run the risk of spreading bacteria. So no, you don't have to but you can if you want. I've done it before and the added moisture helps the panko seasoning stick better.
• Should I turn the thighs over when cooking? It's going to cook evenly through the entire process, but I've found that if you shake the contents in the basket about half way through cooking, it helps the chicken crisp even more.

Best Air Fryer Recipes

You can cook just about anything via this method. If you're looking for more delicious and easy recipes, make sure you check out my article and recipe on how to make chicken tenders using an air fryer. Also, these 13 Recipes That Will Convince You To Buy An Air Fryer are absolutely worth repeating!

I can’t wait to hear how this recipe turned out for you! If you’ve tried this or any other recipe of mine on the website, make sure you rate the recipe. You can also leave a comment below! I love hearing from you!

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Update Notes: This post was originally published in June of 2019, but was re-published with updated step-by-step instructions, pictures, and tips in April 2021.