wp header logo 40

Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs

ByRestauFeed

These air fryer boneless chicken thighs are ready in about 20 minutes, juicy, tender and bursting with flavor. They’re so easy to make and great on top of your favorite salad!

air fryer boneless chicken thighs with chives on top

I’m on a real chicken thigh kick these days! I just think they’re so much juicier and more flavorful than chicken breasts, and so much harder to over cook. These air fryer boneless chicken thighs are so easy to make with just a few pantry staple herbs and spices!

I love to serve them with a fresh salad, with pasta – my veggie pasta sauce is so good with these.

Feel free to get creative here- this is a very forgiving recipe! Paprika, garlic and onion are my favorite basic trio, but you can add in any other dried herbs or spices you like. Cayenne for spice or some Italian seasoning would be delicious.

If you love this recipe, try my hot honey chicken bowls or cilantro lime chicken next!

Before we get started…

  • The beauty of an air fryer is you don’t need a lot of oil, but I do recommend lightly greasing the air fryer basket as well as drizzle oil on top of the chicken to make it a bit crispier.
  • Chicken thighs tend to be fattier than chicken breasts, I like to just trim off the extra fat before cooking, but you want to otherwise keep the chicken thighs whole.
  • When cooking the chicken, be sure to only place in a single layer in your air fryer. This will ensure even cooking.
ingredients in bowls with labels

How to make air fryer boneless chicken thighs

Preheat the air fryer to 380 Fahrenheit and lightly grease with an oil spray.

Cut any excess fat off the chicken thighs and pat dry. Combine the herbs, spices, salt and pepper in a dish.

Evenly sprinkle on to both sides of the chicken thighs and pat into the chicken. Add to a single layer in your air fryer basket and then drizzle with the olive oil.

adding the seasoning to the meat

Air fry for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 Fahrenheit. Be sure to check the thickest part of the meat for the temperature.

Let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps keep the chicken juicy.

I like to serve with either my homemade pesto, red pepper sauce, on top of a salad or rice and veggie bowl. Enjoy!

air fryer chicken thighs before baking

Serving suggestions

There are so many ways to serve these air fryer boneless chicken thighs! I love them with my gluten free parmesan risotto and asparagus on the side, but they’re also great on top of my massaged kale salad, or with my air fryer brussels sprouts.

Other ideas are to serve with pasta such as my spicy vodka pasta, but would also be great diced up and serve with my caesar pasta salad. Other ideas:’

  • Roasted Veggies
  • Quinoa or rice
  • Sweet potato fries
  • Mashed Potatoes

Can I use frozen chicken?

I don’t recommend frozen chicken here as the seasonings won’t stick. However, you can thaw your chicken thighs and then use once thawed. I suggest just thawing in the fridge for 24 hours.

I also don’t recommend bone in, skin on chicken here. This recipe was written specifically for boneless chicken thighs and the cook time etc. will change quite a bit for bone in chicken thighs.

overhead image of the chicken thighs with lemon wedges

How to store and reheat

Store any leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I like to reheat in the air fryer just until warm through the center. Chicken thighs don’t dry out the way chicken breasts do (which is why I love them so much!) so they stay juicy for longer.

Chicken breast is white meat, while chicken thighs are considered dark meat. Both are high in protein, but chicken thighs have more fat, which makes them more moist than chicken breasts and helps prevent them from drying out in the fridge.

air fryer chicken thighs sliced open to show texture

Easy chicken recipes to try next!

If you want more recipes straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe to my email list. Don’t forget to leave a comment and rating if you enjoy this recipe!

spicy peanut chicken noodles 4

Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs

by: claire cary

These air fryer boneless chicken thighs are ready in about 20 minutes, juicy, tender and bursting with flavor. They’re so easy to make and great on top of your favorite salad!

/ /

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Total: 30 minutes

4

Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 380 Fahrenheit and lightly grease with an oil spray.

  • Cut any excess fat off the chicken thighs and pat dry.

  • Combine the herbs, spices, salt and pepper in a dish.

  • Evenly sprinkle on to both sides of the chicken thighs and pat into the chicken.

  • Add to a single layer in your air fryer basket and then drizzle with the olive oil.

  • Air fry for 15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 Fahrenheit.

  • Let rest for about 5 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps keep the chicken juicy.

  • I like to serve with either my homemade pesto, red pepper sauce, on top of a salad or rice and veggie bowl. Enjoy!

Notes

When cooking the chicken, be sure to only place in a single layer in your air fryer. This will ensure even cooking.
Feel free to get creative here- this is a very forgiving recipe! Paprika, garlic and onion are my favorite basic trio, but you can add in any other dried herbs or spices you like. Cayenne for spice or some Italian seasoning would be delicious.
I do not recommend using frozen chicken here. You can just thaw it for about 24 hours in the fridge before hand!

Serving: 1serving / Calories: 240kcal / Carbohydrates: 1g / Protein: 33g / Fat: 11g / Sodium: 634mg / Fiber: 0.4g / Sugar: 0.1g