Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Jump to Recipe

This crispy Air Fryer Fried Chicken Thighs recipe is healthy, full of flavor, and easy to make with minimal prep and pantry staples. The perfect weeknight dinner solution!

Suitable for Gluten-Free, Low Carb, and Keto diets. Post Includes Weight Watchers points.

a plate of air fryer boneless chicken thighs

Friends, I have got the most amazing air fryer chicken thighs recipe for you. We all know that chicken thighs make a delicious, nutritious, and inexpensive meal. One peek inside one of my 2 freezers (yeap, I have 2 freezers….I like to be prepared) will reveal packs and packs of boneless chicken thighs, all lined up and ready to feed my hungry family.

Easy To Cook Air Fried Chicken Thighs

So it’s a good thing that there are so many great ways to cook chicken thighs. But the mini chefs love to air fry chicken thighs and have decided this way is pretty much the Best. Thing. Ever. And you know what? I agree!

Air fryer chicken thighs are sooooo versatile. These crispy chicken thighs are a perfect solution for those busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table fast. And they are equally great served as a hearty, healthy, and satisfying lunch, picnic or game day eat, or a snack.

The almond flour and Parmesan cheese mixture is a great low-carb, gluten-free alternative to the typical breadcrumb coating. It also adds a nice depth of flavor and gives these chicken thighs a wonderful crispy skin. Which is the perfect contrast to the tender and juicy meat inside.

close up of air fryer fried chicken thighs on a plate

If you’ve been looking to put a delicious new spin on your usual weeknight low carb chicken thighs, this recipe for air fryer chicken thighs is it. #airfryerforthewin

And if you love cooking chicken in air fryer, then you might want to check out this crispy Air Fryer Whole Chicken, the best golden and crispy Air Fryer Chicken Breast, straight from the freezer juicy Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Breast, and family-approved Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets.

Plus, learn how to Reheat Fried Chicken in Air Fryer so those leftovers never go to waste.

Loads of delicious air fryer chicken recipe options for you.

air fryer cheat sheet printable

Why Make This Recipe

  • Versatile – easy and delicious air fryer chicken thighs are sooooo versatile. Swap seasonings or coating to suit the occasion or taste.
  • All occasions – serve as an easy weeknight dinner, after-school snack, or quick lunch.
  • Kid-Friendly – For a fun kid-approved snack, try cutting the chicken thighs into chunks before coating them.
  • Fast Ready in less than 20 minutes.

Ingredients Notes

  • Chicken Thighs – This recipe used skin on and boneless thighs, but you can use bone in chicken thighs too, although the cooking time will be different.
  • Parmesan Cheese – I prefer to freshly grate the parmesan myself, but you can use pre-grated instead.
  • Almond Flour –  This uses almond flour as I wanted to keep this low carb. See further below for non low carb options.
  • Seasoning – Italian Seasoning, smoked paprika, and cajun seasoning provides a nice flavor. Feel free to swap in your favorite seasoning blend.
  • Oil – I used olive oil, but other light oil or cooking spray also works. This helps the seasoning stick to the meat.

So, are you ready to learn how to make chicken thighs in air fryer? Gather your ingredients, and I will show you….

How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
  2. In a small bowl, combine together almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and spices.
  3. Lightly spray both sides of the chicken thighs with a calorie-controlled cooking spray (or if not following a calorie-controlled diet, rub with olive oil).
  4. Cover both sides of the chicken with the coating mix and place chicken thighs skin side up in the air fryer basket. Make sure the chicken thighs are not touching.
  5. Cook for 10-16 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken thighs (mine took 14 minutes), flipping halfway through to ensure they cook evenly.
image collage showing the steps for making air fryer fried chicken thighs

Chef’s Tip: You should always check the internal temperature of your chicken thighs to make sure they’re safe using a meat thermometer. The meat is done when the internal temperature reaches at least 164 degrees F / 74 degrees C.

