Crispy Chicken Thighs with Herbed Yogurt

Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs seasoned with just salt and pepper air fried in the air fryer until the skin is shatteringly crispy and the meat is juicy throughout. No flipping, no rotating. Served over a bright herbed yogurt with dill, parsley, chives, and lemon. Finished with sumac and flaky salt.

Why You'll Love Crispy Chicken Thighs with Herbed Yogurt

Crispy chicken skin is one of the most satisfying things to cook, and the air fryer makes it effortless. The air fryer's precision airflow means every thigh gets even heat - golden and crispy across the board without touching them once. The herbed yogurt is cool, tangy, and loaded with fresh dill and lemon. The sumac on top adds a fruity tartness that ties the whole plate together. It's a weeknight dinner that looks and tastes like you spent an hour on it.

Tips and Tricks

• Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning - moisture is the enemy of crispy skin.
• Don't overcrowd the basket. Air needs to circulate around each piece.
• Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes after cooking - the skin stays crispier when it has a moment to set.
• Make the herbed yogurt while the chicken cooks - it comes together in 2 minutes.

Variations

• Add a pinch of Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes to the seasoning for heat.
• Swap sumac for za'atar for a more herbaceous finish.
• Use boneless thighs for faster cooking (reduce time to 15-18 minutes).

Substitutions

• Greek yogurt → labneh for a thicker, tangier sauce.
• Dill → mint for a different herbal direction.
• Smoked paprika → sweet paprika if you prefer less smoke.
• Chicken thighs → drumsticks (adjust cook time to 25-28 minutes).

Best served with

• A simple cucumber-tomato salad with red onion.
• Warm pita or flatbread.
• Rice pilaf or roasted potatoes.

How to Store Leftovers

Store chicken and yogurt separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken in the air fryer at 375°F for 5 minutes to re-crisp the skin.

Common Questions

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Herbed Yogurt

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Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs air fried in the air fryer until shatteringly crispy. Served over herbed yogurt with dill, parsley, chives, and lemon. Sumac and flaky salt to finish.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

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Chicken

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Herbed Yogurt

• 1 cup Greek yogurt full fat
• 3 tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 small clove garlic finely grated
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

To Finish

• sumac for dusting
• flaky sea salt for finishing

Equipment

• Air Fryer
• Mixing bowl
• Paper Towels

Method

 

1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels.
2. Rub with olive oil, then season all over with oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Place chicken thighs skin-side up in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
4. Bake at 400°F for 22-25 minutes until skin is deeply golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
5. Rest for 5 minutes. Carryover is the term for when the temperature keeps climbing after something is removed from the pan, which is why you pull a protein below its target and not at it.
6. Stir the grated garlic into the lemon juice. Let it sit 10 minutes to mellow the garlic. Then combine with the Greek yogurt, dill, parsley, chives, lemon zest, olive oil, and salt in a bowl.
7. Stir until evenly combined.
8. Spoon herbed yogurt onto a plate.
9. Place crispy chicken thighs on top.
10. Dust with sumac.
11. Finish with flaky sea salt.

Notes

For seasoning, I always use Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you use Morton, use half.

Storage: cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Re-crisp the chicken in a 400°F oven or air fryer for a few minutes; store the herbed yogurt separately.

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