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These Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are seasoned to perfection with beautiful crispy skin. Ready in less than 30 minutes!

Have you tried the Air Fryer yet? I have to admit, I resisted it for a LONG time. I have a ton of kitchen gadgets that I hardly use, and my cabinets are packed to the gills! But, I kept talking to people that loved their Air Fryer.
 
Regular people, not food bloggers like me that geek out over new kitchen gadgets for a living. My co-workers, neighbors and friends all love their dang air fryers!
 
So, I caved and bought one. I have a few other air fryer recipes in the queue for you that are excellent. But, I loved this Air Fryer Chicken Thigh recipe so much that I’m posted it early!
 
“I made these tonight in my new air fryer and they turned out so good! I added lemon herb seasoning to the Cajun seasoning as the combo of lemon herb, Cajun and garlic powder is my go to seasoning for chicken. I only cooked mine for about 20 minutes total in the roast setting as they were on the small side.
 
They were sooo good! The addition of BBQ sauce made it so yummy! Even my “does not like chicken” mama ate all of hers! I’m adding this to my repertoire for the air fryer.” – Jenny G.
 
 
So, what’s great about the air fryer? First, it is SO EASY to use. One you pop something in, it’s hands off. No stirring, no flipping! Second, if you want your food to get crispy without having to deep fry it, this is the absolute best way to get it done.
 
The skin on these chicken thighs is crisped to perfection, something that is so hard to achieve by baking. Plus, this Air Fryer Chicken Thigh recipe is easily adapted for keto and low-carb diets!
 
This is a flexible recipe. Use your favorite barbecue sauce. If you are following a Keto or Paleo diet, you need to be careful about the sugar content of your barbecue sauce!
 
I recommend Primal Kitchen’s barbecue sauce, which you can easily purchase on Amazon.
 
If you don’t have Cajun seasoning in the pantry, don’t buy it! You can make your own Cajun seasoning by using the following ratios:
  • two parts each of garlic powder, Italian seasoning, paprika and salt
  • one part each of pepper, cayenne, thyme and onion powder

So, how long should you cook chicken thighs in the air fryer? I cook mine for about 28 minutes total at 380 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to sauce your chicken thighs, brush the sauce on the thighs at around 25 minutes.
 
Then, cook for three more minutes to complete your cooking. Make sure the juices run clear on your chicken before serving. If you’re not sure they are done, use a meat thermometer to check! Chicken is safe to eat at 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
 

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

4.51 from 61 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 28 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 657kcal
Author: Michelle Goth

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • 4 chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons of BBQ sauce

Instructions

  • Pat dry chicken thighs with paper towel. Rub olive oil over the chicken thighs and massage the Cajun seasoning over the chicken thighs.
  • Spray Air Fryer basket with olive oil spray. Add in chicken thighs, close and set temperature to 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes. 
  • Once timer is up, brush BBQ sauce over chicken. Cook at the same temperature for an additional 3 minutes.
  • After 28 minutes, check that juices run clear. Cook an additional few minutes for a crisper skin.
  • Serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 657kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 31g | Cholesterol: 333mg | Sodium: 3881mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g
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