Buffalo Chicken Thighs (Air Fryer & Oven Baked)

by Kayla Berman on September 27, 2023 2 comments

Buffalo Chicken Thighs are my new favorite quick and easy recipe for a busy weeknight dinner or healthy meal prep! Cooked in the air fryer or baked in the oven … this simple recipe is both marinated and smothered in a spicy, savory buffalo sauce concoction making it extra flavorful and delicious. Budget friendly and perfectly crispy these chicken thighs are a fantastic protein option!

Looking for more chicken thigh recipe? Honey Soy Sheet Pan Chicken Thighs or Pan Seared Chicken Thighs are some of my favorites.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You guys! This Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Thighs recipe seriously changed my life. Creating it was the first time I had ever used my air fryer to cook chicken thighs and OMG my eyes were opened to a whole new world. I’m well aware that I may be late to this world, but at least I am finally here.

The air fryer just cooks these chicken thighs to absolute perfection. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside perfection! Not to mention air frying makes cooking so quick, you’ll need just abut 15 minutes.

Do not worry though if you don’t have an air fryer, I have also included instructions for oven baking this chicken. The thighs don’t get quite as crispy, but the wonderfully spicy buffalo flavor is still very much there!

Now if the truly game changing nature of these fabulous chicken thighs is not enough to convince you to make them for dinner, you should know they’e also:

Quick & Easy: Quick and easy dinners are my favorite category of dinners. They just can’t be beat! Buffalo thighs are pretty much as quick and easy as can be. No chopping and no dicing, just some mixing, marinating, and an air fryer or one pan in the oven. It is wonderful!
Flavorful: These chicken pieces are both marinated and covered once cooked in a buffalo sauce concoction. Talk about flavor explosion! They’re delightfully saucy, spicy, and savory.
Versatile: From salad and flatbread pizza, to tacos and quesadillas, or just a main course meal – this buffalo chicken can do it all.
Inexpensive: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be a little more expensive than bone-in, skin-on thighs, but they are almost always less expensive than the white meat options, like chicken breasts or chicken tenders. Plus the other ingredients needed for this recipe are probably already in your cabinets or fridge. Such as buffalo sauce, butter, olive oil, and garlic powder. Which means these chicken thighs are a very affordable option!

Looking for more wonderful air fryer recipes? Check out my Air Fryer S’mores, Air Fryer Salmon Bites, Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls, and Air Fryer Chicken Sausages.

Ingredients & Substitutions

These buffalo thigh wings require only a handful of simple ingredients! Skinless boneless thighs and a bunch of pantry staples come together to create golden brown, crispy chicken thighs (especially if you use the air fryer!) covered in a spicy, savory, slightly creamy buffalo sauce. YUM.

I’m drooling just thinking about it! Now let’s get into the details of that short ingredient list:

Marinated Chicken Thighs

Chicken Thighs: I typically prefer chicken thighs to chicken breasts. The dark meat is just extra juicy and flavorful! Plus they tend to crisp up way more beautifully than breasts. You’ll need boneless, skinless thighs.
Buffalo Sauce: The most important ingredient here, besides the chicken itself, is your favorite buffalo sauce. Which for me is Franks’s Red Hot Buffalo Sauce! Alternatively, you could use a homemade buffalo sauce if you’d like.
Olive Oil: A bit of olive oil is used in this simple marinade. It helps get all those delicious flavors into the chicken!
Seasonings: Buffalo sauce adds tons of flavor here on its own, but to add even more … garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried oregano, and black pepper are also used. It is a delightful seasoning mixture!

Buttery Buffalo Sauce Topping

Buffalo Sauce: These air fried or baked buffalo chicken thighs are not only marinated in the popular hot sauce, they are also covered in it. Talk about spicy saucy deliciousness!
Butter: A bit of butter just tops this great recipe off with more rich and yummy flavor.

Equipment Needed

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Measuring Cups & Spoons
Cutting Board & Chef Knife
Mixing Bowls
Tongs
Baking Sheet
Air Fryer – Instant Slim 6Qt Air Fryer Oven

How To Make This Buffalo Chicken Thighs Recipe

Buffalo boneless chicken thighs are such an easy recipe to make! Whether you choose the air fryer or oven, the cooking time is just about 20 minutes.

You’ll whip up a quick and flavorful marinade, let the chicken thighs soak it all up, air fry or bake, and then cover with a rich and buttery buffalo sauce. It is as simple as that!

