Air Fryer Chicken Thighs

Pat dry the 2 lb chicken thighs with a paper towel and place them on a plate or sheet pan.

In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings: 2 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp dark brown sugar, 1 tsp ginger powder, and ½ tsp five spice. Mix with a spoon until incorporated.

Generously coat the chicken thighs with the seasoning, including between the skin and the meat, on top of the skin, and on the bottom of the thighs. Use your spoon to gently lift the skin from the top of the thigh and sprinkle the seasoning on the flesh, without fully separating the skin from the meat.

Transfer the sheet pan and chicken to the refrigerator for at least 3 hours (and no more than 12 hours) to marinate uncovered. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and onto the counter for at least 30 minutes (and no more than 1 hour) before air frying.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 °F.

Use paper towels to remove excess liquid from the chicken thighs. This will help get the skin crispier.

Coat the skin of the thighs with a few drops of neutral cooking oil (like avocado oil). You can use your fingers or a brush to evenly coat the chicken.

Place the chicken thighs, skin-side down on the air fryer basket, and brush more neutral oil on the bottoms of the thighs.

Air fry for 15 minutes.

Turn the chicken thighs over and air fry for another 5-10 minutes or until the skin is crispy, golden brown, and the internal temperature reaches 175-180 °F.

Transfer to a plate and let rest for at least 5 minutes. This will keep the juices inside, allowing the skin to crisp up even more, then serve.