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.

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.

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.

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.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking this air fryer chicken thighs recipe.

Make your tomato and mozzarella chicken thighs extra special by using homemade balsamic reduction.

WHAT ARE CAPRESE CHICKEN THIGHS?

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs seasoned with oil and Italian spices, then seared in a skillet and glazed with balsamic reduction. Caprese chicken is topped with a mouthwatering blend of fresh tomatoes and mozzarella slices, before cooked to perfection in the oven. Garnished with fresh basil, this dish represents the colors of the Italian flag, green-white-red.

CAPRESE CHICKEN THIGHS INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for chicken with mozzarella and tomatoes, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these oven baked balsamic 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: Use defrosted boneless, skinless thighs for best results.
• Italian Seasoning: You can substitute plain oregano, or make your own Italian seasoning by mixing oregano, dried basil, and thyme.
• Salt
• Black Pepper
• Oil: We recommend using olive oil or avocado oil.
• Garlic
• Balsamic Glaze: Use your favorite store bought balsamic reduction or make your own. Check out our super easy and quick recipe for homemade balsamic glaze. It tastes incredible! If you’re eating Keto, omit the balsamic glaze. You can use a straight balsamic vinegar.
• Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes work best for this recipe, because they add an intense, slightly sweet tomato flavor. You can also use grape tomatoes.
• Mozzarella: Use fresh mozzarella slices, not low moisture cheese.
• Fresh Basil: Get a ready to use basil plant at the grocery store. It usually lasts you quite a while to make many delicious recipes. Packaged basil leaves only last for a very short time and start to look unappetizing quite quickly.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to cook balsamic chicken thighs in the oven, 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.

SEASON THE CHICKEN: Drizzle the chicken thighs with oil and spices, then rub the seasonings well into all sides of the meat.

🔴 TIP: Use defrosted boneless skinless thighs, because frozen chicken thighs do not absorb the seasonings as well. Additionally frozen thighs take longer in the oven and might cause the balsamic glaze to burn.

🔴 TIP: Don’t skip the browning of the chicken, because it seals up the outside of the chicken and therefore keeps the moisture inside the meat while roasting in the oven.

MAKE GLAZE: Add the garlic to the pan and sautée for a minute. Then add balsamic reduction and stir to combine. Coat chicken with the glaze on all sides then add half of the tomatoes.

COOK IN THE OVEN: Now transfer the chicken to the oven and cook for 20 minutes.

MELT THE CHEESE: Top the almost done balsamic chicken thighs with slices of fresh mozzarella. Then return to the oven and finish cooking till an inside temperature of 165ºF is reached.

🔴 TIP: Check the temperature of the chicken, by poking the thermometer through the thickest part of the chicken to make sure the whole piece is cooked through. Remove from oven immediately when internal temperature reaches 165°F.

SERVE: Top caprese chicken thighs with more sliced tomatoes, fresh basil chiffonade and drizzle with pan juices. Serve and enjoy!

STORAGE TIPS

Refrigerate: Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days.

How to use leftovers: You can slice up the cold caprese balsamic chicken thighs and use them to make a sandwich with crusty white bread. Add some arugula salad, fresh tomato slices and a drizzle of pesto and enjoy!

Reheat: To reheat, simply pop in the microwave or put back into the oven until heated through.

Freeze: Leftover chicken thighs can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. We do not recommend freezing the tomatoes though, as they loose their texture in the freezer.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH CAPRESE CHICKEN THIGHS

Serve tomato and mozzarella topped chicken thighs with jasmine rice, or a healthy side dish, such as a crunchy salad. Try our delicious and colorful Italian salad or amazing Greek salad with caprese chicken thighs.

Or if you prefer to make your side dish in the air fryer, check out our air fryer carrots with balsamic glaze, air fryer green beans and air fried asparagus.

Copycat lion house rolls or easy cheesy garlic rolls are also a great addition to oven baked balsamic chicken thighs, because you want to mop up all the tasty pan juices.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES

If you love love caprese chicken thighs you’ll also enjoy our other scrumptious chicken recipes. If you want to keep it on the lighter side, you have to try our caprese stuffed chicken breast, air fryer lemon chicken, grilled chicken marinade with lemon, or chicken meatballs.

In case you are looking for a more hearty chicken dish, we highly recommend trying our Instant Pot chicken thighs with lemon butter, chicken parm sandwich bake, herb roasted chicken or chicken in white wine sauce with mushrooms.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

For perfect results every time, here are answers to the most common questions about cooking balsamic chicken thighs.

