Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Thighs are made with only 3 ingredients and about 25 minutes of your time! If you’re looking for a delicious budget-friendly meal that the whole family will dig into, this is the recipe for you.
Easy Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Thighs
Ranch is one of those flavors that always makes my mouth water! I know I sound like such an American, but it’s true.
There are few flavors that I like to experiment as much with like I do ranch! And boy, am I glad that I experimented around enough to come up with this super easy air fryer ranch chicken thigh recipe.
This is the true definition of an easy dinner. All you need are the chicken thighs, softened butter, and ranch seasoning. Plus, it’s an air fryer recipe, so you already know the steps will be simple too! After a long day at work, this is the easy recipe you can depend on to really satisfy your hunger.
I’m craving ranch like crazy now! Along with these air fried chicken thighs, I need to make some Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad and a Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza ASAP!
Why You’ll Love this Air Fried Ranch Chicken Recipe:
- Flavorful: Don’t worry – just because this recipe only calls for 3 ingredients doesn’t mean it’s not packed with ranch flavor!
- Easy: Ah, the beauty of the air fryer. They make cooking chicken (and pretty much everything) so much easier than it used to be.
- Quick: This dinner takes under 30 minutes from start to finish. Now that’s a quick dinner!
How to make Ranch Chicken in an Air Fryer
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel before seasoning with a little salt and pepper.
- Combine the softened butter and ranch seasoning.
- Stuff the butter mixture under the skin on the thighs.
- Use the remaining butter to spread on top of the thighs.
- Spray the basket of the air fryer.
- Place the chicken in the prepared basket, skin side up.
- Cook the chicken.
- Serve, and enjoy!
How long will ranch chicken stay fresh?
In an airtight container in the refrigerator, leftover ranch chicken thighs will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
To reheat them, use the air fryer again, not the microwave! The air fryer will help the flavor and texture of the chicken thighs stay delicious.
Do I need to pan sear the chicken prior to air frying it?
Nope! That’s the beauty of the air fryer. With tools like Instant Pots, you should always sear the chicken to get a browned skin before cooking. However, the air fryer makes the skin nice and crispy for you, so there’s no need to pan sear.
How do I know when the thighs are fully cooked?
Once they reach 165°F, they’re fully cooked and safe to eat. You’ll also be able to tell based on how crispy and delicious the buttery skin looks!
Be very careful not to overcook the meat, as chicken thighs are known to become leathery and dry if cooked for too long.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Trim the fat off of the chicken thighs prior to cooking if there’s a lot on them.
- If you don’t have any ranch seasoning, you can make your own! See the notes below for more details.
- Serve these thighs with ranch dipping sauce on the side for an extra ranchy treat.
These quick, easy, and flavor packed air fryer ranch chicken thighs are downright delicious – especially if you’re a big ranch lover like me!
More Air Fryer chicken recipes we love
- Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
- Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken
If you’ve made this recipe, please be sure to let us know by leaving a star rating or a comment below. Enjoy!
Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
- 4 tablespoons butter softened
- 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning see notes
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel and season them with salt and pepper.4 bone-in
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and ranch seasoning.4 tablespoons butter, 2 teaspoons ranch seasoning
- Lift the skin off the top of the chicken thigh and stuff about 2 teaspoons of the butter mixture under the skin of each thigh. Then, use the remaining butter mixture to spread over the top of each chicken thigh.4 tablespoons butter
- Lightly grease the air fryer basket with olive oil spray and add the chicken thighs, skin side up.
- Cook at 400F until golden brown– about 14-16 minutes or until the chicken reaches 165F internally.
- Serve immediately and store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Sue Ann Toscano says
Love it