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air fryer panko boneless chicken thighs on a white platter next to a bowl of marinara
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5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs

Crispy panko crusted chicken made in the air fryer with juicy chicken thighs and a seasoned Parmesan breadcrumb coating. An easy, fast 20-minute weeknight dinner that tastes like fried chicken, without the oil or mess.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 338kcal
Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

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. 
Nutrition calculation is based on boneless skinless chicken thighs. 

Nutrition

Calories: 338kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 496mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 2mg