Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Ras el Hanout

I was a late adopter of the air fryer, but something that has made it a keeper of an appliance in my house is how easy it makes putting together a quick dinner. 

With just moments to stir together a simple marinade and about 15 minutes of hands-off cooking time, I can have beautifully golden spiced chicken thighs with crispy skin on the table in about 30 minutes. No need to scrub a pan or wipe splatter from the stove; it’s fast and easy, and the resulting juicy, golden chicken speaks for itself! 

Because the marinade relies on an already mixed blend of spices, it comes together in minutes, and then, while the chicken soaks up the flavors, I can get a side dish or two going. This air fryer chicken recipe is the perfect thing to accompany a salad or tie together a few different types of leftovers into a cohesive meal. 

What’s in Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

This recipe is as close to fast food as one can get while still cooking from scratch! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chicken thighs: Bone-in, skin-on thighs are economical and offer the contrast of crispy skin and juicy meat. Feel free to swap in boneless, skinless thighs; they’ll cook even more quickly! I call for four to six to fit in basket-style air fryers, but my air fryer is large, and I have successfully doubled the recipe. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: Just a touch of olive oil in the marinade brings out the flavor of the spices and helps them to coat the chicken. As they cook, the skin will render fat, so you really only need a small amount. And yes, it’s safe to cook with extra virgin olive at high temperatures.
  • READ MORE: Cooking with Olive Oil: Everything You Need to Know
  • TRY IT: Private Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Greece
• Lemon: Any time I use a lemon, I like to employ both zest and juice. The zest adds brightness to the marinade, while the juice adds acidity, cutting through the richness of the chicken and adding dimension to the spices.
• Garlic brings a pungent depth that complements the chicken. 
• Ras el hanout: One thing that makes these air fryer chicken thighs so fast is that I use a single spice blend to give the marinade warmth, complexity, and a brilliant golden color. More on this lovely blend in a moment, but know you can easily change the flavor of this recipe by replacing the ras el hanout with another spice blend. Try baharat, Italian seasoning, or our shawarma spice.
• Salt ties all the flavors together and seasons the chicken all the way through.
• Black pepper adds a subtle heat and anchors the flavors of the marinade.

Ingredient Spotlight

Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend. The name literally means “top of the shop.” Every spice seller makes their own unique mix, but it usually includes warming spices like cinnamon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and ginger. 

I love that for weeknight recipes and instances when I don’t want to pull out five or six different spice jars out it functions as a convenience ingredient, adding lots of flavor and color from a single jar. The flavor is bold but versatile, not spicy, just roundly aromatic and warming.

• READ MORE: Ras el Hanout: The “Top Shelf” Spice
• TRY IT: When testing this recipe, I used the ras el hanout from our shop.

How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

It feels almost like a cliché to say it, but air fryer chicken thighs really are as close to a “set it and forget it” cooking experience as I expect to have! I pop the fryer open occasionally to check and make sure they aren’t browning too fast, but otherwise this is largely a hands-off recipe. Here’s the full process step by step. 

• Mix the marinade: In a large bowl, combine 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, the zest and juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons juice), 2 grated garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon ras el hanout, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.
• Marinate the chicken: Pat 2 pounds (4 to 6) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Add them to the marinade one at a time, turning to coat. Marinate for at least 15 minutes, or up to 24 hours in the fridge if you have time.
• Preheat the air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes. Place the chicken thighs skin side down in a single layer, leaving space between each one. Cook for 10 minutes.
• Flip and finish: Turn the chicken skin side up and cook for another 6 to 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
• Crisp the skin (optional): If you like extra crispy skin, or if your air fryer is not as powerful,  increase the temperature to 400°F and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, until the chicken skin is sizzling and nicely browned. Transfer the chicken to a plate and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer?

Cook bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs in the air fryer for 10 to 18 minutes, depending on their size. Smaller thighs will cook more quickly, while larger pieces will take a few extra minutes to cook through. If you do substitute boneless, skinless thighs, keep in mind that they will cook even faster, and may be cooked though in as little as 8 minutes.

To make sure it’s safe, I always like to check chicken using an instant-read thermometer at the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, but not touching it. Chicken should register at least 165°F. That said, chicken thighs (unlike breasts) aren’t likely to dry out with a little extra cooking time. 

Air Fryer Chicken Thigh Tips

This recipe is a simple one, but having made it several times now, I want to offer a couple of tips to help yield the best results!

• Grate your garlic: Pieces of fresh garlic can burn quickly in an air fryer at high temperatures, so I recommend using a zester to grate it into the marinade so it melds with the oil to coat the meat. Plus, if you’re zesting a lemon you’re going to wash it anyway! 
• Start skin side down: I think placing the thighs in the air fryer basket skin side down helps the fat render out and, as a result, helps cut down on how much the skin shrinks. 
• Allow for variability: Just like regular ovens, air fryers can run hotter or colder than the temperature setting. In my experience, they’re even more inconsistent than a typical home oven. If you know your model tends to run hot, feel free to cook your chicken thighs at 370°F so as not to overcook the skin. Conversely, if your air fryer consistently takes longer to cook things to your desired temperature, you can bump the cooking temperature up to 400°F for the full cook time. 
• Cook, then crisp: When in doubt, start at a lower temperature, making sure the chicken is cooked though. Then, if you want to crisp the skin, you can turn up the temperature and let the chicken brown to your liking. This reduces the likelihood that the skin will get overcooked before the meat is cooked through.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Because they’re so fast and easy, I like to pair air fryer chicken thighs with other recipes that come together fast.

Adding a fresh salad is always a great pairing, and I can vouch for the fact that these chicken thighs go well with greens—including this avocado and arugula salad—and also crunchy, chunky salads. I love how the puckery vinegar in this mini bell pepper salad pairs with the crispy chicken skin, and the crunch and caramelized citrus notes of smashed cucumber salad with fried lemon and feta.

It’s also nice to round the meal out with a cooked whole grain or some couscous. I particularly love to serve it with this lemony spinach pearl couscous recipe featured in these photos.