Air fryer bone-in chicken thighs
Skin as crisp as a chip over the juiciest meat, with no oil and barely any work, in about half an hour.
- 35 min total
- 8 min hands-on
- Anyone can make this
- Serves 2
- About $1.55 a serving
- 600 calories
- Good the next day
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
Dolly says: Make the full amount. It’s just as good for lunch the next day.
Ingredients
For 2 servings.
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs, skin on
- ½ lemon, cut into wedges (optional)
From your pantry
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ¼ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Each serving has about 600 calories, 44 g protein, 1 g carbs and 45 g fat, and costs about $1.55 at typical US grocery prices. Both are estimates from what the recipe uses.
Missing something?
- No bone-in chicken thighs? Chicken drumsticks work.
- No lemons? Limes work.
Steps
Tap an underlined word for a quick explanation.
the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes.
Preheat. Preheating means turning the oven on before you start, so it’s fully hot when the food goes in. Food that starts in a cold oven cooks unevenly and doesn’t brown the same.
How you’ll know: The oven beeps or its light clicks off, usually 10 to 15 minutes after you turn it on.
Timer: 5 min
the thighs very dry on both sides and them all over with the salt, garlic powder, paprika, thyme and pepper.
Pat dry. Patting dry means pressing paper towels onto food to soak up the moisture on its surface. Wet food steams instead of browning, so this is how you get a good sear and crisp skin.
How you’ll know: The surface feels tacky, not wet, and the last paper towel comes away barely damp.
Season. Seasoning means adding salt, pepper or spices to bring out a food’s flavor. A little at a few stages tastes better than a lot all at the end.
How you’ll know: When you taste it, it tastes bright and like itself, not flat and not salty.
Food safety: Wash your hands, the board and the knife with hot soapy water after touching raw meat, and don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink.
Lay them in the basket skin side down in one layer and cook 10 minutes.
Timer: 10 min
Dolly’s tip: Skin side down first melts the fat out from under the skin. Then it crisps on the second side.Flip them skin side up and cook 12 to 15 minutes more, until the skin is and the thickest thigh reads 165°F near the bone.
Crispy. Crispy means the outside is dry, firm and crunchy. It comes from high heat, a little oil and room in the pan, because crowded food steams and goes soft.
How you’ll know: It sounds crunchy when you tap or bite it, and it doesn’t flop when you lift it.
Timer: 13 min
Food safety: Chicken and turkey are done at 165°F in the thickest part. A thermometer is the only sure check. Without one, cut into the thickest piece: it should be white all the way through, with no pink.
Let them 5 minutes, then serve with the lemon wedges.
Rest. Resting means letting cooked meat sit for a few minutes before you cut it. It keeps cooking gently, and more of the juice stays in the meat instead of running onto the board.
How you’ll know: Loosely covered with foil, it stays hot, and very little juice runs out when you slice it.
Timer: 5 min
Plan this in Dollop, and get the grocery list
Dollop puts this dinner on a night that suits your week, lists only what you still need to buy, and walks you through each step while you cook.