If you don’t feel like heating up the grill, we have also included instructions on how to cook this fabulous chicken meal in the air fryer, Instant Pot or oven.

GRILLED CHICKEN MARINADE WITH LEMON INGREDIENTS

This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for lemon soy chicken marinade, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.

You may have all of these lemon soy chicken marinade ingredients in your refrigerator or pantry and not need to make a trip to the grocery store. See recipe card below for ingredient amounts.

• Olive Oil
• Lemon juice: For best flavor use fresh lemon juice.
• Brown Sugar: Light brown or dark brown sugar work well in this recipe. You can substitute honey for the brown sugar if you’d like.
• Soy Sauce: If you’re cooking gluten free, make sure you use gluten free soy sauce.
• Lemon Zest: For best results use fresh and bright yellow lemons. Make sure you only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white one. The white part, also called pith, tastes bitter and might ruin the flavor of your lemon chicken. See more recipes with lemon.
• Fresh Parsley
• Dried Thyme
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Chicken Thighs: We use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. However, you can also use chicken legs or small chicken breasts with skin if you prefer.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Enjoy this great lemon soy marinade recipe as a great addition to a Grilled Baked Potato, Garlic Knots and some fresh fruit. If you’re cooking this inside, consider some Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Air Fryer Broccoli.

INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows how to marinate chicken thighs and how to grill chicken thighs 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.

🔴 TIP: If you don’t own a lemon zester, you can also use the fine side of a box grater to rub off the lemon zest or a vegetable peeler. First, peel off very thin slices of lemon peel (avoid the white part) and then chop the lemon peel finely on a cutting board with a knife.

GARNISH AND SERVE: Arrange chicken thighs on a platter, garnish with parsley and lemon slices and serve.

You might want to put some lemon slices on the grill for the last 5 minutes of the chicken cooking for a grilled lemon garnish. Serve with grilled baked potatoes and fresh fruit.

OTHER WAYS TO COOK LEMON SOY CHICKEN

AIR FRYER:  To cook in an air fryer, cook at 380ºF for about 10-25 minutes, flipping once in the middle. 

OVEN: To cook in the oven, cook at 400ºF in a baking dish or on a sheet pan for 30-40 minutes.

INSTANT POT: To cook in an Instant Pot, add ⅓ cup of chicken stock to the pot. Add chicken. Close the lid, lock and seal vent. Cook for 7 minutes. Allow 5 minutes of natural release time. Manually release then unlock the lid. 

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Store grilled lemon soy chicken thighs in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Grilled chicken marinade with lemon is best eaten fresh. However, you can freeze the chicken thighs 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 frozen chicken thighs is in the fridge overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH GRILLED CHICKEN

Serve chicken thighs with a healthy side dish and some bread. Consider making these Copycat Lion House Rolls, Artichoke Rice Salad, or Cheesy Garlic Knots.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

You don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem. You can easily prepare his amazing lemon butter chicken dish in a skillet on the stove top. We have included detailed instructions below.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN THIGHS WITH LEMON BUTTER SAUCE INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these instant pot lemon butter chicken 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 bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe.
• Garlic
• Paprika: We used regular paprika, but if you are a big fan of smoky flavor you can also try smoked paprika.
• Chili Flakes
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Olive Oil
• Butter
• Onion
• Lemon juice: For best flavor use fresh lemon juice.
• Italian Seasoning
• Lemon Zest: For best results use fresh and bright yellow lemons. Make sure you only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white one. The white part, also called pith, tastes bitter and might ruin the flavor of your lemon chicken.
• Chicken Broth
• Cornstarch (omit if you’re following Keto diet)
• Water

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

RUB IN SPICE BLEND: Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel. Then rub the seasoning blend onto the skin of the chicken.

BROWN CHICKEN: Turn the Instant Pot on to the sauté setting. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add chicken thighs and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is a nice deep golden color.

DEGLAZE: Add the lemon juice and deglaze the pan by scraping the brown bits off the bottom.

COOK CHICKEN: Add Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and pour in chicken broth. Put chicken back into the Instant Pot. Flip over to coat in lemon butter.

Put the lid on and lock. Turn the valve to sealing. Set to cook for 7 minutes. When the pressure cooker is done, allow 5 minutes for a natural pressure release. Turn the valve to release and allow all the steam to release. Push stop. 

MAKE THE SAUCE: Unlock the lid and remove chicken to a clean plate and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water to make a slurry. Add slurry to the juices in the Instant Pot. Turn back to sauté. Whisk and heat until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

SERVE: Put chicken back into the pot with the delicious gravy. Garnish and serve.

