Air Fryer Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Balsamic Chicken Thighs are coated in a wonderfully thick balsamic glaze that’s both a little sweet and tangy. The chicken cooks up wonderfully juicy in the air fryer.
Can be made in under 30 minutes with a minimal amount of ingredients. The cooking time is mostly hands off and the balsamic glaze adds tons of flavor.
What I Love About This Recipe
- Chicken thighs cook quicker in an air fryer than they do in the oven.
- Air fryer chicken thighs get really crispy and golden on the outside while they stay tender and juicy on the inside.
- There’s no need to marinate the chicken.
- No need to preheat the air fryer, but you can if your air fryer requires it. It will shorten the cooking time slightly.
Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Balsamic Chicken Thighs
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs– you can use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but add a little time to the air frying time.
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder– for seasoning.
- Olive Oil– avocado oil can be used instead.
- Balsamic Vinegar– use a good-quality balsamic vinegar.
- Garlic Clove– half a teaspoon of garlic powder can be used instead.
- Honey– maple syrup can be used instead.
- Cornstarch– helps thicken the glaze a little.
- Dried Thyme– rosemary can be used instead.
Air Fryers Cook At Different Rates
Different air fryer brands and models cook at different rates so use the air fryer cooking time as an estimate. It helps to have an instant-read thermometer handy. Chicken thighs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. You don’t have to worry about overcooking chicken thighs as much as you do chicken breasts because they have more fat and will stay juicy even if overcooked some. I actually think chicken thighs taste better if they are cooked a little past 165 degrees.
Recipe Tips
- Pat the chicken dry. This helps the chicken brown up.
- Do not crowd the air fryer basket. You should be able the air fry 4 to 5 chicken thighs at a time unless your air fryer is small in which case you may only be able to air fry 3 at a time.
Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Great Sides to Go With Balsamic Chicken Thighs
I love to serve this chicken with Marinated Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion Salad, Lemon Butter Broccoli, or Oven Roasted Italian Vegetables.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts
- Air Fryer Spinach and Sun-Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken
- Air Fryer Lemon Rosemary Chicken
Air Fryer Balsamic Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Materials
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Balsamic Glaze
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon honey
- ½ teaspoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season both sides of chicken to taste with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Spray air fryer basket and top of chicken with oil.Place chicken in air fryer basket. Air fry at 380 degrees for 10 minutes. (Make glaze while chicken cooks.)Flip chicken over and air fry for 8 minutes.Brush chicken with glaze and air fry 2 minutes. Brush again with glaze and continue to air fry another minute or two.
- To make glaze, in a small bowl, stir together olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, honey, cornstarch, salt, pepper and thyme.
