Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Potatoes: One Basket Dinner

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs need 30–35 minutes at 375°F to cook through and develop a crispy skin. Halved baby potatoes need 18–20 minutes at the same temperature to become golden and tender. The stagger is 12–15 minutes: start the chicken first, flip at 15 minutes, then nestle the potatoes around the thighs and let everything finish together. By the 30–35 minute mark, the chicken has hit 165°F and the potatoes are crispy on the outside and fluffy inside.

1. Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 3 minutes. 2. Pat chicken thighs dry. Rub with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper under and over the skin. 3. Halve baby potatoes and toss with olive oil, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper. 4. Place chicken thighs skin-side down in the basket. Cook at 375°F for 15 minutes. 5. Flip chicken skin-side up. Add potatoes around the thighs. Cook another 15–20 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F internally and potatoes are golden. 6. Rest chicken 5 minutes before serving.

Smoked paprika, garlic powder, and olive oil is the classic base that works on both chicken and potatoes. For Italian-inspired seasoning, use Italian herbs, lemon zest, and garlic. A lemon-herb mixture with thyme and rosemary pairs well with the chicken fat that bastes the potatoes as they cook together. For a spicy version, add cayenne to the chicken rub and chili flakes to the potatoes. Keep the seasonings complementary so the dish tastes cohesive.

Boneless chicken thighs reduce to 20–25 minutes, meaning you only need a 5-minute head start before adding potatoes. Larger bone-in thighs (8 oz+) may need the full 35 minutes — always verify with an instant-read thermometer at 165°F. Regular potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks work as well as baby potatoes; just halve them for even cooking. If your basket is small, cook potatoes in a separate small oven-safe pan placed in the basket alongside the chicken. Leftovers reheat well at 350°F for 5 minutes.