Chicken Thighs Are Perfect Air Fryer Food. Here’s How To Make Them In 15 Minutes
i use the air fryer to make a lot of things, but nothing gets in that room of hot, swirling air more often than boneless chicken thighs. Chicken thighs have enough fat that they won’t dry out — even if you overcook them — and there are about a million ways to serve them when they’re done.
They might just be the perfect dish for the air fryer.
These quick air fryer chicken thighs make a smart lunch when sliced and tossed in a salad. In the evening I often mix the meat with curry or make a quick cacciatore. And making skinless chicken thighs couldn’t be easier.
Why Chicken Thighs Are The Perfect Food For The Air Fryer
Chicken thighs are the perfect dish for the air fryer.
Chicken thigh meat has a higher fat content than breast, so the chances of your chicken thighs drying out when cooking them with convection heat in an air fryer are very slim — even if you accidentally leave them in the air fryer for too long. That makes them the perfect candidate for cooking in a blazing hot air fryer.
If the only recipe I was allowed to make in my air fryer was chicken thighs, I would still buy one and give it space on my countertop. That’s how much I love boneless, skinless air fryer chicken thighs and how often they make it into my weekly meal routine.
And like many of my favorite air fryer recipes, there’s almost no mess to clean up. Air fryers typically have non-stick baskets that can be cleaned with a few wipes and hot, soapy water.
Even this small 2-liter air fryer has room for four to five chicken thighs.
How to make air fryer chicken thighs in 15 minutes
- Step 1Preheat the air fryer to 220 degrees Celsius.
- Step 2: Mix the package of chicken thighs with the spice mixture or simply with salt and pepper
- Step 3: Bake the chicken thighs for 15 minutes, turning them after 8 minutes (bake them longer if you want them crispier)
- Step 4: Let cool and serve on a salad or with rice and vegetables.
It’s virtually impossible to ruin chicken thighs in the air fryer.
Do you need oil when baking chicken thighs in the Airfryer?
You don’t need oil when frying chicken thighs in the air fryer, but a little won’t hurt.
I have tried cooking airfryer chicken thighs with and without oil and they are both great. There is enough fat in the thighs to cook without oil. And if you are using a sauce, there is really no need to put oil on them.
If you plan to add cooking oil, don’t use too much. About a teaspoon for every four thighs should be enough.
Do I need to bread chicken thighs before cooking them in the air fryer?
Chicken breast breaded in the air fryer tastes better, but the thighs have too much fat to do without.
Yes, I do, and it’s great for adding texture to this simple recipe. A quick coating of egg wash and breadcrumbs gives air fryer chicken thighs a divine crunch, but it also adds a few extra carbs and calories. It also makes for more dishes and a messier air fryer basket, so I often make do without it. Use this method when making air fryer chicken parmesan or for a quick fried chicken sandwich.
If you are cooking boneless chicken breast in the air fryer, I recommend breading it to prevent the lean meat from drying out.
For more information, here is a complete guide to air fryers And seven things I will never cook in the air fryer again.
