Chicken thighs are a great starting point for a meal – the darker meat being juicier and more flavoursome than the white breast meat, so they can be cooked as plain and simple or as flavour-packed as you like.
This recipe uses a simple spice rub to boost flavour (we know it’s all about the perfect crispy skin with chicken thighs!). We’ve gone for a harissa spice mix, but pick whatever you fancy or have in your cupboard – the supermarket shelves are groaning with tasty options to try.
As chicken thighs can vary a lot in size, we’ve based our timings on an average weight. If yours are smaller, start checking them a little earlier during cooking, and if they’re larger, they may need an extra few min to cook through.
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Yields:
2 serving(s)
Prep Time:
5 mins
Cook Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
30 mins
Ingredients
4
skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, about 125-150g each
1Tbsp.
spice blend of your choice, we used harissa (see intro)
Directions
Step 1Pat chicken thighs dry with kitchen towel, then put in a large bowl with the spice mix and a pinch of salt and toss to coat.
Step 2Preheat air fryer to 180°C. Put the chicken thighs in the air fryer (in the crisper basket, if your model has one), in a single layer, spaced apart. Cook for 20-30min, until the skin is crisp and the chicken cooked through. Serve.
How do I know if my chicken is cooked?
A meat thermometer or digital probe inserted into the thickest part of the chicken should read 74°C. Alternatively, cut into the thickest part of the meat – the flesh should be opaque and any juices should run clear, with no trace of blood.
What should I serve with my crispy chicken thighs?
Some mashed potatoes would be great, or buttery roast new potatoes. Rice is also an unbeatable partner, and you can cook it with the chicken. Line the air fryer with a parchment or silicone basket liner. Add a 250g pouch of microwaveable basmati rice (use a flavoured kind, if you like) and use a fork to break up any clumps. Sprinkle over 5tbsp water, then arrange the spice-rubbed chicken on top. Cook according to the recipe above. You could also add some Tenderstem broccoli, arranged around the chicken (or, if space is tight, lift the chicken out and tuck it underneath), adding it just for the last 10min, for a complete all-in-one meal.
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An experienced and highly skilled team of food writers, stylists and digital content producers, the Good Housekeeping Cookery Team is a close-knit squad of food obsessives. Cookery Editor Emma Franklin is our resident chilli obsessive and barbecue expert, who spends an inordinate amount of time on holidays poking round the local supermarkets seeking out new and exciting foods. Senior Cookery Writer Alice Shields is a former pastry chef and baking fanatic who loves making bread and would have peanut butter with everything if she could. Her favourite carb is pasta, and our vibrant green spaghetti is her weeknight go-to. Lover of all things savoury, Senior Cookery Writer Grace Evans can be found eating crispy corn and nocellara olives at every opportunity, and will take the cheeseboard over dessert any time (though she cannot resist a slice of tres leches cake). With a wealth of professional kitchen know-how, culinary training and years of experience between them, they are all dedicated to ensuring every Good Housekeeping recipe is the best it can be, so you can trust they’ll work (and if they don’t – we’ll have the answer for why*) every time (*90% of the time the answer is: “buy an separate oven thermometer”!).
Emma is Cookery Editor for Good Housekeeping and loves nothing more than sharing her bottomless enthusiasm for all things food and drink with anyone who wants to learn (and even those who don’t!). From super simple one pan suppers to showstopping wedding cakes and everything in between, there’s very little that doesn’t come out of her kitchen. When not developing recipes, writing features or styling food for photography she can be found hiding behind the mountain of cookery books that’s slowly overtaking her house, or exploring restaurants, food shops and festivals in search of the next big thing to share with readers. On the rare days when she’s not thinking about food, you’ll find her in a cosy pub at the end of a long walk with her dog and expert food taster, Angua.
