Zesty AIr Fryer Chicken
Marinated in zesty herbs and crisped up in the air fryer, these juicy thighs are ready in 16 minutes and taste just like rotisserie chicken!
Who does’nt love a flavorful, juicy, crispy piece of chicken? No one!
Zesty Air Fryer Chicken is all of that in one bite.
Using Your Air Fryer-
I love using the air fryer and it’s probably my most used kitchen gadget. You can get things super crispy and give it that deep fried vibe without using a ton of oil.
My all time favorite air fryer is the Instant Vortex Plus- this thing is pretty much a toaster oven style air fryer. It can bake, roast, air fry, dehydrate, re-heat and broil. It has three racks and three slots inside of the air fryer to place the racks on. I will most always cook at the top rack possition, on the pan that has holes to allow for air flow and stick the pan without holes in the midddle rack possition to catch any crumbs and drippings.
I have provided a link for the air fryer i use bellow!
The Deets:
- boneless-skinless chicken thighs- chicken breast wil work too.
- lemon zest
- lemon juice
- olive oil
- minced garlic- I like to use the minced garlic in the glass jar found in the produce section of the super market
- salt
- pepper
- dried thyme
- dried roasemary
- dried parsley
- paprika
- dijon mustard
The Prep:
ok guys, this one is super simple and it does not need to be over complicated. I have heard so many people say they are scared of using their air fryer and each time I hear it, I have the same (WTH) reaction.
You got this, girl!
- first thing first, marinate your chicken. I like to just throw all of the ingredients in a bowl or gallon size ziplock bag, give it a good toss and stick it in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour, but this one can sit for up to 24 hours.
Pro tip #1: If you really have your stuff together (not me….i for sure don’t have my crap together) you can go ahead and pre-marinate these and stick them in the freezer and they will be ready to go when you are ready to cook them.
- Pre-heat your air fryer to 375 degrees.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer on the pan/basket. If you are using a vortex, use the pan with the holes and cook on the top rack, placing the pan without holes on the middle rack to catch drippings.
- Cook the chicken for about 5-6 minutes before flipping.
- I like to spray a light coat of olive oil after flipping just to help the chicken brown a little more.
- Continue cooking the chicken for 8-10 minutes or until the internal temp has reached 165 degrees.
That’s it, you’re all done!
Serving Suggestions:
I always love to serve roasted chicken with rice and grilled veggies, it’s like comfort food, to me.
This can be served with anything though- roasted potatoes, baked potato, asparagus, mashed potatoes, rice pilaf, vegetable medley, lemon pasta……seriosly whatever!
Let me know if you give this Zesty Air Fryer Chicken a try!
xoxo
les
Zesty Air Fryer Chicken
Ingredients
- 6-8 boneless-skinless chicken thighs chicken breast will work too, just cut two breast in half to make 4 thinner breast
- 1/4 tsp lemon zest or more if you want
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
- 1/8 tsp parsley
- 1/8 tsp parsley or just a pinch
- 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Let's Make It
- If using chicken breast make sure to cut them in half to make 4 thinner breast.
- Take the inngredients and mix together in a small bowl or ziplock bag and give it a good stir. Then, add the chicken and toss to coat each thigh/breast and let marinate in the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour or up to overnight.****Pro Tip: marinate these and then freeze them so they are ready to go. This will help make dinner planning a little easier!
- Pre-heat your air fryer to 375 degrees.
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer or your air fryer pan/basket. If you have been following me, then you know I am OBSESSED with the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer- this one is kind of like a toaster oven. So, make sure you place the pan without the holes in it on the middle rack (to catch the drippings) and cook the chicken on the top rack.
- Once the air fryer is ready, place the chicken on the top rack and cook for 5 minutes before flipping. I then like to spray a little olive oil on top so the chicken will be a nice and browned.
- Continue cooking the chicken for another 6-10 minutes or until you reach an internal temperature or 165 degrees. You will know the chicken is almost done when it starts to brown.****Pro Tip: Chicken thighs retain moisture better than chicken breast, so they don't tend to dry out as fast.....so it's kind of hard to mess them up!
