This air fryer greek chicken is one of my favorite ways to make chicken thighs. The skin gets super crispy, the meat is juicy and tender, and the flavors are just incredible.
The marinade is a simple mix of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and a few dried herbs and spices. Nothing fancy, but it makes the chicken taste so good.
You only need about 20 minutes of actual cooking time in the air fryer. Most of the work is just letting the chicken sit in the marinade, which you can do ahead of time.
Serve it with some feta, fresh dill, and a squeeze of lemon on top. Add a side of pita bread and tzatziki and you have a full meal that everyone will love.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Incredibly Crispy Skin – The air fryer gives these chicken thighs shatteringly crispy skin that rivals deep frying without all the extra oil.
Bursting With Mediterranean Flavor – The lemon and oregano marinade soaks deep into the meat and creates a bright tangy taste you will crave.
Juicy and Tender Every Time – Bone-in skin-on thighs stay incredibly moist in the air fryer so you never have to worry about dry chicken.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs (about 4 to 6 pieces)
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- Lemon Wedges, for serving
- 2 tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped, for garnish
- Crumbled Feta Cheese, for serving
How To Make
Step 1
In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and cinnamon until well combined.
Step 2
Pat the chicken thighs dry. Add them to the bowl and turn to coat every piece thoroughly in the marinade, making sure to rub some under the skin as well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for maximum flavor.
Step 3
Remove the chicken from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F for 3 minutes.
Step 4
Shake off any excess marinade and place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes.
Step 5
Flip the thighs skin-side up and continue cooking for 10 to 13 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy, the edges have light char marks, and the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F.
Step 6
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 4 minutes. Squeeze fresh lemon wedges over the top, scatter with chopped dill, and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Serve with a Greek salad, warm pita bread, and tzatziki sauce.
Tips
Rub the Marinade Under the Skin
Don’t just coat the outside of the chicken and call it done. Gently lift the skin with your fingers and push some of the marinade directly onto the meat underneath.
The skin acts as a barrier, so most of the flavor from the outside marinade stays on the surface. Getting it under the skin means the actual meat absorbs all that garlic, oregano, and lemon flavor.
Be gentle when lifting the skin so it doesn’t tear off completely. You want it to stay attached so it can crisp up nicely during cooking.
Start Skin-Side Down
Placing the chicken skin-side down for the first 10 minutes lets the fat under the skin start rendering out slowly. This is what sets you up for crispy skin later.
If you start skin-side up, the skin sits in moisture the whole time and won’t get as crispy. The flip halfway through is key – it gives the skin direct contact with the hot air at the end when it needs to crisp up and turn golden.
Don’t Crowd the Basket
Leave about an inch of space between each chicken thigh in the basket. If the pieces are touching or overlapping, the hot air can’t circulate around them properly.
Crowded chicken steams instead of crisps, and you’ll end up with rubbery skin and uneven cooking. If your air fryer is on the smaller side, cook in two batches rather than forcing everything in at once.
Related Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Gyro Bowl
- Air Fryer Greek Potatoes
- Air Fryer Greek Turkey Burgers
- Air Fryer Chicken Shawarma Wraps
- Air Fryer Halloumi
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boneless skinless chicken thighs instead?
You can, but you will need to adjust the cooking time since boneless thighs cook faster. Try air frying them for about 7 minutes per side instead, and check that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
Keep in mind that bone-in skin-on thighs are really what make this recipe special because the skin gets super crispy in the air fryer and the bone helps keep the meat juicy. Boneless will still taste great with the Greek marinade, but the texture will be different.
Air Fryer Greek Chicken
- 2 lb Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Thighs
- 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 3 tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- Lemon Wedges, for serving
- 2 tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped, for garnish
- Crumbled Feta Cheese, for serving
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, oregano, thyme, smoked paprika, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and cinnamon until well combined.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry. Add them to the bowl and turn to coat every piece thoroughly in the marinade, making sure to rub some under the skin as well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours for maximum flavor.
- Remove the chicken from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking to take the chill off. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Shake off any excess marinade and place the chicken thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes.
- Flip the thighs skin-side up and continue cooking for 10 to 13 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy, the edges have light char marks, and the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees F.
- Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 4 minutes. Squeeze fresh lemon wedges over the top, scatter with chopped dill, and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese. Serve with a Greek salad, warm pita bread, and tzatziki sauce.