Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long should you cook chicken thighs in an air fryer? ›

Place chicken thighs skin side down in the air fryer basket. Air fry chicken thighs for 16 to 22 minutes at 400 degrees F, flip halfway through. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. Let rest for 5 minutes.

You sure can. The first time I did it felt strange because all I'd ever cooked in there was vegetables and pre-cooked foods like chicken nuggets, tater tots, etc. As long as you cook your chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, it is perfectly safe to put raw chicken in an Air Fryer.

Dry the outside of the food properly before you add oil. Do not use too much oil, as this will make the food less crispy and more fattening. Meat or poultry can be lightly brushed with oil or marinated to get the crispiest results.

Keeping the skin on protects your chicken thighs from drying out while they cook, plus it allows for the additional textural treat of crispy, perfectly seasoned skin. Bone-in can be tricky to cut, but the bones help prevent the chicken from drying out.

Is it better to bake chicken thighs at 350 or 400? It is recommended to bake chicken thighs at 400ºF. This medium-high heat ensures the juiciest results! Chicken thighs should be roasted in the oven at 400ºF for 40-45 minutes, then broiled for 2 more minutes to get juicy meat and crispy skin!

Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

While the need for oil in air frying is not as great as when using an oven or frying something on a pan, a small amount of oil can go a long way in keeping your food moist and providing that golden brown color.

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

The #1 tip for the best chicken breasts in an air fryer is: Don't overcook them! Chicken breasts should be cooked to 160°F, but if you cook them all the way to that temperature in the air fryer, carryover cooking will take them beyond that temp and cause them to dry out.

Place half of the pieces in the basket of your air fryer. Try to ensure the pieces don't touch. Air needs to circulate around them. Spray the chicken pieces lightly with spray oil.

Do you flip air fried chicken? ›

Cook at 360° for 9 minutes. Then flip the chicken breast over and cook for another 9 minutes. Larger chicken breasts need more cook time, and smaller ones need less time. Open the air fryer immediately so it doesn't continue cooking in the heat.

Chicken thighs are a perfect go-to for a hot grill (or grill pan!). Try a rub or marinade, or simply season with salt and pepper. Brush grill grates or grill pan with oil. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat.

While chicken thighs only need to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees as read by a meat thermometer, I recommend you bake them until they reach 180 – 190 degrees. This takes 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees. We swear by this Thermapen for taking accurate internal temperature readings.

It's easy to throw in an Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup or shred it in Healthy Chicken Enchiladas. Rubbery chicken is usually an indicator of overcooked chicken. The longer the chicken cooks, the more moisture it loses, and without moisture, the protein fibers become elastic, AKA rubbery.

Place chicken in the air fryer basket, presentation side down, and cook for 8 minutes at 375°F. Flip the chicken over and continue cooking until the thickest part registers 155°F on an instant-read thermometer, typically about 6 to 8 minutes longer.

After testing a variety of temperatures, I found that 375 degrees F is the best temperature for air frying chicken. Because the air fryer uses convection heat, you do not need to set it as high as you would an oven (in a regular oven, 425 degrees F is best for baking chicken, like Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast).

Place chicken in air fryer basket, standing against sides of basket if necessary. Set to 350°F; cook 15 minutes. Turn chicken; cook 5 to 8 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F).

The USDA guidelines lists approximate cooking times of 40 to 50 minutes for 4-to-8-ounce chicken thighs roasted at 350 degrees. In our basic meal prep boneless chicken thighs recipe, they take about 25 to 30 minutes baked at 425 degrees F.