Description
This recipe delivers super crispy skin and juicy, flavorful chicken thighs using an air fryer and a garlic herb butter finish. Perfect for easy weeknight dinners in about 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt (kosher salt preferred)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh herbs (chopped parsley and thyme)
Instructions
- Step: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels to remove moisture.
- Step: Rub olive oil all over each thigh, coating evenly but not dripping.
- Step: Season generously with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder on both sides.
- Step: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
- Step: Place chicken thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket without overcrowding. Cook for 12 minutes.
- Step: Flip the thighs skin-side up and cook for another 10-12 minutes until skin is golden brown and crispy. Add 2-3 more minutes if needed, watching closely.
- Step: While chicken cooks, melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add minced garlic and chopped herbs, stirring for about 2 minutes until fragrant but not browned.
- Step: Transfer cooked chicken to a plate and brush generously with the garlic herb butter.
- Step: Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving to retain juices and crispiness.
Notes
Always pat the chicken skin dry to ensure crispiness. Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket to allow proper air circulation. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness (165°F minimum, 170°F preferred). Brush garlic herb butter after cooking to avoid burning the garlic. For extra crispiness, sprinkle a pinch of baking powder on the skin with salt before cooking. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 115 mg
Keywords: air fryer chicken thighs, crispy chicken, garlic herb butter, easy weeknight dinner, chicken recipe, healthy chicken, air fryer recipe