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Home » Recipe Index » Air Fryer

Published: Feb 7, 2019 · Modified: Sep 27, 2021 by Tanya · This post may contain affiliate links · 144 Comments

Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

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These Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs are quick, easy, and on your dinner table in less than 20 minutes. Juicy moist chicken made right in your Air Fryer.

air fryer chicken thighs on air fryer grill tray

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

Quick and easy weeknight options are a must in our house, especially these days. We’ve moved outside the city (yay) which means a longer commute after work (nay). Most evenings, I come in the house exhausted, ready to order “la pizza.”

But with this Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Thigh Recipe, pizza gets pushed on the back burner and this gets made in a jiffy. It’s full of flavor and I don’t have to wait for my chicken to marinate, woo hoo! My chicken thighs still come out juicy and moist and full of flavor.

air fryer lemon pepper chicken thighs on a white plate

Chicken thighs are one of my favorite pieces of chicken to cook in an Air Fryer. They don’t dry out, they're full of flavor, and they’re pretty much hands off.

How do you cook chicken thighs in an Air Fryer?

For this recipe, I start by washing and drying my chicken thighs. Yes, I know the big debate..do as you wish when it comes to washing your chicken. But...make sure they are dry when adding the seasonings.

I then season my chicken thighs with my seasonings. For this recipe, I use lemon pepper seasoning, fresh lemon juice, black pepper, paprika, italian seasoning, and garlic powder. Most lemon pepper seasoning by itself just doesn’t move me, so I add to it.

seasoned air fryer chicken thighs before placing in air fryer

I then place my chicken thighs in my Air Fryer...it's ok if they touch a little.

seasones air fryer chicken thighs before cooking

I follow the following cooktimes:

  • Boneless chicken thighs: 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-17 minutes, flipping halfway through
  • Bone in chicken thighs: 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 22-25, flipping halfway through. Then crank up to 390 degrees for 5 minutes if you want crispy skin.

Then serve and enjoy your delicious moist Lemon Pepper Chicken.

Do I need to spray these chicken thighs with oil?

Not this time! I find that some foods need oil while others don’t. Since there is no breading on this and chicken thighs have their own natural fat, you don’t need oil. I talk about this and more in my 10 Air Fryer Tips every Air Fryer Owner Should Know.

Will these chicken thighs get crispy?

Not if they are skinless, because there isn’t really much to crisp. If you want crispy chicken thighs, skin on would work best.

I hope you enjoy these lemon pepper chicken thighs as much as we do.

Looking for more Air Fryer Chicken Recipes? Try my

Air Fryer Chicken Wings (Fresh or Frozen)

Crispy Korean Air Fryer Chicken Wings

BBQ Air Fryer Chicken Breast

Air Fryer Whole Rotisserie Chicken

Air Fryer Roasted Turkey Legs

Pin Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs for Later

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Watch this video tutorial and see how I make these air fryer chicken thighs from start to finish.

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4.79 from 69 votes

Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Easy and delicious Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs that are made in your Air Fryer. 
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword air fryer chicken thighs
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 25 minutes minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 251kcal
Author Tanya
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 ½ Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ Tablespoon Lemon Pepper Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Paprika
  • ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Wash and dry chicken thighs. Rub remaining ingredients over chicken thighs.
  • Place in Air fryer and cook on 360 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, turning halfway through until the chicken has reached a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. 

For Skin On Bone in Chicken Thighs

  • For bone in thighs with skin, increase cook time for 22-25 minutes at 360 degrees. Then cook on 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes more.

Video

Notes

Suggested Tools for Lemon Pepper Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

  • Air Fryer
  • Meat Thermometer 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 87mg | Potassium: 238mg | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.9mg
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Comments

    4.79 from 69 votes (15 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Lene says

    April 03, 2025 at 3:08 pm

    My go to method for air fryer boneless, skinless chicken thighs. switch up the seasonings Turns out perfectly cooked and juicy every time!! thank you!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      April 07, 2025 at 6:48 pm

      Thanks Lene! So happy you like the recipe. Agreed, love this method and the fun that can be had with the seasonings.

