Dinner time at my house is kind of wild. Three teenagers who act like they are starving even when they just had snacks. I need meals that are fast and yummy. My new best friend is my air fryer. It makes air fried food that tastes like I worked hard, but I really did not. These air fried chicken thighs are the real deal.
I love how the skin gets crispy and the meat stays juicy. The smell of smoky barbecue makes my kids run to the kitchen before I even call them. This might be my best chicken thigh recipe air fryer style so far. We are talking crispy air fryer chicken thighs with flavor that makes everyone happy.
If you are cooking chicken thighs and you want easy, this is it. Perfect for bone in chicken thighs or boneless. I have tested a lot of chicken thigh air fryer recipes and this one wins. It is part of my list of new air fryer recipes that actually make life easier.
You toss the seasoned thighs in, push a button, and boom. Dinner is done. These air fryer chicken thighs taste like air fryer fried chicken without all the grease. They work in any air fryer oven recipes too. This is one of those chicken thighs air fryer recipes that makes teens and grown ups happy.
If you are searching for air fry chicken thighs, air fryer thighs, or even a good thighs chicken dinner, this is it. The crispy magic is why I love air fryer recipes chicken thighs so much. It is also great if you need chicken thigh seasoning recipes ideas. Add this to your list of air fry recipes and thank me later.
Family dinners do not need to be fancy. They just need to taste good. These chicken thighs recipes are a life saver for busy nights. The flavor is crazy good, the cleanup is easy, and you will want this thighs recipe every week.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Crispy skin that tastes like it came from a fancy BBQ place.
- No babysitting the pan. Just toss and walk away.
- Fast cooking, about 20 minutes start to finish.
- Kids and grown ups both devour it.
Ingredients You Need
- 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons barbecue seasoning mix (store bought or homemade)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce for extra sticky and sweet
You can double this if you have more hungry mouths. Just do not crowd the basket, because crispy needs room.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Dry The Chicken
Pat each chicken thigh with paper towels. The drier the better. This makes the skin extra crispy and not soggy.
Step 2: Season With Love
Rub the chicken with olive oil on all sides. Sprinkle the barbecue seasoning, salt, and pepper. Rub it in like you mean it.
Step 3: Preheat The Air Fryer
Set your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit. Let it heat up a couple minutes. Hot air equals crispy magic.
Step 4: Cook Skin Side Down
Place the chicken thighs skin side down in the basket. Make sure they are not touching. Cook for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Flip And Finish
Flip each piece skin side up. Cook another 10 minutes or until the inside is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6: Make It Saucy
If you love sticky fingers, brush barbecue sauce on top. Put back in the air fryer for 2 more minutes.
Tips From My Messy Mom Life
- Do not crowd the basket or the skin will steam instead of crisp.
- Use parchment paper if you hate scrubbing the basket.
- Kids love dipping these in ranch or honey mustard. No judgement.
- They reheat great for lunch the next day if you are lucky enough to have leftovers.
How To Serve
I throw these on a plate with corn on the cob and baked beans. My kids eat theirs with mac and cheese. My husband piles his on a bun with pickles and calls it a sandwich.
Dinner does not have to be perfect to be loved. It just has to taste good and make your people happy. These air fryer chicken thighs do exactly that. They are the kind of meal that makes me feel like I can survive this mom life with a little more joy and a lot less dishes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Air Fryer BBQ Seasoned Chicken Thighs
How long do you cook air fryer chicken thighs
I cook my air fryer chicken thighs for about 20 minutes at 380 degrees. Flip halfway so the skin gets crispy. Every air fryer is a little different, so check that the inside hits 165 degrees.
Can you use boneless chicken thighs
Yes you can. Boneless works too. If you use boneless skinless it may take less time. Start checking around 16 minutes. Bone in chicken thighs take a little longer but have so much flavor.
Do you need to preheat the air fryer
I always preheat for a few minutes. It helps make crispy air fryer chicken and speeds up cooking chicken thighs.
Can you make these ahead for meal prep
Yes. These air fried chicken thighs reheat well. Keep them in the fridge and warm them up in the air fryer for a few minutes. They taste just as good the next day.
Air Fryer BBQ Seasoned Chicken Thighs Recipe Card
Air Fryer BBQ Seasoned Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 bone in skin on chicken thighs or boneless if you like
- 2 tablespoons BBQ seasoning mix store bought or homemade
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
- Optional: 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce for sticky glaze
Instructions
Step 1: Dry the Chicken
- Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels. Dry skin makes crispy skin.
Step 2: Add Seasoning
- Rub the chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle BBQ seasoning, salt, and pepper on all sides.
Step 3: Preheat the Air Fryer
- Set your air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit and let it preheat a few minutes.
Step 4: Cook Skin Side Down
- Place the chicken skin side down in the basket with space between each piece. Cook for 10 minutes.
Step 5: Flip and Finish
- Flip the chicken skin side up. Cook for another 10 to 12 minutes or until the inside is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 6: Make it Saucy
- If you love extra sticky BBQ, brush the tops with BBQ sauce and air fry 2 more minutes.
Notes
Tips
- Do not crowd the basket or the skin will not crisp.
- Use parchment paper in the air fryer if you hate scrubbing.
- Always check the temperature. Chicken thighs taste best when juicy but fully cooked.
- Let the chicken rest 3 minutes before serving so the juices stay inside.
Variations
- Try lemon pepper seasoning instead of BBQ for a fresh twist.
- Use a spicy BBQ rub if you want more heat.
- Swap in boneless skinless thighs and lower the cook time by about 4 minutes.
- Add a light honey glaze for sweet crispy air fryer chicken thighs.
Dinner does not have to be hard or fancy to be loved. My teens ask for these air fried chicken thighs all the time and that makes me smile big. The smell of smoky BBQ and crispy skin makes the whole house happy. This might be the best chicken thigh recipe air fryer style I have made yet.
I love how air fried food saves me time. These crispy air fryer chicken thighs taste like air fryer fried chicken but with less mess. They work with bone in chicken thighs or boneless. You can try different chicken thigh seasoning recipes and still get that same crunchy skin.
Cooking chicken thighs in the air fryer is kind of magic. Toss them in, walk away, and boom dinner. These air fryer chicken thighs recipes are easy enough for a busy night but still feel special. They also work great in air fryer oven recipes and other air fry recipes.
If you have been looking for new air fryer recipes that your whole crew will eat, this is it. These chicken thighs air fryer recipes make life simple. Crispy air fryer chicken thighs for the win. Call it thighs chicken, thighs recipe, or just good food. No matter what you call it, these chicken thighs recipes will be on repeat at my house.
Family dinner should taste good and make life easier. Airfryer chicken thighs do that every single time. Now I just need someone to help with the dishes.
