Air Fryer Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs are juicy on the inside with a crispy, seasoned Parmesan breadcrumb coating. Just like fried chicken, without the oil or mess. This air fryer chicken thighs recipe is ready in about 20 minutes for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
For more easy air fryer recipes, check out Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs, and Air Fryer Whole Chicken.
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❤️Why You're Going to Love This Recipe
- Crispy without deep frying. Golden-brown, crispy, crunchy coating, with less oil.
- Juicy chicken thighs, boneless or bone-in. They're soft and juicy and hard to overcook.
- No messy dredging station. I use a quick mayo coating instead of eggs and flour.
- Fast weeknight dinner. Ready in about 20 minutes, start to finish.
- Versatile leftovers. I reheat it in the air fryer until crispy for sandwiches and salads.
🍗Ingredients
- Chicken thighs. You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs or bone-in chicken thighs, with or without skin. Instructions for both are in the recipe card.
- Panko bread crumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style breadcrumbs, and lighter and crunchier than regular breadcrumbs.
- Mayonnaise. Coats the chicken and helps the panko adhere.
- Panko seasoning. A blend of onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning flavors the plain panko breadcrumbs. Adjust to your personal preferences.
- Parmesan cheese. Just a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese adds flavor and a bit of saltiness.
🌶️Variations
- Boneless skinless chicken breast: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thin chicken cutlets. Reduce cooking time and pull at 165°F to prevent drying out.
- Spicy: Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the breadcrumb mixture.
- Herbs: Replace Italian seasoning with dried basil, parsley, or your favorite seasoning blend.
🥣How to Make Panko Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer
Before you begin, prep the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Spray the air fryer basket with oil or line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Step 1. Prep the chicken thighs. Pat the chicken dry and generously season both sides with salt and black pepper. Stir mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
Step 2. Bread with panko breadcrumbs. Combine the panko, Parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Press each chicken piece into the panko mixture, thoroughly coating all sides.
Step 3. Air fry chicken thighs. Arrange the chicken thighs top-side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and lightly spray with oil. Cook until the panko is deep golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165°F on a meat thermometer. For the juiciest thighs, aim for 175-195°F, depending on thickness.
Bone-in thighs: Air fry 10 minutes. Flip, spray again, and air fry 8-10 more minutes.
Boneless thighs: Air fry 7 minutes. Flip, spray again, and air fry 7 more minutes.
Step 4. Rest, serve, enjoy! Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute. Dip in marinara or Big Mac sauce, or Jack Daniels BBQ sauce,
🥗Serving Suggestions
- Dipping sauces. Dip in hearty marinara sauce, chipotle mayo, white BBQ sauce, or honey teriyaki sauce
- Side or main dish salads. Serve alongside or atop a Caesar salad or spinach arugula salad.
- Roasted or steamed vegetables. Roasted potatoes, microwave carrots, or steamed green beans.
- Pasta. Spaghetti with Alfredo sauce or creamy pesto pasta.
- Chicken sandwich. Served on a toasted bun as a crispy chicken sandwich
🔥Storage & Reheating
- Storage. Store leftover air fryer panko chicken thighs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freezing. Cool the chicken completely, then freeze in a single layer before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen in the air fryer at 375°F until hot and crisp.
- Reheating. Warm panko-breaded thighs in the air fryer at 350 degrees until they reach 165 degrees, about 7 minutes for boneless chicken thighs and 9 minutes for bone-in chicken thighs.
✅Expert Tips
- Pat the chicken dry. This helps the mayonnaise and panko stick.
- Cook by temperature, not just time. Chicken thighs are best between 165°F and 175°F and can go as high as 195°F for bone-in thighs without drying out.
- Spray tongs with cooking spray. To keep the panko breading from sticking to your tongs while flipping the chicken.
- Cook time will vary. Depending on the thickness of the chicken.
❓FAQs
Yes. Panko works well in the air fryer because the hot air flow helps the larger crumbs crisp and brown evenly.
Panko sticks best when the chicken is lightly coated with a binder first. A thin layer of mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, egg, or yogurt helps the breadcrumbs adhere and prevents them from falling off during cooking.
It depends on the cut and thickness.
Boneless chicken thighs: about 14 minutes total, flipping halfway
Bone-in chicken thighs: about 18-20 minutes total
Always cook until the chicken reaches at least 165°F internally.
No. Dry panko won't stick well to bare chicken. You'll get better results by using a binder like mayonnaise or egg so the coating stays in place and crisps evenly.
No. Eggs are common, but not required. Mayonnaise works just as well (and often better in the air fryer), helping the panko stick and promoting browning without a messy dredging station.
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📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 2 to 2 ½ pounds chicken thighs boneless or bone-in (skinless or skin-on)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil or avocado oil. Or line it with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Pat the chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Stir the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard together in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the bowl and toss to coat.
- Combine the panko, Parmesan cheese, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning in a separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Press each chicken piece into the panko mixture, thoroughly coating all sides.
- Arrange the chicken thighs top-side down in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Spray with a light coating of olive oil or avocado oil spray.
- Boneless skinless chicken thighs: Air fry for 7 minutes. Flip, spray with oil, and air fry for 7 more minutes.
- Bone-in chicken thighs (skinless or skin-on): Air fry for 10 minutes. Flip, spray with oil, and air fry for 8-10 more minutes.
- Air fry chicken thighs until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of at least 165, up to 175 to 195.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Dip in marinara, honey mustard, or chipotle mayo.
Notes
- Cooking time may vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Poultry should be cooked to 165, but chicken thighs are even juicier and more flavorful at 175 - 195.
- Spray the tongs with a little oil to keep the panko breading from sticking to your tongs while flipping the chicken.
- Patting the chicken dry helps the mayonnaise mixture and panko breadcrumbs stick to the chicken.
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