Air Fryer Skinless and Boneless Chicken Thighs
How long it takes to cook chicken thighs in an air fryer depends on whether they are bone-in or boneless.....
Quicker than cooking in a regular oven with even better results, your air fryer will quickly become your favourite way to cook chicken thighs!
Skinless and boneless chicken thighs are a great source of lean protein and cooking them in an air fryer is the most delicious, quick and easy way to get juicy chicken.
Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are often the least expensive, but chicken skin can contribute unwanted fat and calories to your diet.
How to debone chicken thighs
I couldn't actually buy skinless and boneless thighs when I wanted them, so I removed the skin and used kitchen scissors or a sharp knife to remove the bone - it's very easy to do.
Just pull the skin off and cut down both sides of the bone as close as possible, taking care not to cut the whole thing in half. Job done.
Why do bone-in thighs take longer to cook?
Boneless chicken thighs will cook surprisingly quickly.
The bone acts as a natural insulator and slows down the cooking process. The thickness of the thighs combined with the bone's insulating properties means the heat takes longer to penetrate.
When the bone is removed and the thighs are flattened out, they are quite thin and cook loads quicker.
Make your own spice mix
The spice mixture amounts in the recipe card below make just enough to coat 5 boneless thighs. For more thighs, you will need to double the amount of spice mix.
You can alter the mix to use your preferred herbs and spices, but don't add any more salt as some seasonings already contain salt. 😉
Just remember to coat 5 thighs you will need approx 2½ tablespoons in total.
Top Tips - please read before you cook
Be sure the chicken is fully cooked. Each air fryer is different and you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly.
I know I always go on about it, but the only really safe way to check the internal temperature is to use a digital instant-read meat thermometer.
I use the Thermapen but you can buy
cheap digital kitchen thermometers
and any, is better than not using one to avoid food poisoning.
If
you don't have cooking spray oil you can wipe the bottom of the basket with
oil from a bottle using kitchen paper.
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- spray cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of onion granules (or powder) granules was all I had
- ½ teaspoon harissa seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt (don't add more)
- chopped parsley and lime (or lemon) wedges to serve
Preheat your air fryer to 200°C - 400°F for 5 minutes
Mix together the herbs and spices. Using your hands, coat the chicken on both sides with the herbs and spice mixture.
Spray the bottom of your air fryer basket with a bit of spray oil and place the chicken smooth-side down into the basket.
If cooking in the Ninja Speedi, put the crisper tray on the bottom position making it just like a regular air fryer. Air fry for 6 minutes, then use silicone kitchen tongs to turn the chicken over.
Continue to cook for a further 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature is 74°C (165°F)
The exact time varies depending on the size of the chicken thighs and your air fryer model.
Once cooked, remove the chicken cover loosely with kitchen foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes - remember the chicken will continue to cook so don't go over the temperature.
Leaving the chicken to rest also makes for extra juicy chicken. The same goes for meat too, always let it rest before serving.
And there we have it - juicy chicken thighs the quick and easy way. 😋
You might also like my air fryer BBQ chicken drumsticks.
Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!
Boneless Chicken Thighs - Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 5 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- spray cooking oil
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion granules
- ½ teaspoon harissa seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- chopped parsley and lime (or lemon) wedges to serve
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl mix together the herbs and spices. Using your hands, coat the chicken on both sides with the herbs and spice mixture.
- Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with a bit of spray oil and place the chicken smooth-side down into the basket taking care they do not overlap each other and are in a single layer. If cooking in the Ninja Speedi, put the crisper tray on the bottom position making it just like a regular air fryer.
- Air fry for 6 minutes, then use silicone kitchen tongs to turn the chicken over.
- Continue to cook for a further 6-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature is 74°C (165°F)
- The exact time varies depending on the size of the chicken thighs and your air fryer model.
- Once cooked, remove the chicken cover loosely with kitchen foil and leave to rest for 5 minutes - remember the chicken will continue to cook so don't go over the temperature. Leaving the chicken to rest makes for extra juicy chicken.
Notes
Be sure the chicken is fully cooked. Each air fryer is different and you may need to adjust the cooking time slightly.
If you don't have cooking spray oil you can wipe the bottom of the basket with oil from a bottle using kitchen paper.
The spice mixture can be altered to use your preferred herbs and spices, but don't add any more salt as some seasonings already contain salt.
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Jan