These air fryer Mexican-style chicken thighs are full of smoky, gently spiced flavour with beautifully crisp skin and juicy meat. With just a handful of store cupboard spices and minimal prep, they’re perfect for an easy midweek dinner. Serve them with rice, wraps, or a fresh salad for a simple, satisfying meal.
What You Need
Below is a quick overview of what you’ll need. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list and exact measurements.
You’ll need chicken thighs, olive oil, smoked paprika, chilli powder, ground cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. The spice blend is simple but gives the chicken that classic smoky Mexican-style flavour.
How to Make It
Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper, then drizzle over the olive oil.
In a small bowl, combine the smoked paprika, chilli powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Rub the spice mix all over the chicken thighs, making sure they are evenly coated.
Place the chicken thighs in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
Cook at 200°C for 20 minutes, turning halfway through at around the 10-minute mark.
At the end of the cooking time, check that the chicken is cooked all the way through. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read 75°C in the thickest part. The skin should be browned and crispy. If needed, cook for a few extra minutes until done.
Variations & Tips
- Boneless chicken thighs will cook slightly quicker, so reduce the cooking time and check earlier.
- For extra heat, increase the chilli powder or add a pinch of chilli flakes.
- A squeeze of fresh lime before serving brightens the flavours.
- These chicken thighs work well sliced into wraps, tacos or served over rice.
Storage & Reheating
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to help crisp the skin again.
- You can also freeze cooked chicken thighs for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before reheating.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
I hope you enjoy this recipe, for more chicken recipes for your air fryer check out the following for inspiration:
- Air Fryer Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Tikka Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Chicken, Chorizo and New Potatoes
- Air Fryer Chicken Satay {With Dipping Sauce!}
- Air Fryer Chicken Kebabs
- Air Fryer Hunters Chicken
Air Fryer Mexican-Style Chicken Thighs
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Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with kitchen paper and drizzle with the oil
- Combine the spices and rub over the chicken thighs, making sure all the chicken is well coated
- Transfer the chicken thighs to your air fryer basket. Set the air fryer temperature to 200°C and the timer to 20 minutes.
- Turn the chicken thighs over at around the 10 minute mark. At the end of the 20 minutes, check the chicken thighs are cooked all the way through. If you have a meat thermometer, it should read 75°C. The skin should also be browned and crispy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an estimate.