Your search for the best air fryer chicken thigh recipe is over with these incredible yogurt marinated Air Fryer Chicken Thighs. Fresh lemon and dill add the perfect finish to this crispy on the outside, tender on the inside chicken.
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Elevate Dinnertime
These crispy Air Fryer Chicken thighs are marinated in combination of Greek yogurt and lemon bringing the bright citrus notes then they're seasoned with oregano and fresh dill for that Mediterranean flair. The result is tender and juicy chicken with the bonus of just the right amount of char from the process of cooking it in an air fryer.
Helpful Hints for Making Yogurt Marinated Chicken Thighs
- Plain Greek yogurt is best for this recipe. Should you choose to use regular plain yogurt, it's more tart, so decrease the lemon juice by 1 Tbsp.
- In a pinch you could use lemon juice from concentrate or even lime juice, if desired.
- On the slight, miniscule chance that you have any of these incredible pieces of chicken
leftover, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze them for 2-3 months. - The amount of time this is left in the air fryer will make the chicken look a little charred, but it
actually ends up being deliciously crispy and yummy that way. If you don’t like that, you can
decrease the cooking time by 1-2 minutes. - I highly recommend making a double batch of the marinade so you have some extra to serve for dipping.
- You could also use buttermilk to thin out marinade to use as a salad dressing. Add in small amounts until it reaches the consistency that you want.
Is it Necessary to Marinate Overnight and Can this Chicken be Baked?
You absolutely will love this meal if you marinate the chicken overnight! Yogurt marinades allow the chicken to slowly break down and soften in such a way that you end up with the juiciest chicken in the world. Not to mention the air fryer allows the outside skin to get really crispy and delicious. The fresh flavor combination will blow your socks off.
Please note when baking the appearance and skin texture will be different than air frying.
Baking Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Fit a rimmed pan with a rack. Spray liberally with cooking spray.
- Remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip off.
- Place on a baking rack skin side up.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until juices run clear and a thermometer registers 165°F.
- May broil to char skin further at the end of baking, if desired.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then enjoy.
Other Air Fryer Recipes to Add to the Menu
If you're an air fryer fan or if you're new to the concept, I have some fan favorites here in the MSSK recipe index that you may want to try.
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Crispy Potatoes
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Southern Fried Chicken
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings from Natasha's Kitchen
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Air Fryer Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 3 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley finely chopped, divided use
- 3 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped, divided use
- 1 medium lemon, juiced (to equal 2 Tbsp)
- 1 ½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 4 large chicken thighs bone in skin on
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoon parsley, 2 tablespoon dill, lemon juice, granulated garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, oregano and red pepper flakes in a small bowl
- Place chicken thighs into a large Ziploc bag. Add marinade. Seal and shake to evenly coat chicken pieces. Place into the fridge to marinate overnight or at least 8 hours.
- To prepare: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Remove chicken from marinade letting excess drip off. Discard marinade.
- Spray basket of air fryer with cooking spray or an oil mister. Place chicken thighs skin side down in basket cooking for 12 minutes. Flip and continue to cook skin up for another 8-10 minutes or until an internal temperature of 165°F is reached and juices run clear.
- Let rest 5 minutes, then garnish with reserved parsley and dill.
Notes
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Fit a rimmed pan with a rack. Spray liberally with cooking spray.
- Remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip off.
- Place on a baking rack skin side up.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until juices run clear and a thermometer registers 165°F.
- May broil to char skin further at the end of baking, if desired.
- Rest for 5 minutes, then enjoy.
My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Kalisha
This air fryer chicken is so flavorful and juicy. I cut the meat off the leftover chicken and used it in wraps the next day. This chicken recipe is great for meal prep.
Melissa
Wonderful, thanks so much for the tip about wraps!