Sprig Originals's kitchen / Air Fryer Crispy-Skin Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Crispy-Skin Chicken Thighs
By Sprig Originals · with credit
Adapted from budgetbytes.com
Worked out from this recipe's ingredients. If you're cooking for an allergy, always read the full ingredient list.
Bone-in thighs tossed with a smoky paprika rub and a little cornstarch, which is the trick to shatteringly crisp skin without a drop of frying oil. Twenty minutes in the basket gets you juicy meat and crackling skin.
Ingredients
Spice Rub
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
Chicken
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 lbs)
- 1 Tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Stir the cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, salt, and black pepper together in a small bowl until evenly blended.
- Set the air fryer to preheat at 400°F. Meanwhile, blot the chicken thighs all over with paper towels — dry skin is what turns crisp.
- Put the thighs in a bowl, drizzle over the oil, then sprinkle on the cornstarch and spice mixture. Toss with your hands until every thigh is slicked with oil and coated in the rub.
- Arrange the thighs skin side up in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving space between them, and cook for 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook another 8 minutes.
- Turn them skin side up one last time and give them 2 more minutes to finish crisping. Check the thickest part with a thermometer — you want 165°F, so add another 1 to 2 minutes if needed. Serve hot.
Chef's tips
- Don't crowd the basket. If your thighs are large, cook them in two batches so the hot air can circulate and the skin can actually crisp.
- The cornstarch is doing real work here — it dries the surface of the skin and helps it puff and crackle. Don't skip it.
- Let the thighs rest 5 minutes before serving so the juices settle back into the meat.
- Boneless, skinless thighs will cook faster: check for 165°F after about 12 minutes total.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
412calories
29gprotein
4gcarbs
30gfat
Estimates only — values vary with brands and portions.
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