      Reply
  2. Diane says

    August 23, 2023 at 6:41 pm

    Next time I make this I will double the ingredients. Found it just barely covered the chicken and it is SO GOOD! I want to taste more. Love this chicken!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      August 24, 2023 at 9:55 am

      Thanks so much, Diane! So happy you liked the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  3. Kathleen says

    July 11, 2023 at 11:30 am

    Oh this is quick , juicy , tender and delicious. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      July 11, 2023 at 11:53 am

      Thanks, Kathleen! So happy you all liked the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  4. Melanie in Michigan says

    January 17, 2023 at 9:23 pm

    So simple and delicious !! Thank you !!!!! 👍❤️

    Reply
  5. cathy moss says

    January 10, 2023 at 12:54 pm

    Im making this tonight. In my omni plus do i use the same time or higher setting. thank you.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      January 11, 2023 at 7:30 pm

      Hi Cathy, I don't have an omni plus but I find that most air fryer ovens need a little longer cook time. I'd suggest keeping an eye on them.

      Reply
  6. Theresa White says

    December 29, 2022 at 8:42 pm

    Very good recipe

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      December 30, 2022 at 9:35 am

      Thank you Theresa 🙂 So happy you like the recipe.

      Reply
  7. Suzy says

    July 02, 2022 at 9:19 am

    I have made this recipe a couple of times - and it is great. I made a mistake this time and mixed the spices with the lemon juice. To recover I just dumped the chicken in and swished it around. For me, this turned out to be faster and easier to completely cover the chicken. thanks for a great recipe.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      July 05, 2022 at 2:05 pm

      Thank you Suzy 🙂

      Reply
    • Yayo says

      April 27, 2025 at 7:55 pm

      I made this recipe for dinner tonight & it was soo good!!! We love spicy so we swapped paprika with cayenne but overall the flavor and juiciness was perfect. So simple too 🙂

      Reply
  8. Ava says

    March 07, 2022 at 6:02 pm

    I love this recipe!! Adjusted the seasonings for our taste. My husband is picky eater. We both loved how the thighs came out. Tender, juicy and FLAVORFUL. He says, “you can cook those again👍🏽“ This recipe is now in our air fryer recipe book. Thanks.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      March 08, 2022 at 10:03 am

      Thank you Ava, so glad you liked the recipe 🙂

      Reply
  9. Randy says

    February 04, 2022 at 5:16 pm

    This is an outstanding recipe! I've used this recipe several times and made a couple of alterations. Specifically, I use the juice from an entire lemon and add some dry Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning and marinate for 4-6 hours in a zip lock bag. DELICIOUS

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      February 06, 2022 at 1:28 pm

      Thank you Randy! So glad you liked the recipe. I'll have to try it with the ranch seasoning next time.

      Reply
    • Kathy says

      January 28, 2024 at 2:27 pm

      @Tanya,
      The ranch dressing suggestion sounds really good.

      Reply
  10. Anita says

    January 13, 2022 at 6:57 pm

    If you use Mrs. Dash lemon pepper, this makes a good low salt meal,if you are watching your salt intake as so many of us are doing nowdays.I serve mine with a micro wave baked potato and a sliced tomato for a quick nutritional dinner.

    Reply
  11. WANDA says

    December 27, 2021 at 6:35 pm

    I ONLY USE CHICKEN BREAST, WILL THIS RECIPE WORK WITH BREAST? I LOVE MY AIRFRYER & WANT TO USE IT. RECIPE SOUNDS DELICIOUS. THANK YOU

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      December 28, 2021 at 2:44 pm

      Hi Wanda, you can use chicken breast. I would adjust and cook on 360F for about 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness.

      Reply
  12. Toni Dee Dieroff says

    December 27, 2021 at 10:15 am

    I enjoy your recipes!! Thank you!!

    Reply
  13. susan says

    December 03, 2021 at 7:36 pm

    Just want to thank you for this recipe! It is the base for so many variations as well as being delicious as is. We mix up the seasonings to match what we're cooking, or what we have on hand. Very versatile and very easy! We use it almost weekly. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Tanya says

      December 06, 2021 at 4:59 pm

      Thank you susan! So glad you like the recipe 🙂

      Reply
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Welcome to My Forking Life! Hi, I'm Tanya, attorney, busy wife and mom, and lover of quick, easy, and delicious meals.

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