Home » Blog » Course » Main Dish » Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken ThighsAir Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Pin RecipeRate RecipePublished: Jun 26, 2022 · Modified: Jun 13, 2023 by Andrea + Stef · This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our full Disclosure Policy for details. Mouthwatering, juicy and tender chicken thighs cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Jump to Recipe You will absolutely love these quick and easy air fryer boneless skinless chicken thighs. Rubbed with olive oil and just the right amount of spices, this chicken dish dish turns out slightly crispy on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside. Table of Contents INGREDIENTSINSTRUCTIONSRECOMMENDED TOOLSTIPS FOR THE BEST BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHSSTORAGE TIPSWHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHSMORE CHICKEN THIGH RECIPESFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSAir Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Air fried chicken thighs are dairy free, gluten free, low carb and therefore also keto friendly. They are a perfect weeknight dinner and go extremely well with a healthy and nutritious salad, roasted vegetables and garlic bread. ❤️ WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CHICKEN RECIPE ✔️ Save energy by using the air fryer rather than heating up the whole oven. ✔️ Boneless skinless chicken thighs cook up quickly and make very tender meat. They’re less likely to taste dry. ✔️ Ready in only 30 minutes, total. This makes a great weeknight meal. ✔️ 19 grams of protein and 0 grams of sugar. ✔️ Rich in protein, dairy free, gluten free and keto friendly. INGREDIENTS This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for cooking air fryer boneless chicken thighs, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below. You may have all of these air fryer chicken thighs ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts. Chicken Thighs: We use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Oil: We use olive or avocado oil.Italian Seasoning: Buy an Italian Seasoning or make your own.Paprika: We used regular paprika, but if you are a big fan of smoky flavor you can also try smoked paprika.Salt and Pepper INSTRUCTIONS This section shows how to cook boneless skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, nutritional information, to print the recipe or to have the recipe scaled to double or triple, see the recipe card below. PREPARE THE MEAT: Unfold chicken thighs and rub them with oil and seasonings. 🔴 TIP: Make it spicy, and add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili powder to your seasoning. COOK: Place seasoned chicken thighs flat into the air fryer basket in a single layer. Then air fry at 380ºF for 20 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check if the inside temperature has reached 165ºF at the thickest part of the chicken. 🔴 TIP: Use parchment paper for easy cleanup. Using parchment paper in the bottom of the air fryer makes cleanup easier. Only place the paper into the air fryer right before you add the chicken. SERVE: Arrange chicken thighs on a plate and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley. Serve. RECOMMENDED TOOLS Air Fryer – The air fryer works great with this recipe as it makes the outside of the chicken thighs crispy, while keeping the inside moist and tender. Meat thermometer – Check the inside temperature of the chicken at the end of the cooking time to make sure you are not over- or undercooking your chicken. TIPS FOR THE BEST BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS Follow these tips to make the best air fryer chicken thighs. ✔️ Use fresh, not frozen chicken. Frozen chicken will take longer to cook and by the time the center is cooked through the outside will be a bit dry. ✔️ Use your hands to rub the spices and oil into the thighs. This will help the spices stick and penetrate the chicken. ✔️ Open up the chicken thighs when putting them into the air fryer. They often come in the package folded over. It will take longer to cook if you keep them folded over. ✔️ Use an instant meat thermometer to check the temperature and take the chicken out when it is cooked. Overcooking chicken is the best way to ruin it. But you never want to eat undercooked chicken. ✔️ Let it rest for 5 minutes before eating. STORAGE TIPS Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning. Refrigerate: Store air fryer boneless skinless chicken thighs in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Freeze: Air fryer chicken thighs are best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze them in an airtight and freezer safe container or ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. We do recommend freezing uncooked chicken thighs rather than cooked ones. Defrosting: A great way to defrost is in the refrigerator overnight. WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS This mouthwatering chicken dish goes very well with a fresh and crunchy salad. Have you tried our easy Italian Salad, Strawberry Avocado Salad, Chopped Asparagus Salad or Caprese Salad? We also love serving a side of Garlic French Bread, Cheesy Cauliflower Breadsticks, Cornbread Muffins or Copycat Lion House Rolls with these delicious chicken thighs. Easy Italian Salad Recipe With Homemade Salad DressingStrawberry Avocado Salad with Poppyseed DressingChopped Asparagus Salad with Lemon VinaigretteRaw Asparagus Salad With Walnuts MORE CHICKEN THIGH RECIPES If you love love air