Make These In The Oven

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
  2. In a small bowl, combine together almond flour, Parmesan cheese, and spices.
  3. Lightly spray both sides of the chicken thighs with a calorie-controlled cooking spray (or if not following a calorie-controlled diet, rub with olive oil).
  4. Cover both sides of the chicken with the coating and place the chicken thighs on a rack on a rimmed baking tray lined with foil or parchment.
  5. Cook chicken thighs for 35-40 minutes, depending on their size. Flip halfway through cook time. The meat is done when the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.

Tips for Success

  • Pat the raw chicken thighs dry with paper towel before coating them so the seasoning sticks easier and for maximum flavor.
  • Make sure to preheat Air Fryer before adding the thighs to the Air Fryer.
  • Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Make sure the meat is not touching to allow for maximum air circulation so that they cook nice and evenly. You may need to cook this in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer basket.
  • Cook chicken thighs of the same size at the same time. It might be best to cook large thighs and small thighs separately, so they cook evenly and at the same rate.
  • I like using thighs with chicken skin on, as my kids love crispy skin.
  • If you want to cut calories, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
  • Make sure to let the meat rest for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.
  • Since these have been coated with flour or breadcrumbs, I suggest you spray the air fryer basket or rack with light cooking spray or oil before adding in the coated meat.
  • Make sure the chicken is not touching. This allows maximum air circulation inside the fryer, so your chicken will cook evenly and turn out nicely crispy.
  • Air fryer temperatures vary depending on the make and model, so use the cook time listed here as a guide, check for doneness and adjust as needed.
  • Always check the internal temperature of your cooked chicken thighs. Chicken is considered safe to eat when an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches at least 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.

Delicious Variations

  • Switch the Coating – If not following a low carb diet or if not gluten free, then use Panko Breadcrumbs. They are lighter and airier compared to regular breadcrumbs, which means they absorb less oil and end up crispier.
  • Vary the Spices – the spice mixture can be varied to suit your taste. Try swapping the Cajun seasoning for a combination of ground coriander, garlic powder, and onion powder.
  • Add heat – add a bit of heat with some cayenne or red chili flakes.
  • Season to Taste – feel free to add salt and pepper, as desired.
2 air fryer chicken thighs on a plate with some salad

Prep Ahead and Storage

  • Prep Ahead – If you want to make this recipe with frozen chicken thighs, place them in the fridge the day before to defrost.
  • Store – Keep cool leftover chicken thigh in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 3 days. 
  • Reheat – Reheat the meat in a preheated air fryer for about 3 minutes till warmed through and the coating crisps up again.
  • Freeze – Wrap cooled cooked thighs individually, then put wrapped meat into a freezer safe ziplock bag, squeeze out all the air and freeze flat for up to three months.
4 air fryer chicken thighs in an air fryer basket

FAQs

How To Bread Chicken Thighs?


For these air fryer fried chicken thighs, you can either use almond flour (for low carb / keto / gluten free diets), regular breadcrumbs, or panko breadcrumbs which give really good results, aka crispy perfection.

One way to bread the chicken is to lightly coat it with low calorie spray or olive oil before coating it in your bread crumbs. This is my preference. Alternatively, you can dip the meat in egg before coating it, which will change the flavor very slightly, but not enough to make a big deal out of it.

Try both ways and see which you prefer. Also, make sure you let the excess egg drop off the chicken thigh and that it is as dry as possible before coating.

Best Way To Make Sure Your Breading Is Crispy?

Don’t let the bone in thighs sit in the coating mix, or it will get soggy. Coat both sides of the chicken pieces and then immediately place in the air fryer or oven to cook.

Also, you want to use a very small amount of olive oil spray, or brush only a very small amount of olive oil on meat before dipping to avoid ending up with a soggy coating.

Why Make This In The Air Fryer?

Air frying is pretty great. Here is how it works. By circulating heat all around the food, air fryers allow you to ‘fry’ foods using the smallest amount of oil. We are talking anything from a tablespoon to just a light spray.

And since your food isn’t submerged in the stuff, much less oil gets absorbed during the cooking process, which means your meal contains far less fat and calories overall. A total win for our waistlines.

How Long To Air Fry Chicken?

