Air-Fried Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Juicy, flavorful chicken thighs with a crispy skin and garlic butter sauce, cooked perfectly in an air fryer for minimal effort. This American-inspired air-fryer recipe, ready in about 35 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, garlic, unsalted butter for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 2, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min Serves 2 American cuisine 420 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

Air fryers that get this right → Best Air Fryers for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Small appliances → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Pat 10 oz chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then rub with 1/2 tsp sea salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
  2. Step 2: Mince 4 garlic cloves finely, then melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a small bowl with the minced garlic and 1 tbsp fresh thyme.
  3. Step 3: Place chicken thighs skin-side up in the air fryer basket, drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil, and spray lightly with cooking spray.
  4. Step 4: Air fry at 375°F for 15 minutes, then flip chicken thighs and brush with the garlic butter mixture. Cook for an additional 8-10 minutes until skin is golden brown and crispy and internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Related recipes