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Home ยป Recipes ยป Air Fryer

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs

Published: Apr 13, 2023 ยท Modified: Nov 11, 2024 by Lara Clevenger, Registered Dietitian This post may contain affiliate links - read my disclaimer for full details... 3 Comments

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These Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs make for a delicious dinner when you forget to defrost the chicken! Don't worry these chicken thighs still come out super juicy! Have dinner ready in less than 20 minutes!

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs on a white plate

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs

I love how delicious these Frozen Chicken Thighs in the Air Fryer came out. I was skeptical at first about cooking frozen chicken in the air fryer.

Since my air fryer frozen salmon recipe was a success and I had a ton of frozen chicken thighs in the freezer, I decided to give it a try! You may also like this air fryer frozen shrimp, this frozen chicken breast in an air fryer recipe, and these air fryer frozen chicken wings.

If you're like me and always have frozen chicken thighs on hand, you're going to want to save this recipe. No need to wonder if you can cook chicken thighs frozen in an air fryer.

And if you love easy air fryer recipes, these are some of my favorites: Air Fryer Ribeye Steak, Air Fryer Teriyaki Salmon, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Potatoes, Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts and Air Fryer New York Strip Steaks.

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs in the air fryer basket

Why you'll love this Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs

  • Meal prep - these frozen chicken thighs are great for meal prep! You can make a few batches of these air fryer chicken thighs and serve them with your favorite healthy sides.
  • Quick Recipe - frozen chicken thighs take less than 20 minutes to make and it's mostly hands off time.
  • Keto and Paleo Recipe - whether you're watching your carbohydrate intake or you're just trying to eat healthy, you'll love the air fryer keto chicken thighs. There's less than a half carb per serving (from the seasonings) and a whopping 33g of protein.

Ingredients

  • Frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs - I buy chicken thighs in bulk and freeze the leftovers. I try to separate them into bags that contain around 5-6 chicken thighs.
  • Seasoning: Italian seasoning, salt and pepper
  • Avocado oil - or you can use any other high heat oil. Avocado oil is one of my favorite since it's not a seed oil
cooked air fryer frozen chicken thighs on a white plate with a fork and fresh herbs.

Frozen Chicken Thighs Nutrition

For this recipe, I was only cooking 2 servings, which were 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs. Per serving there are about 234 calories, 33g protein, 10g fat, and 0.4g carbs.

It makes for an easy low-carb air fryer recipe. You can even cook these air fryer frozen Brussels sprouts too. Just put the Brussel sprouts in the air fryer after the first 5 minutes that the chicken thighs are cooking.

The time and temperature are the same for both. You would just need to make sure you don't overcrowd the air fryer basket.

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs on a white plate

Tips & Tricks

Make sure you don't over crowd the air fryer basket. This will make the chicken cook unevenly and will take longer to make.

Be sure to check the internal temperature of the chicken and remove it when it reaches an internal temperature of 165F.

If you use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs they will take much longer to cook from frozen in the air fryer

Tools to make this easy recipe

  • Air Fryer โ€“ I used this Cosori Air Fryer for all of my recipes. Unfortunately now it's being recalled so I'll have to get a different one soon.
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs in the air fryer basket

How to make Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs

  1. Remove the frozen chicken thighs from their bag or packaging. Transfer them to the air fryer basket. More than likely they will be stuck together and that's okay.
  2. Cook the frozen chicken thighs for 5 minutes at 390F.
  3. Next, separate chicken thighs (they should be easy to separate since theyโ€™re partially defrosted)
  4. Then, coat the boneless chicken thighs with avocado oil and top with seasonings.
  5. Cook for another 5 minutes at 390F
  6. Next, flip the chicken thighs and cook for another 6-8 minutes at 390F (time varies depending on if they were folded over or flat and the thickness of the thighs).
  7. Remove the chicken thighs from the air fryer basket once they reach an internal temperature of 165F.
  8. Optionally top with fresh herbs like thyme.
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs in the air fryer basket
Remove the frozen chicken from the bag and transfer them to the air fryer basket. Cook the frozen chicken thighs for 5 minutes at 390F
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs on a white plate with a white napkin on the side
Next, coat with the oil, then top with seasonings. Cook for another 5 minutes at 390F. Next, flip the chicken thighs and cook for another 6-8 minutes at 390F

Stovetop Directions

If you donโ€™t have an air fryer you can still make these delicious frozen chicken thighs.

First, add the oil to a cast iron skillet and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet once the oil is hot and cook for 6-8 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.

About halfway through cooking add the seasoning to the chicken thighs. You don't want to season the chicken thighs will they're still frozen because the seasoning will not stick very well and you'll end up with bland chicken.

