With crispy edges, juicy centres and lots of delicious herb flavor, these air fryer rosemary chicken thighs are so moreish! Coming together in less than 25 minutes, this family favorite dinner idea uses affordable pantry staples and is such an easy recipe!
Looking for another easy weeknight dinner idea? I think you'll love my air fryer boneless skinless chicken thighs or my air fryer mozzarella stuffed chicken for next time!
Much like my air fryer chicken breast and potatoes and air fryer pesto chicken recipe, this rosemary air fryer chicken is the flavorful and super quick dinner you need for a busy day! With no need to turn the oven on, these tender juicy chicken thighs come together fast and are packed with the delicious earthy, woody and piney flavor of fresh rosemary leaves.
For more quick chicken dinner recipes, do check out my paprika chicken recipe, turmeric chicken thighs, sage chicken, air fryer chicken bites and my chicken with herbs de Provence! They're all simple skillet chicken recipes, yet feel a little special!
And perhaps pair this delicious chicken with my air fryer baby corn or my air fryer baby carrots as veggie sides!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
Delicious herb flavors. Using a similar herb marinade to my baked rosemary thyme chicken, this recipe makes the most of fragrant herbs that are easy to find in stores (or grow yourself!).
No need to turn the oven on! Air frying chicken thighs is much quicker and more affordable than roasting them in the oven for an easy weeknight dinner.
Uses pantry staples. No need to run to the store, we use herbs and spices most of us have to hand.
🌿 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Chicken thighs - we want to use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe. Try to use thighs of a roughly similar size for an even cook time.
- Rosemary - I suggest to use fresh rosemary sprigs as they have such a delicious fragrant herb flavor.
- Paprika - I suggest that if you're looking for low histamine diet recipes then you use sweet paprika (scores 0 on SIGHI), but regular paprika can be used by other readers.
- Garlic - I like to use two garlic cloves, but add more if you're a garlic lover!
📖 Swaps and variations
Swap fresh rosemary for dried rosemary. If using dried rosemary you want to use about one teaspoon as it is more pungent than fresh.
Swap apple juice for lemon juice. My low histamine readers will likely want to stick to apple juice, but lemon juice can be used as a swap.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Making this air fryer rosemary chicken is super simple, takes less than 30 minutes and gives you boneless skinless chicken thighs with crispy edges, juicy centres and tons of herb flavor!
All the instructions are in the recipe card below, but these photos should help guide you.
Step 1: Season the chicken thighs
Pat dry the chicken thighs and trim any excess fat, if needed. Add to a bowl with olive oil, apple juice, minced garlic, minced rosemary, dried thyme, paprika, salt and black pepper (if using) (image 1).
Step 2: Coat the chicken thighs
Use your hands to coat the chicken thighs in the herb marinade (image 2). Optional: set aside in the fridge, covered, for 30 minutes for the chicken thighs to marinate.
Step 3: Place in the air fryer
After preheating the air fryer, use tongs to place the chicken thighs in your air fryer basket, rounded side down. You want to make sure they are in an even layer, with space between them so the air can circulate (image 3).
Step 4: Air fry your chicken thighs
Air fry the boneless skinless chicken thighs with rosemary for 8 minutes at 390F / 200C. Use tongs to flip, and air fry for a further 8 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 165F at their deepest point using a meat thermometer.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Adjust the herbs and spices. You can always use more fragrant herbs if you like, or leave out the paprika and go for an all-herb marinade for the chicken thighs.
- Leave a little space! When air frying your chicken thighs you want the air to circulate around them, so leave a little space between them and don't overcrowd the basket. If you have a smaller air fryer, it would be better to air fry in batches.
- Modify air frying time. If your chicken thighs are larger in size (or smaller), adjust the time in the air fryer accordingly.
- Use a meat thermometer. Take the guesswork out of safely cooking your chicken thighs and use a meat thermometer to ensure you reach 165F at their deepest point.
