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This Air Fryer Salsa Chicken Thighs Recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights when you need a simple but delicious crispy, crunchy chicken dinner! You can marinate your chicken thighs in salsa overnight if you want to but it isnt necessary.
I like using different types of salsas for this recipe for variety’s sake. Try my homemade salsas with this recipe like Easy Mango Avocado Salsa Recipe, Avocado Tomatillo Salsa Recipe, Spicy Pineapple Mango Salsa, and Watermelon Salsa.
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe. My goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
Table of Contents
How to Make Air Fryer Salsa Chicken Thighs
These chicken thighs are tender and juicy, with a crispy, crunchy, crackling crust and are loaded with spicy salsa flavor! This chicken thigh recipe is marinated in salsa flavor and then topped with more salsa after air frying in it – making it crispy, crunchy, and full of zesty southwest flavor! We hope you love this recipe as much as we do.
We like to make this recipe using our Knockoff Tito’s Tacos Salsa Recipe – it is tangy, spicy, and the runny texture works perfectly as a marinade and topping.
Air Fryer Salsa Chicken Ingredients
First assemble the following ingredients:
- Boneless skin-on chicken thighs (6) – Juicy, flavorful chicken thighs with the skin on help lock in moisture while creating a rich, savory base for the dish.
- Avocado oil (2 tablespoons) – A high-heat, neutral oil that helps the chicken sear beautifully while adding a subtle buttery richness.
- Salsa (2 cups) – Bold, zesty salsa infuses the chicken with vibrant tomato, garlic, and pepper flavors for an easy, all-in-one sauce.
- Lime Juice (2) – Fresh lime juice brightens the dish with a tangy citrus kick that balances the richness of the chicken.
- Celtic sea salt (2 teaspoons) – Mineral-rich salt enhances all the flavors while bringing out the natural taste of the chicken and salsa.
- Fresh cracked pepper (1 teaspoon) – Adds a gentle heat and depth that complements the bold, savory flavors of the dish.
- Sliced olives – Briny, salty olives add a pop of Mediterranean-inspired flavor and a delicious contrast to the zesty salsa.
Steps to Make Salsa Chicken
Prep. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees (or as high as your air fryer will go.)
Prep Salsa Chicken. In a small bowl, add oil, half salsa (set half aside for topping, do not use marinade as topping), and half lime juice to bowl and mix. Drizzle over chicken thighs, toss to coat. Chicken can be marinated overnight, but this is optional.
Season Chicken. Remove chicken from marinade and add chicken thighs to air fryer basket. Season with salt and pepper and spoon a bit of marinade onto chicken to bake into chicken as it cooks. Discard any leftover marinade.
Cook. Air fry at 400 for 8 minutes. Flip thighs, cook another 8 minutes. Spoon just a bit of fresh salsa (not the salsa you used to marinate to prevent cross contamination) onto side you flipped over.
Flip. Using a digital thermometer, probe the thickest part of the chicken thigh’s meat, taking care to not hit the bone. You will likely need to flip chicken thighs once more and cook an additional 4-6 minutes to reach 165 internal temperature, but be sure to go off your thermometer, not the cooking time on your air fryer!
Finish. If you used skin-on chicken, and your chicken skin is not crispy, crunchy, and golden brown, pop directly under your air fryer’s broiler or your oven’s broiler to crisp for 1-2 minutes. Remove from air fryer, and let sit for at least five minutes before serving. Top with additional lime juice and salsa, and optional sliced olives.
Tips and Tricks for Perfect Salsa Air fryer Chicken THighs
What Temperature To Air Fry Chicken Thighs. We like to air fry chicken thighs at 400 degrees – which helps the chicken skin get crispy and crunchy without drying out the chicken meat. If your air fryer doesn’t heat to 400 degrees, set it as high as it can go. We want it to render fat quickly and crisp skin so it can get crispy, crunchy, and crackly – and a high heat and the air fryer’s air circulation can help achieve that.
When Are Air Fried Chicken Thighs Done. Chicken thighs are fully cooked at 165 degrees internal temperature when a thermometer i inserted into the thickest part of the chicken thigh. Be sure to not hit the chicken bone when measuring your chicken’s temperature.
What To Serve With Air Fryer Salsa Chicken Thighs
This recipe is keto and low carb – but it is delicious alongside traditional Mexican food dinners and sides, too.
We love serving this chicken with Instant Pot pinto beans, air fryer shishito peppers, Pineapple Jalapeño Salad, Green Chile Guacamole, Easy Keto Tortilla Chips, some 4 Citrus Margaritas and of course our spicy and tangy Tito’s Tacos Style salsa recipe!
Chop this chicken up and serve it in tacos, burritos, and wraps; serve it in a rice bowl; use it in a Cheesy Chicken Taco Salad Stuffed Avocado; in 10 Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup; alongside Pineapple Jalapeño Salad, or with Easy Keto Tortilla Chips!
For the rest of our tacos, burritos, and fajitas recipes, click here.
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Air Fryer Salsa Chicken Thighs Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skin-on chicken thighs, please see notes for bone-in or skinless
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 2 cups salsa, divided
- 2 limes, juice, divided
- 2 teaspoons celtic sea salt, I prefer maldon
- 1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
- sliced olives, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees (or as high as your air fryer will go.)
- In a small bowl, add oil, half salsa (set half aside for topping, do not use marinade as topping), and half lime juice to bowl and mix.
- Drizzle over chicken thighs, toss to coat.
- Chicken can be marinated overnight, but this is optional.
- Remove chicken from marinade and add chicken thighs to air fryer basket. Season with salt and pepper and spoon a bit of marinade onto chicken to bake into chicken as it cooks. Discard any leftover marinade.
- Air fry at 400 for 8 minutes.
- Flip thighs, cook another 8 minutes. Spoon just a bit of fresh salsa (not the salsa you used to marinate to prevent cross contamination) onto side you flipped over.
- Using a digital thermometer, probe the thickest part of the chicken thigh’s meat, taking care to not hit the bone.
- You will likely need to flip chicken thighs once more and cook an additional 4-6 minutes to reach 165 internal temperature, but be sure to go off your thermometer, not the cooking time on your air fryer!
- If you used skin-on chicken, and your chicken skin is not crispy, crunchy, and golden brown, pop directly under your air fryer’s broiler or your oven’s broiler to crisp for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove from air fryer, and let sit for at least five minutes before serving.
- Top with additional lime juice and salsa, and optional sliced olives.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Salsa Air Fryer Chicken Thigh FAQs
Chicken is fully cooked at 165 degrees internal temperature.
We prefer air frying chicken at 400 degrees, but if your air fryer doesn’t go to 400, 375 works great too.
Chicken thigh cooking time can vary based on your air fryer model, size of each chicken thigh, how well you preheated, etc – but this recipe should take 15-18 minutes to cook.
Air fried salsa chicken thighs can last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
