Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar and Spices is a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight dinner.
Over the past couple of weeks I've been on a chicken binge; I've fried it and air fried it, baked it and broiled it. I've discovered new recipes and in one case, relied on one that is very old. But all of them were delicious and I'll be sharing them on this blog in the next couple of weeks...cool weather is coming and it's time for chicken, starting with this recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar and Spices.
Honestly I've had almost this same exact recipe on this blog since 2012 as Spiced Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs; I've told that story a few times, how that recipe was so dang good that I stood over the stove and ate a couple of those thighs before remembering they were for dinner and forced myself to step away from the stove.
That recipe differs slightly from this one today in that it's broiled and then finished with a combination of honey and vinegar. While I consider it easy, it does require close observation, broiling chicken makes for quick work and with heat that hot, without watching closely, the chicken can go from fine to burnt so quickly.
While I wanted to make something similar using my air fryer, I opted to substitute the honey with brown sugar and mix everything together in a rub eliminating the need for the final steps of removing and slathering honey on each side with a couple of minutes of additional time once that is complete.
I love that recipe but this was easier and required less attention...there is certainly a time and place for that.
A friend of mine got a new air fryer last week, she actually got something new from the folks that make the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker; it's a Air Fryer Lid with an accompanying basket that fits inside the 6qt Instant Pot and turns the unit into an air fryer. Jan was going to town...chicken, cauliflower, and more. She was actually my inspiration to try this recipe.
The product I use for air frying is part of a Cuisinart Toaster Oven/Air Fryer unit. I bought it when my toaster oven died and it has several functions and I clearly don't use it enough for air frying, these thighs were fantastic.
Jan made chicken thighs using this recipe, simply a different spice mix. The spice mix I love is a bit heartier with some heat, so I used it and to balance the omitting of honey, upped the brown sugar quotient a bit to balance the heat in my mix. I simply omitted the vinegar; I did not want to take any chances on losing that nice crust that resulted from this method.
The spice mix is easy enough too; I suggest at least doubling the amounts and having some ready to go for next time...there will be a next time, I'm sure of it! For one recipe covering 8 chicken thighs, it includes:
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp paprika (I had smoked and used it)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
One thing I do when I cook chicken thighs is that I keep them folded in half, so that even though they are boneless, they maintain the same shape as if bone in. It's mostly aesthetics, I like the way they look, but I also think it keeps them from cooking too quickly and drying out.
The suggested cooking time for these thighs is 20 minutes total; 10 minutes per side, but do check the internal temperature of your chicken before considering it done. Boneless thighs should be cooked to 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally to be safely cooked. (Bone in dark meat can actually benefit from going up to 180 degrees internally, this insures that the meat will be tender enough to pull away from the bones easily).
These air fryer chicken thighs could not have been easier; with my unit, I covered the bottom tray with aluminum foil for the drippings so when the meat was done, I simply let the drippings cool in the foil, folded it all up and pitched it and cleanup was simply the tray. Win win for quick cleanup, right?
The truth is that this recipe is so variable. Have a favorite spice mix; try it. I do think the brown sugar in this mix helps to brown the chicken nicely so even if you decide to try something different, add a touch of sugar to your mixture, for a recipe of this size and quantity I would suggest at least 2 teaspoons of granulated white sugar or brown sugar depending on what you are mixing up.
Want to try barbecue chicken? Simply roast your chicken with a favorite rub in the air fryer and then slather on your warm barbecue sauce after it comes out of the oven and is plated. Honestly...this simple preparation will open doors to a world of variations...all simple to make, great to eat, and easy to cleanup.
PIN IT! Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with Brown Sugar and Spices'
