Frozen Chicken Thighs In Air Fryer (Bone-in or Boneless)

Learn how to cook frozen chicken thighs in your air fryer without thawing. You can have juicy and flavorful chicken ready on your table in 40 minutes or less. I've tested and included cooking times for both bone-in and boneless thighs. 

I have been cooking a lot straight from frozen in my air fryer, it's just so easy. I always try to keep chicken wings, fish, shrimp, steaks, and even veggies in the freezer, so I can throw together a quick dinner without needing to run to the store. My air fryer and big freezer have been two of my favorite purchases. I love keeping my freezer stocked with my go-to ingredients so I'm always ready to make something on the fly.

Some people think right away that frozen food is less fresh. But in reality, most grocery stores sell previously frozen, then thawed meat and fish as fresh. So when you buy frozen, you are actually getting fresher food. Frozen berries, vegetables, seafood, and meat are flash-frozen at the peak of their freshness. 

Frozen chicken thighs are one of the most popular things I cook in my air fryer. No need to thaw them, and you can take out as many as you need to cook and keep the rest in the freezer for a long time. It is budget-friendly, versatile, and you still can get that crispy skin if using bone-in and skin-on pieces.  Cooked meat can be served as it is or used to make soups, tacos, salads, and quesadillas.

These chicken thighs come out so tasty, no one will believe they were cooked straight from the freezer. I have tried making this recipe in a few different ways - applying all the seasoning before cooking (resulted in seasoning not sticking well and burning), or air frying them as it is to thaw them first and only then applying seasonings and oil (perfect results). So this method is my tested and proven way to cook chicken thighs from frozen if you want juicy and flavorful meat. 

If you prefer leaner cuts of meat for dinner or meal prep, check out how to make frozen chicken breasts in air fryer, they turn out juicy and perfect every time. 

Ingredients

You can find the ingredient quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Frozen chicken thighs: you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs. 
• Oil: You can use light olive oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil. 
• Lemon: You will need the juice of ½ lemon, or a lime.
• Brown sugar: adds a touch of sweetness and caramelization 
• Salt and spices: salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and ground coriander. 

Recipe instructions

Remove frozen chicken thighs from the packaging. If they are all stuck together, place them in a bowl with cold water for 5-10 minutes, so you can separate them. After separating, pat them dry with paper towels (5-10 min).

Rub frozen chicken thighs with a little bit of salt and rub with a thin layer of olive oil (1-2 minutes).

Place frozen thighs in a preheated to 400°F air fryer basket with the skin side down. Air fry for exactly 10 minutes ( for boneless) and 14 minutes (for bone-in) at 400°F (10-14 min).

Meanwhile, prepare the seasoning mix. In a small bowl, combine oil, remaining salt, spices, black pepper, lemon juice, and brown sugar to create a paste (1 minutes).

At this step, chicken thighs will be thawed. Now, remove them from the air fryer on a clean plate and quickly apply the rest of the seasoning, brown sugar, and lemon juice. This trick helps the seasoning stick better, making them more flavorful (3 min).

Place seasoned chicken right back in the air fryer basket with the skin side up and air fry them for another 10-12 minutes for boneless or 14-16 minutes for bone-in. Check if done by using the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the largest chicken thigh. If it is 165°F, the chicken is fully cooked (10-16 min).

Quick tip: Chicken thighs have more fat than breasts, so they're super forgiving if you accidentally cook them a little longer. I prefer to cook them to 175°F-the skin gets crispier, and more fat renders for that rich, juicy bite.

Recipe tips

• Season frozen chicken after the initial 10-14 minutes of cook time. 
• Cook them in batches if they do not fit in a single layer. 
• Cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken thighs. 
• Use the instant meat thermometer to ensure chicken thighs are fully cooked.
• After chicken thighs are cooked, let chicken rest for at least 5 minutes. 

Variations

Glazes and sauces: if you want to use a sauce or a glaze, apply it for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. We love honey BBQ sauce or milked buffalo sauce the most. 

Seasonings: If you are planning to use the chicken to make quesadillas or tacos, you can use the taco seasoning instead. If you plan to serve it with pasta, choose Italian seasoning.