Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe

These Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs are juicy, well-seasoned, and browned around the edges with just four ingredients. Since the chicken is boneless and skinless, it cooks quickly at high heat without needing to be flipped.

I make boneless skinless chicken thighs in the air fryer when I want an easy chicken dinner or a simple protein I can use throughout the week. Serve them with air fryer green beans, add them to chicken Caesar salad, or use the leftovers anywhere you need cooked chicken. When you have bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, use my air fryer chicken thighs instead.

Why Make This

• Simple ingredients: You only need boneless skinless chicken thighs, oil, seasoning, and salt.
• Juicy without breading: Chicken thighs have enough natural fat to stay tender in the air fryer without a coating or marinade.
• Easy to change up: Keep the simple herb seasoning or use one of your favorite seasoning blends.

Ingredients Needed

• Boneless skinless chicken thighs: This recipe uses 1 pound of boneless, skinless thighs.
• Avocado oil: Helps the seasoning coat the chicken and keeps it from sticking to the basket. Olive oil also works.
• Salt-free herb seasoning: I use a 24-herb seasoning blend with garlic, onion, black pepper, and other herbs. Using a salt-free blend lets me control the salt separately.
• Sea salt: I use fine sea salt to season the chicken.

Get the exact amounts in the recipe card below.

How to Make Boneless Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer

Season the chicken

Pat the chicken dry before adding the oil and seasonings. Toss until the thighs are evenly coated on all sides.

Arrange them in a single layer

Leave a little room between the chicken thighs so the hot air can circulate. Avoid stacking or overlapping them.

Air fry until juicy and cooked through

Air fry at 400°F for about 20–22 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. If you’re using a Ninja Foodi, use the Air Crisp setting. Smaller thighs may finish sooner, so start checking around 20 minutes.

You don’t need to flip the chicken halfway through. I’ve found that boneless skinless thighs cook evenly without it.

Tips for the Best Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs

• Pat the chicken dry: Removing excess surface moisture helps the oil and seasoning coat the thighs evenly.
• Check for doneness: Chicken is safely cooked when the thickest part reaches 165°F.
• Using a Ninja Foodi: Air Crisp is the Foodi’s air-frying function. You don’t need to change the temperature or cooking method for this recipe.
• Season ahead: You can season the chicken, cover it, and refrigerate it for up to two days before cooking.
• Change the seasoning: These chicken thighs are an easy base for different flavors. Try my shawarma seasoning for warm spices, jerk seasoning for bold Caribbean flavor, poultry seasoning for a classic herb blend, rotisserie chicken seasoning for savory roasted-chicken flavor, or chicken dry rub for an all-purpose blend with optional heat.

What to Serve With Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs

Since the chicken has a simple herb seasoning, it’s easy to build the rest of dinner around it.

One of the easiest combinations is garlic butter rice and a green vegetable. Make air fryer green beans or air fryer broccoli if you don’t mind cooking them after the chicken, or sautéed green beans on the stovetop if you want everything ready at about the same time.

If you’re in the mood for something more comforting, serve the chicken with browned butter mashed potatoes and Southern green beans. Add homemade cornbread or creamy baked macaroni and cheese when you want a heartier dinner.

You can also serve the chicken with cilantro lime rice when you want something a little brighter. I especially like going in this direction when I swap the herb seasoning for my shawarma or jerk seasoning.

If you want to keep the carbs lower, cauliflower rice pilaf or creamy cauliflower mushroom risotto give you quick stovetop sides that can cook while the chicken is in the air fryer. Cauliflower mac and cheese or mashed cauliflower work when you want something a little more comforting.

Storage & Leftovers

• Store: Refrigerate leftover chicken thighs in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Use the leftovers: Keep the thighs whole, slice them for chicken Caesar salad, or shred them. Once shredded, you can use the chicken in any recipe that calls for cooked chicken like my shredded chicken recipes.

More Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thigh Recipes

Once you have the basic cooking method down, try these boneless chicken thigh recipes with different flavors:

• Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs
• Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
• Lemon Garlic Chicken Thighs

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