Chicken thighs with oyster sauce

Here’s a go-to crispy chicken thigh recipe that works every time, plus quick swaps depending on your mood.

🍗 Crispy Chicken Thighs (Oven or Air Fryer)

Ingredients

• 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1 tsp paprika (smoked if you have it)

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• Optional: pinch of cayenne or chili powder

🔥 Oven Method (extra crispy skin)

1. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Pat thighs very dry (this matters).

3. Rub with olive oil and season all over.

4. Place skin-side up on a rack or foil-lined pan.

5. Bake 35–45 minutes until skin is crispy and internal temp hits 175–185°F.

6. Rest 5 minutes, then devour.

⚡ Air Fryer Method (fast + crispy)

1. Preheat air fryer to 380°F.

2. Season thighs as above.

3. Cook skin-side down 12 minutes, flip, then 10–12 minutes more.

4. Crank to 400°F for 3–5 minutes if you want extra crunch.

Flavor Switch-Ups

• Garlic Butter: Finish with melted butter + minced garlic + parsley

• BBQ: Brush with BBQ sauce during last 5 minutes

• Honey Mustard: Drizzle after cooking

• Lemon Herb: Add lemon zest + thyme or rosemary

• Asian-ish: Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, touch of honey