STOVE TOP INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Heat oil. When oil is hot, add chicken and cook on each side 5-7 minutes, or until chicken reaches an inside temperature of 165ºF. Remove chicken to a plate.
• Turn heat to medium. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and onions to the pan. Sauté until onions are translucent. Put in garlic and sauté for another 1 minute.
• Add butter to the pan and melt. Then add lemon juice and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the bits on the bottom (deglaze).
• Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl with a whisk to make a slurry.
• Add ¼ cup chicken stock, Italian seasoning and lemon zest and cornstarch slurry to the pan. Simmer until sauce has thickened slightly. Put the chicken back into the pan and cook until hot. Spoon some of the sauce over the chicken and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices. 

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Store Instant Pot chicken thighs with lemon butter sauce in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Lemon butter chicken thighs are best eaten fresh. You can, however, freeze them in an airtight and freezer safe container and/or a ziploc freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: A great way to defrost frozen chicken thighs is in the refrigerator overnight.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH LEMON BUTTER CHICKEN:

Whip up some Cheesy Garlic Knots or Copycat Lion House Rolls to serve with Jasmine Rice or your favorite white rice and some roasted vegetables.

MORE CHICKEN RECIPES:

While we love these easy Instant Pot chicken thighs we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

POSSIBLE VARIATIONS

• AIR FRYER LEMON GARLIC SALMON – Perfectly cooked salmon with crispy edges and a tender and flaky middle that is bursting with Mediterranean flavors.

• CHIPOTLE CHICKEN WINGS– Crispy and flavorful, these air fryer wings come out great every time and only take 30 minutes.

AIR FRYER LEMON CHICKEN INGREDIENTS

You may have all of these crispy lemon pepper 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.

Jump to Recipe

• Garlic
• Onion Powder
• Italian seasoning
• Black Pepper
• Salt
• Paprika: We used regular paprika, but if you are a big fan of smoky flavor you can also try smoked paprika.
• Lemon Zest: For best results use fresh and bright yellow lemons. Make sure you only use the yellow part of the lemon peel and not the white one. The white part, also called pith, tastes bitter and might ruin the flavor of your lemon chicken.
• Oil: We use olive or avocado oil.
• Lemon Juice: For best flavor use fresh lemon juice.
• Chicken Thighs: We use bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Enjoy this great recipe as a great addition to a full meal with these other recipes:

• Crispy air fryer baked potatoes – With a crispy skin and a fluffy interior, these baked potatoes are the perfect, easy side dish.

• Parmesan roasted broccoli – This tasty and healthy broccoli side will be a new favorite with your family.

• Garlic French Bread – This quick and easy recipe uses store-bought French bread and you can even add some cheesy flavor by adding Parmesan cheese.

INSTRUCTIONS

If you’d like to print this recipe, scroll down to the recipe card where you can print the recipe or have it scaled to double or triple. You’ll also find nutrition information.

Jump to Recipe

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES NEEDED:

COMBINE OIL AND LEMON JUICE: In a separate bowl, combine oil and lemon juice. Whisk well.

RUB WITH SPICE BLEND: Rub the spices onto the chicken thighs. Make sure to rub the spice blend into skin and chicken really well.

RESTING TIME: Let the chicken thighs rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

AIR FRY: Cook the thighs in the air fryer at 380ºF for 25 minutes or until chicken reached an internal temperature of 165ºF at the thickest part. Flip halfway though.

SERVE: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and lemon slices.

STORAGE TIPS

Storing your food properly is important to prevent spoiling or food poisoning.

Refrigerate: Store air fryer lemon chicken in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Lemon 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.

RELATED RECIPES

While we love https://familydinners.com/tag/air-fryer/air fryer lemon pepper chicken we also love some of these other recipes and think you will as well.

• LEMON GARLIC SALMON – Seasoned with lemon, garlic, and Italian herbs, this salmon is quick and easy to prepare and cooks up perfectly in the air fryer.

• AIR FRYER BROCCOLI – Ready in less than 15 minutes, this will be your new favorite way of cooking broccoli.

• AIR FRYER GREEN BEANS – A quick and easy way to cook tender and delicious green beans. A classic American side that goes with almost everything.

• AIR FRYER CAULIFLOWER – Use two different colored cauliflowers to create a flavorful and colorful vegetable dish everyone will love.

• ITALIAN SALAD – This crispy and nutritious salad with a homemade dressing is absolutely delicious and a perfect way to add some greens to your meal.

• FRIED CHICKEN – One of America’s most loved comfort foods, this crispy and juicy fried chicken is completely irresistible.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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