Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

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These Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs, made with a simple plain Greek yogurt and lemon marinade, are so juicy and tender. Season it with a handful of simple spices, and voila, dinner is done!

If you like this recipe, try my saucy chicken thighs—another great air fryer recipe your family will love.

Air Fry or Oven Baked Bonelss Skinless Chicken Thighs

Marinated and seasoned on the outside, chicken thighs cooked in the air fryer or oven and turn out melt-in-your-mouth tender and packed with loads of flavor in mere minutes. No more dry and rubbery chicken for you, my friend!

I love to use cooked chicken thighs for meal prep because they’re very versatile. I slice or shred the thighs into strips or chunks for BBQ chicken sliders, chicken biscuit casserole, and chicken pasta salad.

Serve this with Air Fryer Garlic Bread made with a fresh loaf of Italian or French bread, freshly roasted garlic, and butter parmesan cheese topping. This will be your new favorite garlic bread!

Ingredients for Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs

• Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs: If the thighs seem to have excessive amounts of fat, I do trim them up just a bit using my kitchen shears. The beauty of using chicken thighs is that the fat content is higher, making the dark meat richer and juicier.
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Smoked paprika
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Baking soda
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Lemon: If you especially enjoy more citrus flavor, add the zest of the lemon to the marinade.

How to Make Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer

For exact ingredient quantities and complete printable instructions, read my recipe card.

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and take it out of the package. Trim any excess fat with kitchen shears. Allow the thighs to rest on the counter at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Resting the chicken before and after cooking makes a big difference in its texture and juiciness. If you’re cooking cold chicken, it won’t cook as evenly in the air fryer, and you’ll also need to increase the cooking time.

In a small bowl, combine the baking soda with the spices. Baking soda is a secret ingredient in this recipe. Added to the seasoning blend, baking soda creates a chemical process that enhances deeper browning and richer flavor.

Place the chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the prepared spice blend evenly over each thigh, rubbing it in on all sides with your fingertips.

Combine the yogurt with the lemon juice. I like to use my hand-held juicer to get all the lemon juice in the bowl. If you don’t have a juicer, grab a pair of long-handled tongs for the job. Insert the lemon halves between the tongs, using both hands to press together as you squeeze out the juice.

Then add the chicken thighs to the bowl, tossing gently to combine. Let the chicken marinate in the bowl at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 385 degrees F. Brush the air fryer rack liberally with a bit of oil.

I’ve really come to love my basket-style air fryer, especially for cooking all types of poultry and meat. The 6-quart size is ideal for serving a family of 4-5.

Place the seasoned and marinated chicken thighs, smooth-side-down, onto the prepared air fryer rack, leaving space around each thigh so the heat can circulate well, working in batches if needed.

Air fry the thighs for 8 minutes, then turn the chicken over and air fry for an additional 4 minutes. Let the chicken rest in the warm air fryer for 5 minutes. The chicken thighs are fully cooked when the cooking juices run clear and the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. at the center.

Place the warm and rested thighs on a large cutting board. Slice across the grain into strips. Serve immediately.

Oven-Baked Version

Follow the recipe as directed in Steps 1-4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the seasoned and marinated chicken thighs smooth-side-down onto a larged rimmed baking sheet that has been coated with non-stick spray.

Leave space around each thigh so the oven heat can circulate better. Cook the thighs, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the thighs at the center reaches 165 degrees F. and the juces run clear.

Remove the thighs to a cutting board and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes to allow the thighs to rest. Carve the thighs as directed in recipe Step 8.

Recipe Variations

Add Some Kick: If you’re a “spicy” fan, amp up the heat by adding some red pepper flakes to the spice blend. Or, drizzle hot honey over the cooked thighs just before serving. Buffalo sauce is spicy-good on the side for dipping, too.

Sweeten the Pot: If you like a bit of “sweet with your savory,” add a bit of brown sugar to the spice blend.

Go Barbecue: Brush the thighs with barbecue sauce before sprinkling with the seasoning blend. Serve additional barbecue sauce on the side for dipping, too.

Easy Meal Prep with Chicken Thighs

If you want to double or triple this recipe and batch-cook several thighs, you can do so very easily and quickly – I do it all the time. They freeze well and will keep in the freezer easily for up to 6 months.

Once all the cooked chicken thighs have cooled, I slice them into strips and portion 2-3 cups into quart freezer bags. The frozen bags of chicken will thaw in a day in the fridge and I’ve got good protein ready in a flash this way.

I also like to meal prep with a Whole Chicken in an Air Fryer.