Description
This Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs with Honey Mustard recipe is a quick and flavorful way to enjoy juicy, tender chicken with a perfect balance of tangy mustard and sweet honey. The chicken thighs are seasoned with a smoky and mildly spicy spice blend, marinated in a zesty mustard mixture, and cooked to golden perfection in the air fryer, making it a healthy and convenient meal for any day of the week.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 boneless chicken thighs
Spice Mix
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
Mustard Mixture
- 2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
Honey Mustard Glaze
- 1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey
Seasoning
- Salt, to taste
- Ground black pepper, to taste
Garnish
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the spice mix: In a small container, combine garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne powder, and smoked sweet paprika. Mix the spices thoroughly to create the seasoning blend.
- Make the mustard mixture: In a small bowl, mix together whole-grain mustard, yellow mustard, and olive oil until smooth and well combined.
- Dry the chicken thighs: Pat the boneless chicken thighs dry with paper towels to ensure the seasoning adheres well.
- Season the chicken: Sprinkle salt, ground black pepper, and the prepared spice mix evenly over both sides of the chicken thighs.
- Coat with mustard mixture: Generously spread the mustard mixture on both sides of the chicken thighs. Scrape off any excess mixture and return it to the bowl for later use.
- Marinate: Let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Preheat and place in air fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 380°F (193°C). Gently place the marinated chicken thighs skin side up onto the air fryer tray and insert it into the middle cooking chamber.
- Cook for 5 minutes then baste: After 5 minutes, carefully baste the chicken with some of the reserved mustard mixture. Flip the chicken so it cooks skin side down and return to the air fryer.
- Brush with honey-mustard glaze: Mix the raw honey into the remaining mustard mixture. After 10 minutes of cooking, brush both sides of the chicken with this honey-mustard glaze, flip the chicken skin side up, and return to the air fryer.
- Increase temperature for final crisping: For the last 2 minutes, raise the air fryer temperature to 390°F (199°C) to crisp up the chicken skin beautifully.
- Garnish and serve: Once cooked, remove the chicken thighs and garnish with freshly chopped parsley. Serve warm and enjoy your flavorful honey mustard air-fried chicken thighs.
Notes
- Patting the chicken dry before seasoning helps the marinade adhere better and ensures a crispier exterior.
- Adjust cayenne pepper amounts to control the spice level according to your preference.
- If your air fryer model requires turning food as per the reminder, you can ignore that step and manually flip as directed in the recipe.
- Marinating the chicken longer than 30 minutes, preferably 1-2 hours, can enhance the flavor further.
- For a gluten-free option, ensure all mustard and honey brands used are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: American
