Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

I am loving my air fryer and I needed to try some easy meat recipes. Summer is coming and I see the air fryer as a great solution for those days when it’s so hot you don’t even want to step outside to grill! And when I have chicken I prefer dark meat, so air fryer chicken thighs were a logical choice.

I also see chicken thighs as automatic portion control. One thigh is just enough meat for me, and I don’t feel the need to have any more than one.

Ingredients needed

• Chicken thighs – the recipe makes 4 but depending upon the size of the thighs and of your air fryer basket, you might need to do these in batches.
• Olive oil
• Spices

How to air fry chicken thighs

Chicken thighs are delicious with a simple spice rub added before cooking.  I don’t use any sweetener in the spice rub which keeps it healthy, low carb and keto friendly.

I use the Instant Pot Air Fryer lid. From what I can tell, other brands might run a little “hotter” than mine so if you have a larger air fryer you might want to consider using a 375F cooking temperature.

I also consider a meat thermometer pretty important for this. Just like for grilling, it is sometimes difficult to know whether your meat is truly cooked all the way through. Checking with a meat thermometer is a great way to check to be sure.

With that in mind, simply oil the meat a little with olive oil, mix up the spice blend and then sprinkle it over the thighs.

Place the thighs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. For mine, that is usually 3 thighs.

Air fry for 18 minutes at 400F. Check the internal temperature using a meat thermometer to verify that the temp is at least 165F. if needed, air fry for an additional 4 minutes until fully cooked.

(Note: It is possible to air fry all 4 chicken thighs at once, by overlapping slightly. I typically do this just because the packages I buy contain 4 thighs. When the thighs overlap they do need an extra 5 minutes or so of cooking time and the skin is a little less crispy, but it is an option. Just verify with the meat thermometer that the meat is fully cooked.)

Add a simple salad and/or vegetable and you have an easy, healthy and satisfying meal.

Print Recipe

5 from 16 votes

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Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Low carb, keto friendly, easy method to make chicken. On the table in less than 30 minutes!

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4

Calories: 338kcal

Author: Sula

Ingredients

• 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin on
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon paprika smoked
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

• Pat dry the chicken thighs with a paper towel. Brush the skin side of each with olive oil and place skin side down on a plate.
• In a small cup, combine the spices and sprinkle half evenly over the 4 pieces of meat. Turn them over and sprinkle the remaining seasoning on top.
• Place thighs in air fryer basket in a single layer, skin side up.
• Air fry 18 minutes at 400F. Use a meat thermometer to verify that the internal temperature of the largest thigh is at least 165 degrees F. If needed, air fry an additional 3-4 minutes to complete cooking and for crispier skin.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 142mg | Sodium: 403mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.

Looking for more low carb meal ideas? Take a look at these!

• Keto Taco Casserole
• Keto Chicken Taco Casserole
• Jalapeno Popper Hasselback Chicken
• Keto Beef Stew
• Fajita Stuffed Chicken

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