Air fryer chicken thighs are a simple, low key and crazy delicious way to get your fried chicken fix. No dredging, diabetic/ low-carb friendly and ready to enjoy in 20 minutes.
Although I have a good variety of classic air fryer recipes already on the blog, there is one gaping hole in my collection: a fried (un-fried?) chicken recipe.
The problem is, I just don’t enjoy all the fuss. The dipping/ dredging assembly line, messing up all the dishes and all the mess.
Well this recipe is the perfect solution! Just sprinkle and cook. 🤯 Yes, really!
This recipe also happens to be gluten free, low carb, low sugar/ keto for any of you that have those dietary interests. We just eat it at my house because it tastes good!
And it gets us our fried chicken fix in a much easier, low key way.
How to make air fryer chicken thighs
This is how I prepare air fryer chicken thighs. Start with presentation side up, and sprinkle on salt, pepper, garlic and parmesan.
Since there is no dredging, it helps to use your hands to kind of pat the seasoning and cheese into the chicken to help it stick. Then, put it season side down in your air fryer.
A little of the cheese may fall off, as you see here. It’s okay. It is far from a perfect method. But the results for the (minimal) amount of work put in are outstanding.
Next! Season the other side the same way.
Use your hands to gentle pat the seasoning and cheese into the chicken. Then cook in your air fryer on 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. No need to preheat your air fryer. Be sure and flip the chicken half-way through.
When it is done, remove it from the air fryer, and serve immediately. It is shockingly delicious, I must say. Crispy, golden perfection without dredging or oil.
Serving Suggestions
So what goes well with air fryer chicken thighs? I served these with “baked” Instant Pot sweet potatoes and some roasted broccoli with red peppers.
Here are some other great options to serve on the side:
- Roasted lemon garlic Brussels sprouts
- Roasted green beans with shallot
- Corn salad with avocado and tomato
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Roasted cauliflower
- Rainbow roasted veggies
- Asian ramen slaw
- Classic potato salad
- Skillet corn bread
- Greek potato salad
- Classic deviled eggs
- Oven baked sweet potato fries
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Recipe
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Air Fryer Chicken Thighs (parmesan crusted)
Air fryer chicken thighs are a simple, low key and crazy delicious way to get your fried chicken fix. No dredging, ready in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1.3 pounds chicken thighs (mine 4 thighs, between 3.7 and 5 ounces each)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (about 1/4 teaspoon per thigh)
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese (more or less, about 1 to 1.5 Tablespoon per thigh)
Instructions
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Season the presentation (pretty/ front) side of the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic and parmesan. Use hands to gentle press the ingredients into the thighs to help them stick.
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Place seasoned side down in the air fryer basket. Season the other side.
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Cook for 20 minutes in your air fryer on 360 degrees Fahrenheit, carefully flipping half way through. Tongs are helpful for this, and they minimize knocking off any seasoning.
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Remove cooked thighs, and allow them to rest for 3 to 5 minutes prior to serving.
Recipe Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
- My chicken thighs were between 3.7 and 5 ounces a piece. If you are using larger thighs, you may need to cook slightly longer. If you wish, you can use a meat thermometer to ensure internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- I did not preheat my air fryer. I have made this recipe in 3 different models of sir fryers, and this worked out well for me, FYI.
- I highly recommend thighs for this recipe. I plan on testing with chicken breasts later on because I know y'all will ask.😉 Thighs are naturally juicier and eliminate the need for any added oil. Plus they are more forgiving and less likely to overcook/ dry out.
- Bone-in, skin on thighs should work fine for this recipe. Just keep in mind that they may need additional cook time, FYI.
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