Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs
Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs are super juicy and flavorful, made with homemade lemon pepper seasoning using fresh lemon juice and cracked black pepper instead of store-bought. This 25-minute recipe features a tangy, peppery marinade and air-fried crispy skin for the perfect bite!
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 290.99kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 ½ large lemons
- 1 ½ tablespoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Begin by soaking the chicken thighs in the juice from 2 lemons for 5 minutes. Drain the lemon juice.4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, 2 ½ large lemons
- Season the chicken with the black pepper, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and Italian seasoning. Pour olive oil over the chicken and rub to coat the chicken on all sides.1 ½ tablespoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning, ½ tablespoon olive oil
- Preheat the air fryer to 375 degrees F. Squeeze ½ of a lemon over the chicken before cooking.
- Air fry for 25-30 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through. Internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees F.
Notes
- Don't soak the chicken in lemon juice for longer than 5 minutes. It's not needed and only slows you down.
- Haven't tested this with chicken breasts. If you try it, pull the chicken at 165°F instead of 170°F.
- No need to spray the air fryer basket. The olive oil in the marinade is enough to keep the chicken from sticking.
- Leave out the cayenne if you're serving picky eaters or kids, or double it if you want more heat. It's there for warmth, not spice.
- If you want to switch up the flavor but keep the same bone-in method, try my Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs next.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 290.99kcal | Carbohydrates: 8.64g | Protein: 19.44g | Fat: 20.83g | Saturated Fat: 5.37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9.09g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 110.74mg | Sodium: 670.69mg | Potassium: 365.87mg | Fiber: 2.62g | Sugar: 1.75g | Vitamin A: 169.44IU | Vitamin C: 35.93mg | Calcium: 40.37mg | Iron: 1.48mg
