These Crispy, Juicy Air-Fryer Chicken Thighs Will Be Your New Favorite Dinner
Serious Eats / Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Claire SpollenA crispy-skinned chicken thigh paired with a few sides—like a cucumber and tomato salad, steamed or air-fried broccoli, or mashed potatoes—is one of my favorite easy dinners. It’s simple and reliable, and something I can do without much effort. There’s a reason why many home cooks, including myself, turn to chicken thighs when they’re in search of a zero-fuss meal: They're juicy, flavorful, and affordable, not to mention incredibly versatile. Win, win, win, win. I typically bake thighs, but now I have an even faster, more efficient way to cook them: the air fryer. As we've noted before, the appliance is basically a mini convection oven that circulates hot air to cook foods quickly and evenly.As we pointed out in our recipe for basic air-fryer chicken breasts, the air-fryer is an undeniably quick and easy way to make chicken, but it's not a given that that chicken will be juicy and flavorful. So we asked our test kitchen colleague and veteran recipe developer Julia Levy to come up with what we described as a basic method for air-fryer chicken thighs that are ultra-tender and flavorful with wonderfully crispy skin. Through numerous tests and tweaks, Levy did just that. Read on for the basic recipe, along with tips for getting the moistest, most appetizing chicken in the air fryer. You’ll also find five variations on the basic recipe, including lemon-pepper, za'atar mint, chipotle-lime, and miso-ginger, which one of our testers described as having a "lovely caramelized crust that was just on the edge of being burnt," adding, “It tasted like they just came off the grill, which is a flavor that’s hard to replicate in an air fryer."Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze3 Simple Tips for the Best Air-Fryer Chicken ThighsChoose bone-in, skin-on thighs. While boneless, skinless thighs don't dry out as easily as boneless, skinless breasts, we still think it's worth opting for bone-in, skin-on here for the most succulent results. Not only will you get optimal juiciness, but you'll also get beautifully browned skin that one of our recipe testers described as "beyond crispy."Dry-brine the thighs for juicier, more flavorful meat. We’re longtime advocates for dry brining—this simple process makes for much juicier, more flavorful meat, and, unlike wet brining, you don't need to fuss with a container of liquid taking up space in your fridge. In this recipe, we call for simply rubbing the meat with a combination of kosher salt, pepper, and baking powder, then letting it sit for a minimum of an hour (and up to 24 hours) in the fridge. Add some baking powder to the dry brine for crispy skin. As we’ve noted before (see Niki Achitoff-Gray’s article about crispy chicken and turkey skin), baking powder is slightly alkaline and raises the pH level in the chicken skin. This allows proteins to break down more efficiently, leading to crispier, evenly browned skin. Achitoff-Gray notes that as the baking powder comes together with the bird's natural juices, carbon dioxide gasses form, producing "a layer of tiny bubbles" that "increase the skin's surface area, allowing it to develop a crunchy texture once cooked."Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Claire SpollenBrine Chicken: Place chicken thighs on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Using paper towels, pat chicken dry. In a small bowl, whisk salt, pepper, and baking powder together. Rub chicken all over with salt mixture. Refrigerate chicken skin-side up, uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt GlazeRemove chicken from fridge and drizzle evenly with oil and desired seasonings, if using (see below for variations).Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt GlazePreheat a 6-quart air fryer to 400°F (205ºC) for 5 minutes. Place chicken, skin-side down, in preheated air fryer basket and cook until skin begins to render, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken skin-side up and return to air fryer. Continue cooking at 400°F until skin is crispy and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 175°F (79ºC), 6 to 8 more minutes. Remove chicken from air fryer and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.Serious Eats / Morgan Hunt GlazeVariations1. Lemon-Pepper: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons), 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.2. Miso-Ginger: In a small bowl, whisk together 4 teaspoons white miso paste, 4 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (from 1 [8-inch] knob of ginger), and 1 tablespoon finely grated garlic (from 3 medium cloves) until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.3. Dijon-Thyme: In a small bowl, whisk together 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon), and 1 tablespoon (15ml) extra-virgin olive oil until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking. 4. Za’atar-Mint: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons za’atar (homemade or store-bought), 4 teaspoons minced fresh mint, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin oil until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.5. Chipotle-Lime: In a small bowl, whisk together 4 teaspoons chipotle chile powder, 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from 2 limes), 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon light brown sugar until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.Special EquipmentWire rack, rimmed baking sheet, 6-quart air fryer, instant-read thermometer, tongsMake-Ahead and StorageChicken thighs can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings