Chicken Thighs Air Fryer Cooking Time
Bone-in, skin-on thighs.
Start skin-side down, flip at 12 minutes.
Thighs are safe at 165°F but taste better at 175°F, where the connective tissue breaks down.
How to cook Chicken Thighs in an air fryer
- Start skin-side down so the fat renders, then flip to crisp the skin at the end.
- Dry the skin thoroughly and salt it — wet skin will never crisp.
- Thighs are forgiving. Unlike breast, a few extra minutes will not ruin them.
Chicken Thighs times by cut and size
| Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bone-in, skin-on | 380°F | 22–26 min |
| Boneless, skinless | 380°F | 16–20 min |
Cooking Chicken Thighs from frozen
From frozen, cook for 30–35 minutes at 380°F. Cook frozen at 360°F so the outside does not burn first.
Common questions
How long do you air fry Chicken Thighs?
Chicken Thighs takes 22–26 minutes at 380°F (190°C) in an air fryer. Start skin-side down, flip at 12 minutes. Cook to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Are chicken thighs better than breast in an air fryer?
For most people, yes. Thighs have more fat, so they stay juicy across a much wider window of cooking time. Breast goes from perfect to dry in about two minutes.
Should chicken thighs go skin-side up or down?
Start skin-side down to render the fat, then flip at the halfway point so the skin finishes crisp and browned.
Converting your own recipe
If you have an oven recipe for Chicken Thighs and want to work it out yourself, the rule is to drop the temperature by 25°F and cut the time by 20%. The oven to air fryer converter does it for you.