Add some sweetness to your dinner routine with this easy recipe for how to cook maple chicken thhighs in the air fryer! Tender thighs are marinated in a combination of real maple syrup, dijon mustard, and soy sauce to create a balance of sweet, tangy, and savory flavors that will have everyone asking for seconds.
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Maple chicken in an air fryer is a practically foolproof recipe that is sure to satisfy both your sweet tooth and carnivorous cravings! The star of the dish is a deeply flavorful marinade that's easy to make with maple syrup, tangy Dijon mustard, savory soy sauce and a handful of staple spices. There's nothing complicated, just quality ingredients treated right!
Not only are the ingredients simple, this recipe couldn't be any easier to make! After only 30 minutes of marinating the thighs cook right in the air fryer, and are ready to serve in as little as 20 minutes. You can even prep the marinade the night before to get dinner on the table super fast!
Recipe ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: I'm using boneless and skinless thighs, which are rich and delicious cuts of dark meat. They are great to soak up a bold marinade and cook perfectly tender in the air fryer!
- Maple Syrup: Use real pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup loaded with fillers. There is a huge difference in flavor and quality of ingredients.
- Dijon Mustard: The sharp and tangy taste of dijon is a nice contrast with the sweet syrup and umami soy sauce.
- Soy Sauce: Savory, umami-riffic soy sauce rounds out the balance of flavors in the chicken thigh marinade! You can use low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos for a very similar taste with slightly less salt.
- Olive Oil: Smooth EVOO is my preference for marinating tender chicken thighs. But you can also use a different neutral-tasting cooking oil like avocado, canola, or vegetable oil.
- Spices: This recipe includes a combination of garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt. Together they make the chicken taste ultra savory, but without overpowering the maple flavors.
Expert tips
- For the most flavor I recommend that you marinate the thighs for a minimum of 30 minutes. They can be marinated for up to 12 hours, but after that I find the meat get a bit over-tenderized.
- Cut down on mess and cleanup by lining the air fryer basket with parchment. Use a liner made just for the air fryer, or cut a square of parchment to fit. Either way, be sure to preheat the fryer before adding the parchment and thighs.
- Do not overlap or stack the maple chicken in the air fryer. Place them in a single layer in the bottom of the basket with enough room to let air circulate evenly around each thigh.
- Speaking of even cooking: Use tongs to flip the chicken thighs one time midway through air frying.
- Check the chicken for doneness before serving. I recommend using an internal meat thermometer to make sure the thighs reach a minimum 165 degrees. If the chicken isn't quite there, air fry for another few minutes and check again.
Serving suggestions
These sweet maple thighs are terrific with all kinds of cozy comfort foods! Serve them alongside mashed potatoes or roasted potatoes, white rice or brown rice, mac and cheese, or with other stick-to-your-ribs sides.
Add some simple veggies to the table for a hearty and nutritious meal. Collard greens or steamed spinach, steamed or roasted broccoli, and asparagus are a few of my favorites. Or keep things super simple and put together a fresh green salad.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, the air fryer is essentially a mini convection oven and is great for cooking chicken from raw! But as mentioned above I do suggest lining the basket with parchment so there's not as much mess.
Sure! You can easily maple chicken in the air fryer using bone-in and skin-on thighs or chicken breasts. Bone-in meat will usually require an additional 4-6 minutes of cooking time.
More like this
Hope you will like this air fryer maple chicken recipe as much as we do. And we really do! Its so crispy and sweet! Rate the recipe if you made it and leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Recipe
Maple chicken in air fryer
Ingredients
- 3 chicken thighs
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together maple syrup, Dijon mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Coat chicken thighs in the mixture and marinate for 30 minutes.
- Set air fryer to 375°F.
- Place chicken thighs in the air fryer basket. Cook for 15-18 minutes, flipping halfway, until the chicken is caramelized.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy with your favorite sides!
Notes
- For the most flavor I recommend that you marinate the thighs for a minimum of 30 minutes. They can be marinated for up to 12 hours, but after that I find the meat get a bit over-tenderized.
- Cut down on mess and cleanup by lining the air fryer basket with parchment. Use a liner made just for the air fryer, or cut a square of parchment to fit. Either way, be sure to preheat the fryer before adding the parchment and thighs.
- Do not overlap or stack the maple chicken in the air fryer. Place them in a single layer in the bottom of the basket with enough room to let air circulate evenly around each thigh.
- Speaking of even cooking: Use tongs to flip the chicken thighs one time midway through air frying.
- Check the chicken for doneness before serving. I recommend using an internal meat thermometer to make sure the thighs reach a minimum 165 degrees. If the chicken isn't quite there, air fry for another few minutes and check again.
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