Wondering how long to cook chicken thighs in the air fryer? Cooking times depend on the thickness of your meat and if is bone-in or boneless
For boneless chicken thighs cook for 10-16 minutes, depending on size. Mine took 14 minutes.
For bone in chicken thighs, cook them for 14 minutes, turn them and cook for a further 3-5 minutes.
When cooking these for the first time, I recommend aiming for 13-14 minutes and then checking the internal temp using an instant read thermometer. Adjust up or down for your future tries.

Can I scale up this recipe?

While this recipe only used 4 chicken thighs, you can certainly double or triple to feed a crowd. Just make sure you don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket or tray and cook in batches if required.

2 air fried chicken thighs on a plate

Serving Suggestions

These delicious crispy air fryer chicken thighs can be paired with so many different sides. I personally like to serve them on a lovely bed of field greens topped with bright red (my favorite color) cherry tomatoes. And to keep it all low-carb and keto-friendly, dress your salad with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon or lime.

Alternatively, you can serve them with;

More Recipes You May Like

More Chicken Thigh Recipes

Weight Watchers Points

There are 4 Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Video

Thank you for reading my Air Fryer Chicken Thighs recipe post. And please come visit again as I continue to slice, dice and dream up affordable Air Fryer recipes, Instant Pot Recipes, Southern Recipes and more. Thanks for supporting Recipes from a Pantry, food blog.

Get the Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe:

Don’t forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Air Fryer Chicken Thighs! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I’d love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.

a plate of air fryer boneless chicken thighs
Print Recipe
4.96 from 22 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Make delicious air fryer fried chicken thighs with this quick and easy recipe.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Western
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4
Calories: 320kcal
Author: Bintu Hardy

Ingredients

  • 1 pound (453g) boneless chicken thighs 4 skin on boneless thighs
  • cup (35g) almond flour
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning or Herbes de Provence
  • ½ teaspoon Cajun seasoning or Creole seasoning or ground coriander
  • cooking spray or olive oil spray

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F / 200 degrees C.
  • Mix together almond flour, Parmesan cheese, paprika, Herbes de Provence, Cajun or other seasoning.
  • Lightly spray both sides of the chicken thighs with a calorie-controlled cooking spray (or if not following a calorie-controlled diet, rub with olive oil).
  • Cover both sides of the chicken with the coating mix and place in the air fryer basket. Make sure the chicken thighs are not touching.
  • Cook for 10-16 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Mine took 14 minutes.
  • Check to ensure doneness using a meat thermometer to make sure the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
**EASY AIR FRYER RECIPE EBOOK**Get the easy Air Fryer Recipe Binder which includes 40 quick and easy recipes all under 30 minutes cook time.
** INSTANT POT DUMP AND DASH RECIPE EBOOK**Get the Instant Pot Dump And Dash Recipes Ebook with easy recipes for busy lives.

Video

Notes

  • Pat the raw chicken thighs dry with paper towel before coating them so the seasoning sticks easier and for maximum flavor.
  • Make sure to preheat Air Fryer before adding the thighs to the Air Fryer.
  • Don’t overcrowd the fryer. Make sure the meat is not touching to allow for maximum air circulation so that they cook nice and evenly. You may need to cook this in batches, depending on the size of your air fryer basket.
  • Cook chicken thighs of the same size at the same time. It might be best to cook large thighs and small thighs separately, so they cook evenly and at the same rate.
  • I like using thighs with chicken skin on, as my kids love crispy skin.
  • If you want to cut calories, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
  • Make sure to let the meat rest for 5 – 10 minutes before serving.
  • Since these have been coated with flour or breadcrumbs, I suggest you spray the air fryer basket or rack with light cooking spray or oil before adding in the coated meat.
  • Make sure the chicken is not touching. This allows maximum air circulation inside the fryer, so your chicken will cook evenly and turn out nicely crispy.
  • Air fryer temperatures vary depending on the make and model, so use the cook time listed here as a guide, check for doneness and adjust as needed.
  • Always check the internal temperature of your cooked chicken thighs. Chicken is considered safe to eat when an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part reaches at least 165 degrees F / 74 degrees C.
  • Storage – keep leftovers in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 4 days.
  • There are 4 WW Blue Plan SmartPoints in one serving of this.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g | Vitamin A: 499IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg

.

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




14 Comments