Air-Fryer Chicken Thighs

Ingredients

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 ounces; 226g each), patted dry
• 1 3/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Brine Chicken: Place chicken thighs on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Using paper towels, pat chicken dry. In a small bowl, whisk salt, pepper, and baking powder together. Rub chicken all over with salt mixture. Refrigerate chicken skin-side up, uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
2. Remove chicken from fridge and drizzle evenly with oil and desired seasonings, if using (see below for variations).
3. Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 400°F (205ºC) for 5 minutes. Place chicken, skin-side down, in preheated air fryer basket and cook until skin begins to render, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, flip chicken skin-side up and return to air fryer. Continue cooking at 400°F until skin is crispy and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 175°F (79ºC), 6 to 8 more minutes. Remove chicken from air fryer and let rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Variations

1. Lemon-Pepper: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest (from 2 lemons), 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.

2. Miso-Ginger: In a small bowl, whisk together 4 teaspoons white miso paste, 4 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger (from 1 [8-inch] knob of ginger), and 1 tablespoon finely grated garlic (from 3 medium cloves) until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.

3. Dijon-Thyme: In a small bowl, whisk together 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon), and 1 tablespoon (15ml) extra-virgin olive oil until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking. 

4. Za’atar-Mint: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons za’atar (homemade or store-bought), 4 teaspoons minced fresh mint, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, and 2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin oil until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.

5. Chipotle-Lime: In a small bowl, whisk together 4 teaspoons chipotle chile powder, 2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (from 2 limes), 1 teaspoon ground cumin, and 1 teaspoon light brown sugar until combined. Rub all over chicken before cooking.

Special Equipment

1. Wire rack
2. rimmed baking sheet
3. 6-quart air fryer
4. instant-read thermometer
5. tongs

Make-Ahead and Storage

1. Chicken thighs can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to four days.