fryer chicken thighs you’ll also enjoy our other amazing chicken thighs recipes such as Caprese Chicken Thighs, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs with Lemon Butter Sauce, Air Fryer Lemon Chicken, Grilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon or Stef’s Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken. Caprese Chicken ThighsInstant Pot Chicken Thighs with Lemon Butter SauceAir Fryer Lemon ChickenGrilled Chicken Marinade with Lemon FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking this air fryer chicken thighs recipe. I don’t have an air fryer. Is it possible to boneless skinless chicken thighs in the oven ? Yes. Season the chicken thighs as described in the recipe, then bake in the oven at 400ºF for about 30 minutes until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF at the thickest part. Can I season the chicken thighs overnight? Yes, you can rub the chicken thighs with oil and spices and then keep them in the refrigerator overnight. (Not longer than 24 hours) Do not leave them on the counter, as it is not food safe. Is it Ok to freeze uncooked seasoned chicken? Yes. We actually recommend freezing the chicken raw rather than cooked. When you are ready to cook the meat, let it defrost in the refrigerator overnight and then cook following the recipe instructions. 5 from 132 votes Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs Author Andrea + Stef Course Main Dish Cuisine American, Italian Prep Time 5 minutes minutes Cook Time 20 minutes minutes Total Time 25 minutes minutes Print Pin Rate 4 servings Mouthwatering, juicy and tender chicken thighs cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark Equipmentsmall bowlAir Fryermeat thermometer Ingredients 1x2x3x▢ 4 boneless chicken thighs▢ 2 tablespoon oil▢ 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning▢ ½ teaspoon paprika▢ ½ teaspoon salt▢ ¼ teaspoon pepperOptional Garnish:▢ 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped InstructionsDrizzle oil over chicken thighs and rub into the chicken. Combine Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the boneless skinless chicken thighs. Rub into the chicken to coat well. Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray. Place the thighs in the air fryer basket/tray leaving space between each thigh. Cook for 20 minutes at 380°F or until chicken is 165°F internally. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Notes You can use parchment paper in the bottom of the air fryer to make cleanup easier but it is not necessary and we prefer to cook meat without parchment paper. For additional spice, add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or chili powder to your seasoning. We recommend using olive oil or avocado oil as the oil base for this recipe. NutritionCalories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 379mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg Did you create this? Share it on Instagram and follow us on Pinterest for more cleverly simply recipes. Email Recipe Pin Recipe Share Recipe PinShareTweet
Elise Auxier says September 19, 2022September 19, 2022 at 11:38 pm I am an air fryer first-time user (but 50 year home chef!) and it turned out great with the tips and guidance you gave. This simple recipe is excellent. I substituted 1 T. Konriko Greek Seasoning for the list of seasonings. Added scant 1 t. of dried oregano and scant 1 t. of dried basil. No other ingredients. Followed the recipe for oil (EVOO) and temperature suggestion. I did 15 minutes at 380 degrees, as I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Checked for doneness with instant thermometer. Excellent results! Crispy on the outside and juicy inside! A+ Reply
Andrea + Stef says September 20, 2022September 20, 2022 at 8:04 pm I’m glad to hear they turned out well! Sounds like great substitutions! – Andrea Reply
Dana Sonia says November 12, 2022November 12, 2022 at 9:28 pm Excellent recipe. I didn’t make any substitutions and used temp and time you stated. Also using boneless, skinless chicken thighs as listed in recipe. Came out terrific. I served it with buttered red potatoes, a little salad and a starter of lentil pasta soup (Goya add water) only because that is what I had to accompany. I wasn’t sure what to make for dinner and found your recipe. I didn’t have much time and this worked perfectly. Thank you. Reply
stef says December 2, 2022December 02, 2022 at 7:43 am That sounds like one delicious meal! So glad you liked our recipe. Reply
Jeff says January 26, 2023January 26, 2023 at 3:00 am Excellent, came out perfect. We had it with rice and brussels sprouts Reply
Sally says March 1, 2023March 01, 2023 at 4:07 am My chicken came out perfect! I followed the instructions exactly. Thanks for a reliable recipe! Reply
Pat Parish says August 7, 2023August 07, 2023 at 7:21 pm These are most tender and juicy chicken thighs I have ever made. Thank you for the recipe Reply
cj says September 28, 2023September 28, 2023 at 12:35 am Than you. This was great. I didn’t use as much salt and used Himalayan Chili salt plus a bit of garlic. It was perfect. I used 6 thighs instead of 4 using the 1x recipe. The chicken was tender juicy, and delicious Reply
Cody says March 3, 2024March 03, 2024 at 4:16 am The time was wayyyyyy to long. Burnt em to a crisp Reply
stef says January 23, 2025January 23, 2025 at 8:25 pm I’m sorry your chicken thighs burned, Cody. Every air fryer cooks a little differently. I like to pop open the door/drawer occasionally so I can adjust cook time for my specific air fryer. Reply