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Craving juicy, flavorful chicken without all the fuss? These Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs are your new go-to weeknight dinner recipe! With just a handful of seasonings and 15 minutes in the air fryer, you’ll have perfectly cooked chicken that’s tender, delicious, and ready to serve with just about anything.
Try these air fryer chicken wings and bacon-wrapped chicken next!
Air frying chicken thighs cooks them up juicy inside with perfectly crispy edges every single time. They cook in about 15 minutes at 380°F, making them one of the easiest weeknight dinners you can throw together with simple sides like air fryer squash and seasoned fries in the air fryer.
Quick Look At This Recipe
- ✨ Flavor: Savory and juicy with crisp, golden edges and a burst of seasoning in every bite.
- ⏱️ Prep time: 2 minutes
- 🔥 Cook time: 15 minutes
- ⏲️ Total time: 17 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 🥄 Tools: Air fryer and silicone pad
- ❄️ Freezer-friendly: Absolutely! Make ahead and freeze for up to three months.
- 👩🏻🍳 Tip: Pat dry before cooking, don’t overlap the thighs in the basket, and allow the thighs to rest for 3–5 min before slicing.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Cooked Chicken: Cooking at 380°F is the sweet spot that keeps the chicken juicy and tender while giving you perfectly crisp edges without the risk of overcooking.
- Simple Recipe: No marinating and no mess, just a quick toss in seasonings for delicious chicken thighs the whole family will love.
- Perfect for Meal Prep: Make ahead and slice to add to salads or bowls throughout the week.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- Boneless chicken thighs: I prefer using boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Look for packages with similarly sized chicken thighs so you can ensure even cooking.
- Canola oil: Aids in browning and also helps the seasoning blend stick to the thighs. You can also use olive oil or avocado oil if desired.
- Seasonings: A simple blend of garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and dried basil adds spice, flavor, and aroma to your chicken thighs.
See the recipe card for the full list with quantities.
Variations
Making boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer is super versatile. Feel free to experiment with any seasoning blends you love. Here are a few options my family loves.
- Make it spicy: Add some cayenne pepper for a kick! You can add spice to individual pieces so that you don’t have to make all the juicy thighs spicy hot. The perfect option when cooking for families with kids who prefer milder flavors.
- Using skin-on thighs: For boneless thighs with skin, cook 2-3 minutes longer as the skin acts like insulation and slows down the cooking of the meat, plus it needs a little longer to crisp up properly.
- Bone-in chicken thighs: Extend the cooking time 5-8 minutes for air frying chicken thighs with bones to allow for the chicken to cook properly, as the bone slows down the cooking process.
- Lemon-Herb: If you love lemon, like in these lemon pepper chicken thighs, combine 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, zest of 1 lemon, and ½ teaspoon salt with the oil. Serve with a lemon squeeze.
- Cajun: For a spicy-sweet option, mix 1 ½ teaspoons Cajun seasoning and a ½ teaspoon brown sugar with the oil.
How to Make Boneless Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer
The cooking time for these air fryer boneless chicken thighs is based on cooking in the Cosori 5.8 basket air fryer using medium chicken thighs (3-4 ounces each). The cooking time may vary depending on your air fryer model and larger chicken thighs.
- Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry with a paper towel. Then place the chicken thighs into a resealable bag and add the canola oil and seasonings.
- Seal the bag and toss until the thighs are completely covered with the seasonings and oil. Place the chicken thighs into a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry chicken thighs at 380°F for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown and juicy. The internal temperature should be at least 165° F or 74°C, to be safe to eat, but I recommend cooking to 175° F for more tender results.
- Serve and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Pair with easy sides like an air-fried baked sweet potato and air fryer Brussels sprouts.
Recipe Tip
- Don’t Crowd the Thighs: For even cooking, do not overlap the thighs. For smaller air fryers, you may need to cook in batches.
- Let the Chicken Rest: Give them 3-5 minutes to rest before serving or cutting them. This allows the juices to reabsorb into the meat instead of running out when cut, keeping your air fryer boneless, skinless chicken thighs juicy.
- Check the Internal Temperature: You want at least 165°F in the thickest part for juicy, safe-to-eat chicken. But 375°F is best for a juicy, tender interior as the connective tissue and collagen break down more.
- Know Your Air Fryer: If yours tends to brown quickly, drop the temp to 370°F and add a minute or two to the cooking time.
- Use Uniform Thigh Sizes: Mixed sizes will cook unevenly. If some thighs seem thicker you can flatten them before cooking to ensure more consistency.
- Check early: Start checking the temperature at 12 minutes so you don’t overcook thinner pieces.
Serving Suggestions
- You can serve this easy chicken recipe with a low-carb side like cauliflower rice or air fryer broccoli and cauliflower.
- For a family-friendly comforting meal, serve with air fryer mac and cheese or make some cheese scalloped potatoes in the air fryer
- Don’t forget to add your favorite dipping sauces, like BBQ sauce, for added flavor.
Storing and Reheating
If you have leftovers from this boneless chicken thigh recipe, that means that you get to enjoy the flavor and taste again!
- Store: Make sure to let the boneless thighs cool down completely, and then store the leftover chicken in an airtight container. Keep it in the fridge and eat it within 3-4 days. You can also freeze air-fried chicken thighs for up to three months.
- Reheat: We recommend reheating air-fried boneless chicken thighs in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350°F to help them crisp back up. You can also microwave, but be sure you don’t overcook them. If frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.
Recipe FAQs
If the thighs are frozen, you can set them in the fridge to thaw overnight. This is the safest way to thaw frozen chicken so that it’s ready to add to your preheated air fryer once it’s time to make this perfect weeknight dinner.
Use visual cues such as browned edges, the juices run clear when the chicken is cut, and you see the center is no longer glossy. For more accuracy, use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Chicken thighs are safe to eat at 165°F but will have a better texture when cooked to 175°F.
Sure, but it’s preferred since it helps the seasoning stick and helps the chicken cook up nicely browned. Since the natural fat in chicken thighs keeps them juicy and prevents sticking, you can skip the oil, but you may find the thighs are less golden than if you used oil.
If your air fryer boneless chicken thighs turned out pale, it’s usually because too much moisture stayed on the surface or the air couldn’t circulate properly. To avoid, be sure to pat the chicken dry before seasoning, avoid overcrowding the basket, and make sure your air fryer is preheated.
You sure can! When cooking frozen chicken thighs in the air fryer, you will need to adjust the cooking time a bit. They will need to cook for about 25-30 minutes, flipping and adjusting during the cooking time, and allowing them to rest in the air fryer basket after cooking.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
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Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 2 tbsp canola oil
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken thighs and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Place chicken thighs into a resealable bag. Top with canola oil and seasonings and seal the bag.
- Toss the bag until the thighs are completely covered with the seasonings and oil.
- Place the chicken thighs into a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-15 minutes, or until golden brown and juicy with an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Top with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
- Don’t Crowd the Basket: Give each thigh space so hot air can circulate and brown evenly. Cook in batches if needed.
- Rest Before Serving: Let the chicken sit for 3–5 minutes after cooking to lock in juices.
- Check the Temperature: Make sure the thickest part reaches 165°F for safety—around 175°F gives the most tender, juicy texture.
- Know Your Air Fryer: If it browns too fast, lower to 370°F and add a minute or two.
- Even Sizes Cook Best: Flatten thicker thighs so they cook evenly.
- Check Early: Start checking for doneness at 12 minutes to avoid overcooking smaller pieces.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