Substitutions

If you don't have boneless skinless chicken thighs, you can also use bone-in chicken thighs. Cooking bone-in chicken thighs will take longer than boneless skinless chicken thighs.

You will most likely need to add an additional 4-5 minutes of cooking time. Always check the temperature of your chicken thighs and ensure it's at least 165F before eating.

Spice it up! With this easy sauce, how to make jerk sauce or this honey sriracha sauce, you can easily transform the flavor profile of these chicken thighs.

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs sliced on a white plate with a fork

What to serve with Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs

If you are looking to keep this meal low carb, I would serve these air fryer boneless chicken thighs with this Instant Pot Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower or this Roasted Garlic Parmesan Asparagus.

If you are looking to make this an all air fryer recipe, serve it with these Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, Air Fryer Broccolini, or this Air Fryer Parmesan Asparagus.

How to store

Store leftover chicken thighs in a glass airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

How to reheat

Remove the lid from the container or transfer it to a microwave-safe plate. Microwave for 60-90 seconds on high.

You can also re-heat these chicken thighs in the air fryer. Add the chicken thighs to the air fryer basket, turn the temperature to 390F and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs on a white plate with a fork and a white napkin on the side

FAQs

How long do you cook frozen thighs in an air fryer?

Boneless skinless chicken thighs take around 18 minutes to cook in the air fryer.

Can I Cook This Recipe With Thawed Chicken Thighs?

Yes, since the chicken thighs are no longer frozen you will need to reduce the cooking time. I would try cooking them for 14 minutes (flipping halfway) and then checking the internal temperature. If it's at 165F, they're ready to eat.

Can I bread frozen thighs then put them in the air fryer?

Not initially. After they defrost in the air fryer for the first 5 minutes of cooking, then you should be able to bread them and then cook them.

Can I add the oil and seasoning first before cooking the frozen chicken thighs?

No. I would suggest waiting until the chicken has defrosted in the air fryer before adding the oil and seasoning them. This gives you the best chance that they will retain all of there flavor.

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs on a white plate with a fork and a white napkin on the side

Easy Chicken Air Fryer Recipes

If you loved making these frozen chicken thighs in the air fryer, check out these other air fryer chicken recipes to make.

  • Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
  • Small Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
  • Air Fryer Chicken Wings
  • Air Fryer Pistachio Crusted Chicken

You may also like these other chicken thigh recipes: Cast Iron Chicken Thighs in Creamy Tomato Sauce, Instant Pot Chicken Thighs and Rice, Easy Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Thighs, Teriyaki Chicken Thighs on the Blackstone Griddle.

PHOTO COLLAGE OF RECIPE WITH THE WORDS "VIEW MEAL PLANS"
cooked air fryer frozen chicken thighs on a white plate with a fork and fresh herbs.

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs

Lara Clevenger, Registered Dietitian
These Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Thighs make for a delicious dinner when you forget to defrost the chicken! Don't worry these chicken thighs still come out super juicy! Have dinner ready in less than 20 minutes!
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 minute min
Cook Time 18 minutes mins
Total Time 19 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 234 kcal

Equipment

  • air fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs frozen
  • ยฝ tablespoon avocado oil
  • ยฝ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ยผ teaspoon salt
  • โ…› teaspoon pepper
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Remove the frozen chicken from the bag and transfer them to the air fryer basket.
  • Cook the frozen chicken thighs for 5 minutes at 390
  • Then separate chicken thighs (they should be easy to separate since theyโ€™re partially defrosted)
  • Next, coat them with the oil, then top with seasonings.
  • Cook for another 5 minutes at 390
  • Next, flip the chicken thighs and cook for another 6-8 minutes at 390f (time varies depending on if they were folded over or flat and the thickness of the thighs)

Nutrition

Calories: 234kcalCarbohydrates: 0.4gProtein: 33gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 442mgPotassium: 423mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 0.02gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 2mg
Keyword air fryer frozen chicken thighs, frozen chicken thighs in the air fryer
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.67 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. B Red

    July 12, 2024 at 10:00 pm

    Ended up with still raw chicken.

    Reply
    • Lara Clevenger, Registered Dietitian

      July 15, 2024 at 9:15 am

      Were your chicken thighs boneless or bone in. Were they sticking together when you put them in the air fryer?

      Reply
  2. CR Ortega

    March 15, 2025 at 8:22 pm

    ๐Ÿ‘Ž๐ŸผThree chicken thighs still frozen solid in the middle and cooked on the edges after 5 minutes at 390. :/

    Reply

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Hi, Iโ€™m Lara, a Registered Dietitian and Personal Trainer with a passion for food and travel.

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