The secret to making the juiciest boneless chicken thighs in the air fryer is marinating them with yogurt. They come out delicious!
Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
These Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs are on my dinner rotation multiple nights of the week, and you can enjoy them so many ways. Greek yogurt not only adds tangy flavor but also tenderizes the chicken. Some nights, I serve them with a big salad, and other nights, I eat them with a vegetable and a grain. Keep reading for more ideas—the possibilities are endless! Other air fryer recipes made with chicken you must try are my air fryer chicken breasts, these crispy, bone-in air fryer chicken thighs, and this whole chicken in the air fryer.
Why You’ll Love These Yogurt-Marinated Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
I keep boneless, skinless chicken thighs on hand in my freezer so I can whip up a quick meal anytime. It’s super convenient, never dry like breasts, and my family loves them.
- Quick and Easy: Air frying chicken thighs is faster than other cooking methods.
- Versatile: You can put them in salads, bowls, wraps, or sandwiches or pair them with side dishes.
- High Protein: Lean skinless chicken thighs and yogurt are both great sources of protein.
- Great for Dietary Restrictions: Chicken is low-carb, gluten-free, and Weight Watchers friendly. This is now 0 WW Points!
If you make this air fryer boneless skinless chicken thigh recipe, I would love to see it. Tag me in your photos on Instagram or Facebook!
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this yogurt-marinated, air fryer boneless chicken thigh recipe. See exact measurements in the recipe card below.
- Greek Yogurt is a gentle, effective way to tenderize chicken, making it an effective marinade. It slowly breaks down the chicken’s proteins, creating a juicy texture.
- Garlic infuses the yogurt marinade with a robust, savory flavor.
- Lemon Juice thins the yogurt so it evenly coats the chicken.
- Seasoning: Paprika, Cajun seasoning, and any dried herbs, like herbs de Provence, provide a spicy, complex flavor.
- Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cook quicker than bone-in thighs and are tastier than chicken breasts.
How to Cook Boneless Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer
Here’s how to make these easy boneless chicken thighs in the airfryer, which cook in under 15 minutes! For the exact recipe, see the recipe card below.
- Greek Yogurt Marinade: Blend the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and half of the Cajun seasoning in a blender until smooth.
- Marinate the Chicken Thighs, making sure each piece is evenly coated. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.
- Season the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the dish, ensuring there’s only a thin layer of marinade on each thigh. Season with the remaining Cajun seasoning, paprika, and herbs.
- How Long to Cook Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer: Air fry the boneless chicken thighs at 400°F for 14 minutes, flipping halfway. Check the internal temperature with a thermometer, ensuring they’re at 165°F
- Serve the chicken with the remaining lemon.
Variations
- Chicken: Use the same Greek yogurt marinade on chicken breasts or bone-in thighs, adjusting the time as needed.
- Greek Yogurt: I used nonfat Greek yogurt, but full-fat or 2% yogurt will also work.
- Acid: Substitute lemon with red wine vinegar.
- No Cajun Seasoning? You can use any spice mix you like. If you have the individual spices (cayenne, black pepper, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder), use those.
- Mild Chicken: If you’re not a fan of spicy food, skip the Cajun seasoning and use the spices above, minus the cayenne.
- Dried Herbs: Any dried herbs will work—you can use one herb or a mix. Try it with dried oregano, parsley, or thyme.
- No air fryer? No problem! Follow these instructions for grilled yogurt chicken thighs or bake them at 425F for 15 to 20 minutes.
Do you rinse off yogurt marinade?
While you don’t want to rinse off the yogurt marinade (That’s where all the flavor is!), you can remove some of it. If you have a thick, goopy layer, it’ll stick to the air fryer and burn.
What’s the Best Air Fryer?
I LOVE my new All Cool Air Fryer! It’s the best air fryer I’ve ever used because it’s powerful, spacious, and pretty for my white kitchen.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
There are several ways to serve these healthy chicken thighs. Just the other night, I ate them with white rice and a cucumber avocado salad with a squeeze of lime. Delish!
- Salad: Top a bed of crunchy romaine or peppery arugula with sliced chicken thighs and add whatever veggies you want. Try it with this Chopped Feta Salad.
- Greek: Add some tzatziki and serve in a bowl with lentils or rice or in a pita wrap and top with cucumbers and tomatoes.
- Latin: Serve them with rice, black beans, and pico de gallo.
- Other Side Dish Ideas: Roasted Broccoli, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Potato Salad, Tomato Salad
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the chicken in the fridge for 4 days. Eat the leftovers cold or microwave them until warm.
- Freeze the thighs for 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes You’ll Love
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer Chicken Sandwich
- Chicken Parmesan in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets
- Air Fryer Asian-Glazed Boneless Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, halved
- 1 tablespoon McCormick Gourmet Cajun seasoning, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon dried herbs, such as herbs de Provence
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat (36 ounces total)
Instructions
- In a blender or jar (if using an immersion blender), combine the yogurt, garlic,juice from half the lemon, and 1/2 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning and blend until smooth. Reserve the other lemon half for serving.
- Put the chicken in a large dish that will fit it in an even layer. Pour the yogurt marinade over the chicken and toss to coat, making sure each piece is completely coated.
- Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and up to 6.
- When you’re ready to air fry, lightly oil the air fryer basket.
- Remove the chicken from the dish and remove all but a thin layer of the marinade. Season with the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of the cajun seasoning, paprika and dried herbs.
- Air fry the thighs 400°F in a single layer, in batches as needed for 14 minutes, flipping half way or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and both sides are browned.
- Once cooked, cut the remaining lemon half into wedges, and serve alongside the chicken.
Made this tonight and it was delicious! My husband who is a little picky also loved it! Thank you!
Excellent flavor. Even the kids loved it!
Delicious!!! I will definitely make again!
This chicken was SO easy, moist and delicious! Definitely going to become a regular at my house. Thanks, Gina!
We love our chicken this way. We marinated actually for 8 hours. So tender and juicy.
OMG this was SO good! Literally from the first bite, to the last, I was saying mmm! And then I immediately sent a pic of my plate, along with the recipe, to my immediate family. (two are chefs). I made it last Thursday and I’m currently waiting for it to finish marinating so I can make it again tonight! Didn’t even make it a week. Thanks for this winner!
Pretty much tasteless! Didn’t know why. I used the Cajun seasoning and the others. It was marinating like 6 hours as well.
Made this for dinner tonight – it is delicious! Had to make my own Herbs de Provence, but thaws no problem. We loved how the ends crisped and all the spices were really good. It will slip easily into my dinner rotation.
March 14th, 2025
I made this tonight and it was a HIT with my son and husband. My son said, “It’s a keeper.”, when I asked him what he thought of the recipe. And my husband said that he liked it a lot, too. This is definitely going to be on our regular dinner rotation.
I made it exactly as directed, other than sprinkling on extra Oregano when putting into the air foyer. At the end. I dabbed on Kraft Greek Salad Dressing on the last minute of each side. It was was SO good!
This was my very first cooking anything in my new air fryer/toaster oven. Wow! Really really tasty. My husband loved it and he is VERY picky. He actually does most of the cooking. I marinated the chicken for about 6 hours. I lessened the cajun seasoning as I am a wimp. I used paprika and some red pepper flakes along with Italian seasoning. It crisped nicely and was cooked all the way through but still juicy in about 17 minutes. This will be on our dinner rotation for sure!
great!
These are the best chicken thighs that I have ever tasted. Thank you Gina for your recipes. ❤️
Yummy! Can I marinade this over night?
My husband and I both agree, these are the best chicken thighs we’ve ever tasted!!!! Thank you again ❤️❤️❤️
Delicious!! Everyone loves this one!
Now zero points
YAY
My family does not like spicy foods. What can I use in place of the Cajun seasoning? I’m looking forward to trying this recipe.
You can try the spice combination on this one- https://www.skinnytaste.com/air-fryer-chicken-thighs/
Hi Gina! Is it not recommended to leave the chicken thighs marinating overnight? Thanks in advance!
This recipe has been on repeat since I introduced it to my family over the summer. It’s so easy and delicious! Love it!!
This was excellent! Cannot believe how it browned and how flavorful it was- just delicious!
I liked this recipe, but I change up the seasonings often. I am SHOCKED at how amazing skinless chicken thighs taste cooked in the air fryer!! My husbands new favorite meal.
YAY!
Delicious! New air fryer owner here. I liked this recipe because I always have plain yogurt on hand. The first batch I left out the paprika, 2nd batch had it and I think it really improved the color of the finished thighs. Will definitely make this again. thanks!
Cant wait to try, but first Looking to purchase a new air fryer, which one would you recommend?
This was delicious- moist and flavorful! It will be easy to adapt the recipe using different spices and herbs. This recipe will be added to my regular rotation!
Easy to prepare and cook in air fryer. Very tasty.
Tried this for dinner this week – super yummy! The chicken thighs did really well in the air fryer, loved the crispy texture on the edges while the whole thing was still tender and juicy. Great flavor. We served it with s healthy homemade pasta salad to help cut through the spicy chipotle seasoning we have. Definitely a keeper!
Just made this for lunch for the week. Thank you so much for this recipe it is amazing
My mom really liked this dish. Me, not so much, but mainly because I am not a fan of thighs. They did turn out tender & flavorful. Very quick & easy dish.
Easy and delicious!
Delicious! And so easy. Served it with pearl couscous and a cucumber and tomato salad. Definitely will make it again
Great!!!
Amazing recipe! So much flavour and so simple. Definitely in our weekly menu rotation.
Delicious!! Easy dinner! I used bone in thighs because that’s what I had. Increased the cook time a bit.
Awesome!!
Tried this recipe tonight. 👍 👍
So delicious, will have this again and again. My side was the Romain salad, again 👍.
Great flavor and east to do, used tandoori seasonings like in Skinny Taste cook book. Needed to cut time back as my thighs maybe not as big, and they were easily done in 12 minutes and maybe even less. A favorite
Do you think this would work as well with dairy-free Greek yogurt for a gluten-free/dairy-free household?
Sure
What should be the adjusted cooking time if using chicken breast?
Yes I would look at my air fryer chicken breast recipe for temp and time.