Air fryers are renowned for cooking meats to perfection, with crispy skin and juicy, tender meat on the inside. Boneless and skinless chicken thighs take no exception to this fact, and we’re sure you’ll enjoy cooking them in the air fryer.
Pay attention to the instructions in this article if you want to prepare boneless and skinless chicken thighs quickly, and achieve great-tasting results without overcooking or making them lose all their moisture. Also, please take note of all our helpful tips and guidelines to get the best out of your cooking.
Chicken Thighs Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Boneless Chicken Thighs in an Air Fryer
The following tips are necessary to achieve desirable results when cooking boneless chicken thighs in an air fryer:
Timing your cooking – Boneless chicken thighs in an air fryer take about 15 minutes (typically) to cook. However, the time it takes to cook chicken in a fryer is determined by several factors, including:
- Chicken size: The size of the chicken you’re working with is another factor that will decide how long it takes to cook inside the air fryer. Cooking larger-sized chicken thighs will, of course, take much longer than smaller-sized thighs.
- Bone-in vs. boneless chicken parts: Chicken thighs with no bones cook faster than bone-in chicken thighs.
- Chicken state: Depending on whether your chicken is frozen or thawed, the cooking time will vary. It typically would take longer to cook frozen chicken than it would cook thawed chicken.
- Air fryer wattage: A greater wattage air fryer will cook your chicken faster than an air fryer with a lower wattage, so it’s important to keep this in mind when cooking your chicken thighs. Check the instruction manual for your specific air fryer and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Cooking Temperature: Cooking chicken at a lower temperature of 350°F / 177°C takes longer than cooking it at a higher temperature of 400°F / 200°C.
These factors are great to keep in mind but regardless, checking if your chicken thighs are fully cooked is the best way to achieve good results. The ideal way to do this is to use an instant-read meat thermometer and aim for a temperature of 165°F / 74°C.
Working with frozen chicken thighs – Boneless and skinless chicken thighs in a frozen state can also be air-fried.
If this is what you’re working with, follow the steps below:
- Prepare the chicken as follows: If it’s frosty or stuck together, deglaze it by putting it under running water to remove the ice and separate the pieces.
- Season the chicken: Combine the seasoning and oil in a small mixing bowl, then brush the resulting mixture all over the chicken pieces.
- Cook them afterward for about 20 to 25 minutes in an air fryer at a temperature of 400°F / 200°C. To check for doneness, use a meat thermometer. The internal temperature has to be a minimum of 165 degrees Fahrenheit / 74 degrees Celsius.
- Serve with your preferred side dishes.
How to reheat cooked chicken thighs – Chicken thighs can be reheated inside your air fryer or microwave. To reheat boneless chicken thighs in the air fryer, preheat your air fryer to 400°F / 200°C and heat them for 4 to 6 minutes, or until heated throughout.
Remember that timing will be affected by factors like size and how frozen the chicken was before reheating, so make adjustments as needed. For bone-in chicken thighs, add a few minutes more.
If heating cooked chicken in the microwave, do it in 30-second increments until thoroughly warm. You may reheat it in the oven, though it will take longer. Heat your oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas mark 6. Place the chicken thighs on a baking pan and reheat for up to 10 minutes, or until thoroughly warm.
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Cooking Time for Boneless Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer
The following timing guidelines are necessary to keep in mind when cooking boneless chicken thighs in the air fryer:
Cooking Procedure
Cooking Time
Cooking boneless chicken thighs in an air fryer at 400°F / 200°C
15 to 20 minutes
PrintAir Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs (4 to 6 Servings)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken thighs
- One teaspoon of salt
- One teaspoon of paprika
- ½ teaspoon of white pepper
- Two teaspoons of garlic powder
- One teaspoon of dry basil
- One teaspoon of oregano
- ½ teaspoon of pepper flakes
- 1 ½ tablespoon of oil
Instructions
To marinate the chicken thighs
- Mix the spice combination, then use a paper towel to dry the chicken thighs before placing them in a basin with the seasoning blend and the oil.
- Rub the spice into the chicken to make sure it’s evenly distributed, then cover the pieces using cling film. Afterward, refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes to overnight. At least 10 minutes should suffice for the marinating process if you’re short on time.
To cook the chicken thighs
- Place the prepared chicken thighs inside the air fryer after 10 minutes and cook them for 15 to 20 minutes at 400°F / 200°C. Halfway through the cooking process, flip the pieces. When the internal temperature of the chicken hits 165°F / 74°C, you’ll know that it is done.
- Allow for a minute of rest before serving the chicken thighs with your preferred side.
This air fryer boneless chicken thighs recipe yields such delicious and crispy results. Just make sure to follow the right instructions and timing guidelines, and you can be sure you’ll achieve satisfying results.
If you’d like to see more interesting ideas for cooking chicken thighs in the air fryer, then look at this video recipe.
Notes
- Because the chicken marinade contains oil, there is no need to use any oil to spray the air fryer basket before cooking. Use a piece of perforated parchment paper in the air fryer if you’re worried about the chicken sticking.
- Make sure the basket isn’t too full. If necessary, cook your chicken in batches.
- When preparing any meat, a meat thermometer is strongly recommended to verify internal temperature. If you don’t have one, cut the meat at its thickest portion to see if it’s done. It should be white, with clear juice rather than red.
- This recipe was prepared in an air fryer that had not been preheated. When frying in batches, however, because the air fryer was preheated during the initial batch, succeeding batches may cook faster, so keep this in mind.