- Allow the chicken to rest before serving. Set the rosemary chicken aside on a plate, covered, for 5-10 minutes before serving.
📋 Frequently asked questions
Rosemary is quite a complex herb in terms of flavor, with a fragrant woody, earthy and piney taste. It also has a hint of citrus and peppery flavor.
You can easily use dried rosemary for this rosemary chicken recipe. Be sure to reduce the quantity to around 1 teaspoon as dried herbs are far more pungent than fresh ones.
Yes, this is a gluten free recipe as well as being relatively low carb and a low histamine recipe. You may also like to see my skillet rosemary chicken for another recipe with similar flavors!
You can use bone-in chicken thighs, but they will take longer to cook. Be sure the thighs are cooked through, using a meat thermometer to check for a reading of 165F at their deepest point.
❄️ Freezing advice
It's very easy to freeze this air fryer rosemary chicken. Simply allow to cool completely and then place into freezer-safe bags (remove excess air). The USDA states that cooked chicken will taste best if kept frozen for up to 4 months, but my low histamine readers may wish to read the SIGHI advice on freezing that 'frozen food should not be stored for an unnecessarily long time'.
🍽 What to serve with air fryer rosemary chicken
Whether you like hot or cold side dishes, this recipe can be paired with so many veggie, potato and salad options:
- For quick and easy air fryer side dishes, choose from my air fryer root vegetables, air fryer broccoli and cauliflower or my air fryer bok choy. All super simple and flavorful, and if you have a larger air fryer can be cooked up at the same time as your chicken!
- Potato sides such as my air fryer sweet potato wedges, air fryer gnocchi and creamy cauliflower potato mash always pair well with juicy chicken thighs for an evening meal!
- For something lighter, my fresh apple and cucumber salad, shaved carrot salad and fennel and cucumber salad are perfect to serve with chicken for a summer dinner.
🥘 More chicken recipes
For more easy family dinner ideas that are full of flavor, do check out my air fryer paprika chicken, ricotta stuffed chicken, air fryer chicken and veggies and my chicken pesto risotto, as well as these recent recipes:
I'm always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And I love to hear from you - so please do leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐ if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Air Fryer Rosemary Chicken Thighs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon paprika or sweet paprika*
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon apple juice or lemon juice**
- pinch salt
- pinch black pepper optional
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 390F / 200C for 3 minutes.
- While the air fryer is preheating, pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towel and add to a bowl. Drizzle on the olive oil and apple juice, add the minced garlic and sprinkle over the diced rosemary, thyme, paprika, salt and black pepper. Use your hands to coat the chicken. If you wish, set aside to marinate in the fridge (covered) for 30 minutes, but this is optional.
- Use tongs to add the chicken thighs to your air fryer basket smooth side down, in an even layer and with some space between them.
- Air fry the chicken thighs for 8 minutes, use tongs to flip, then air fry for another 8 minutes at 390F / 200C. Check that they have reached an internal temperature of 165F at their deepest point using a meat thermometer. If the thighs are larger in size they may need a few more minutes of cook time.
- Set the chicken thighs aside for 5-10 minutes to rest, then serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If using dried rosemary, I suggest to use about a third of the quantity as it is more pungent.
- Marinating the chicken is optional, but if you wish to do so, cover the bowl and set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- The air fryer basket will be very hot so use tongs not fingers!
- Always check for an internal temperature of 165F at the deepest part of the chicken thighs using a meat thermometer for safe cooking of the chicken.
- Nutritional information is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- garlic, which scores 1.
- black pepper, which scores 2.
- Note that you may wish to use freshly squeezed apple juice if store-bought contains ingredients you do not tolerate.
Lynda says
Thank you so much for this awesome recipe! My partner has histamine intolerance and we make this weekly, it’s fantastic and no reaction and I love it too!
Claire says
Aww so lovely that it's a recipe that works for both of you! So good it works for him.