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American

Air Fryer Crispy Thighs

Bone-in chicken thighs crisp in a preheated air fryer with salt, paprika, and garlic. The skin renders because the basket is hot and the thighs sit in one layer, not because of a heavy breading.

Prep
5 min
Cook
26 min
Total
31 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Jump to recipe
Crispy-skinned chicken thighs in an air fryer basket.

Why you’ll love it

  • The basket heat crisps the skin without a breading.
  • Paprika and garlic are the seasoning.
  • You flip once so both sides brown.
  • A small basket just means two batches.

Ingredients

Servings4

Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.

Rough grocery estimate for the full recipe: about $8–$13 at a typical US supermarket. Prices vary by store, region, and season.

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Instructions

  1. 1

    Pat the thighs dry. Toss with the oil, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper.

  2. 2

    Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 3 minutes.

  3. 3

    Set the thighs skin side down in a single layer. Do not stack them. If they do not fit, cook two batches.

  4. 4

    Air fry 12 minutes. Flip skin side up and air fry 10 to 14 minutes more, until the skin is browned and the thickest part at the bone reaches 165°F.

  5. 5

    Rest 5 minutes. If you cooked in batches, hold the first batch in a warm oven at 200°F while the second finishes.

Pro tips

  • Wet skin steams. Dry the thighs before the oil.
  • Crowding the basket is why thighs come out pale. Use the second batch.
  • Check 165°F at the bone, not in a thin edge.

Easy substitutions

Paprika
Smoked paprika
Bone-in thighs
Boneless thighs, and start checking at 16 minutes total
Olive oil
Avocado oil

Storage and reheating

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days.

Reheating

Air fry at 360°F for 4 to 6 minutes so the skin crisps again. A microwave softens the skin.

Nutrition

Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.

Calories
340
Protein
34 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
22 g
Fiber
0 g

Budget friendly · Air Fryer · Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Lower-Carb, High Protein

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From the kitchen

Kitchen tools we love

Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.

  • A heavy 12-inch skillet

    Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.

  • An air fryer with a real basket

    The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.

  • A half-sheet pan

    Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.

  • A sharp chef’s knife

    These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.

  • A large cutting board

    Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.

  • Dry cups and a liquid cup

    Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.

  • An instant-read thermometer

    Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.

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Ingredients