Crispy Garlic Chicken Thighs (Printer-Friendly)

Juicy chicken thighs roasted or air-fried with a flavorful garlic crust and crispy skin.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (approximately 1.5 lbs)

→ Garlic Crust

02 - 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
03 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
04 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
05 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
06 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon dried thyme
08 - ½ teaspoon onion powder

→ Optional Garnish

09 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Lemon wedges, for serving

# Method:

01 - Set the oven to 425°F or preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
02 - Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and place skin-side up on a baking sheet or inside the air fryer basket.
03 - Combine minced garlic, olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme, and onion powder in a small bowl to create a paste.
04 - Gently separate the skin from each thigh and rub some paste underneath, then evenly spread the remaining paste over the skin surface.
05 - Roast in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or air-fry for 20 to 25 minutes until skin is deeply golden and crispy, and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Optionally, garnish with chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The skin gets absurdly crispy while the meat stays embarrassingly juicy—no dry chicken nightmares here.
  • Forty-five minutes from cold kitchen to dinner plate, and most of that time the oven does the work.
  • One garlic paste does all the heavy lifting, so there's zero fussing with multiple seasoning steps.
02 -
  • Pat your chicken completely dry—this single step is the difference between steam-cooked skin and actually crispy skin; I learned this the hard way with a soggy batch.
  • Don't skip getting the paste under the skin; that's where the flavor infuses into the meat itself, making every bite taste intentional instead of just seasoned on the surface.
03 -
  • If your thighs are large, position them skin-side up with some space between them so the air can circulate; crowding the pan leads to steamed skin instead of crispy skin.
  • Save the pan drippings to make a quick sauce: deglaze with a splash of lemon juice or white wine, swirl in a knob of butter, and you've just made something restaurant-quality in thirty seconds.
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