Step 1: Marinate. Add the boneless skinless chicken thighs, buffalo sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, paprika, and black pepper to a large bowl. Toss to combine until the thighs are thoroughly coated in the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or place in an airtight container) and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Option 1 – Air Fry. Remove the marinated chicken thighs from the fridge. Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spray the air fryer basket with non-stick spray or olive oil spray. Place the chicken thighs in the basket. Air fry for 16 minutes, flipping halfway through.

buffalo chicken thighs in air fryer basket before cooking

buffalo chicken thighs in air fryer basket after cooking

Step 2: Option 2 – Bake. Remove the marinated chicken thighs from the fridge. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the chicken pieces on the sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

buffalo chicken thighs on baking sheet before cooking

buffalo chicken thighs on baking sheet after cooking

Step 3: Prepare Buffalo Sauce. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the buffalo sauce topping. Add the melted butter and buffalo sauce to a small bowl. Combine evenly.

Step 4: Toss Thighs. Spread the buffalo sauce mixture over the chicken thighs or carefully toss them in it.

Step 5: Serve and enjoy! Add a drizzle of ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing and a garnish of green onions.

Expert Tips

Don’t skip the marinating! Marinating these boneless skinless thighs in a mixture of buffalo sauce, olive oil, and seasoning truly elevates this chicken recipe. Just 30 minutes is all you need for the flavor to really shine through.

Make sure the chicken thighs are thoroughly dried! To get these crispy buffalo chicken thighs as crispy as possible you’ll want to make sure the raw thighs are thoroughly dried before mixing with the marinade. Simply pat dry with paper towels.

Air Fry!!!! I know I have given you two options for cooking up these buffalo thighs, and while both are absolutely delectable, the air fryer does do a better job! The crisp is just next level and I highly highly recommend. Check out the photos below to see the difference – air fried buffalo chicken thighs are on the left while oven baked buffalo chicken thighs are on the right.

Check internal temperature! If you are someone who gets a little nervous while cooking chicken (a.k.a me) I have the solution for you. Simply insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken thigh and make sure it reaches the 170 degrees F.

Serving Suggestions

There are truly endless different ways to serve this easy chicken thighs recipe! From a game day appetizer or tasty salad topper, to a busy weeknight dinner main or healthy meal prep option … they can do it all. And they do it well!

Game Day Appetizer: These chicken thighs work fabulously as a delicious appetizer at holiday parties or game day celebrations. They’re sort of like buffalo chicken wings! Serve with ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing, blue cheese crumbles, and celery sticks on the side. What a spread!
Main Course Meal: Buffalo thighs are also a great main dish for the whole family to enjoy for dinner! Pair with a carb like white rice or roasted potatoes and the vegetable of your choice. My honey garlic green beans, roasted broccoli, or roasted cauliflower and carrots are all great options.
Buffalo Chicken Salad: Chop up these spicy, seasoned thighs and mix with mayonnaise or greek yogurt (for extra protein) and you’d have a simple chicken salad ready to go. Add to lunch sandwiches, low carb lettuce wraps, and more! You could add extra ingredients for more flavor too like chopped celery, diced red onion, or fresh parsley.
Salad Topper: One of my personal favorite ways to enjoy these delicious thighs is on top of salad. I honestly love to keep things quick and easy and mix them with a store bought salad kit. A southwestern style or caesar are both super scrumptious!
Meal Prep Protein: Lastly, I love to simply prepare these chicken thighs and store in my fridge. Then throughout the week I can throw in tacos, pizza, quesadillas, wraps, and more.

Storing Suggestions

These chicken thighs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for about 3-4 days. Check out my post on storing rotisserie chicken for more information on storing cooked chicken!

For reheating, I would recommend popping back into the oven or air fryer at 300-350 degrees F until warmed throughout. Just be careful to not overcook the meat! You can also always enjoy leftovers cold. Like in a salad!

FAQs

Can I use skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe?

Yes, absolutely! The cooking time and process will just be slightly different.

Air Fry: For bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs place the chicken thighs skin side down in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 400 degrees F for 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Baked: For oven baked preparation bake at 425 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

How long should I marinate the chicken for?

Typically speaking the longer you marinate chicken for, the better the flavor will be. For these specific oven baked or air fryer chicken thighs, I recommend marinating for at least 30 minutes.

But you could do as long as 24 hours! A pro tip is to prepare the marinade and get the chicken in it during the morning. Then they will be ready to go that evening for dinner!

Can I make my own buffalo sauce?

Yes, absolutely! Here is a simple recipe for homemade buffalo sauce.

Related Recipes

More Chicken Recipes

More Easy Dinner Recipes

Connect With Me!

If you make this buffalo chicken recipe or any of my other recipes, I would absolutely love to know! Tag me @wellnessbykay on Instagram so I can see and share your recreations.

Love this recipe? Leave a comment and a rating! I love to see and it helps me continue to develop delicious recipes for this blog.