These bacon wrapped chicken thighs in the air fryer are one of those recipes that look impressive but are surprisingly easy to make.
The bacon adds plenty of flavor while helping keep the chicken thighs juicy, making this a great option when you want something a little different from your usual chicken dinner.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Just a few simple ingredients
- The chicken stays juicy while the bacon crisps up
- Easy enough for a weeknight dinner
- Feels like more effort than it actually is
- Great when you're tired of making chicken the same way
Why This Recipe Works
Chicken thighs work especially well for this recipe because they stay juicy while the bacon has time to crisp around the outside.
I also keep the seasoning simple with Old Bay. The smoky bacon, juicy chicken, and savory seasoning already bring plenty of flavor, so you don't need a long ingredient list.
The result is crispy bacon on the outside and juicy chicken on the inside.
Ingredients
- Bacon: Thin bacon works great with this recipe if you like crispy bacon. And thick bacon if you prefer juicy and pliable with crisp edges.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless and skinless chicken thighs were used to test and make this recipe. If you prefer chicken breast, you may need to cook longer or shorter depending on the size of the breasts.
- Old bay seasoning is a blend of spices, including celery seed, paprika, mustard, salt, and red and black pepper. If you can't find old bay seasoning, you could substitute for cajun seasoning with a similar flavor.
**Find the full list of ingredients along with the recipe instructions at the end of this post**
Tools Used
- Air fryer: This Cosori 5.8 qt is what you see in the images and used for this recipe.
- Baking sheet: This one is a great size for preparing different types of sheet pan meals or using it as a prep board.
- Instant Meat thermometer: highly recommended if you want to cook meat in the air fryer because each air fryer cooks differently. It is the safest way to know your meat is cooked all the way through.
- Kitchen tongs: If you want to protect the coating of your air fryer, silicone kitchen tongs are a must to have at home.
How to cook bacon wrapped chicken thighs in an air fryer
- Begin by laying out the chicken thighs on a baking sheet or large cutting board in a single layer. Then, season with old bay seasoning on both sides.
- Next, wrap each thigh in a piece of bacon. Be sure to wrap them tightly and tuck the end underneath to secure them.
- Now, place the bacon wrapped chicken thighs in the air fryer basket. Do this seam side down so that the bacon doesn't come undone. Cook to 370°F for 10 minutes per side or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165ºF degrees and the bacon is crispy.
Recipe Tips
- Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer so the bacon has room to crisp.
- Use chicken thighs that are similar in size so they cook more evenly.
- Thin or thick bacon both work. Thick-cut bacon may need a few extra minutes.
- Check the chicken with an instant meat thermometer. It is ready when it reaches 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.
- Smoked bacon adds even more flavor if you have it on hand.
How long to cook bacon wrapped chicken thighs in the air fryer
The exact cook time will depend on the size of your chicken thighs, but the total cook time is usually around 20 minutes - 10 minutes per side at 370°F.
You can tell when the chicken is ready by using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature - it's done when the temperature is 165°F.
What to Serve With Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
These bacon wrapped chicken thighs pair well with simple sides because they already bring plenty of flavor on their own.
Good options include:
- Air Fryer Baby Potatoes
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes
- Air Fryer Baby Carrots
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Mashed Cauliflower
- A simple side salad
They also work well as an appetizer for game day, parties, or casual gatherings.
How to store air fryer bacon wrapped chicken thighs
Your bacon wrapped chicken thighs will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 3-4 months.
Ensure that you store them in an airtight container and move them to the fridge or freezer as quickly as possible. I like to keep mine in the freezer in a Ziploc bag with the date and name, so I don't forget when I put it in there.
How to reheat the leftovers
To reheat bacon wrapped chicken thighs in an air fryer, if you want first, remove your bacon wrapped chicken thighs from the fridge or freezer and allow it to come to room temperature.
- Then, heat the air fryer to 370°F and put the chicken in the air fryer basket. Heat for around 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- If reheating from frozen, you don't need to defrost first all the way through. Just put them directly in the air fryer and reheat to 350ºF for 15 minutes. If the bacon is not crispy enough increase the temperature to 400ºF for the last couple of minutes.
- Check that it has reached an internal temperature of 165°F with a meat thermometer before serving.
Arrange the chicken thighs in a single layer and avoid overcrowding the basket. Giving the bacon space helps it crisp as it cooks.
This recipe is written for boneless chicken thighs. Bone-in thighs can be used, but they will need a longer cooking time.
It helps. Flipping the chicken halfway through cooking can help the bacon cook more evenly on both sides.
Yes. You can wrap the chicken with bacon and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.
The basket may be overcrowded, or the bacon may need a few more minutes of cooking time. Thicker bacon can also take longer to crisp.
Absolutely. Old Bay adds great flavor, but you can use your favorite chicken seasoning or barbecue rub instead.
More Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Recipe To Try
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Bacon Wrapped Scallops Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Brussel Sprouts
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast
- Bacon Wrapped Pork Chops Air Fryer
- Bacon Wrapped Turkey Tenderloin in Air Fryer
More Chicken Thighs Recipes You'll love
- Healthy Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs Bone-in Skin-on
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs Air Fryer
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Buffalo Chicken Thighs Air Fryer
- Marinated Chicken Thighs in Air Fryer Recipe
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Bacon Wrapped Chicken thighs Air Fryer Recipe
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs air fryer recipe is a quick, simple, and delicious weeknight meal perfect for low carb and keto eaters with just a few ingredients and cooked in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 8 medium boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 teaspoons old bay seasoning
- Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
- 8 slices bacon
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a single layer in a baking sheet pan or a large cutting board, season with old bay seasoning on both sides.
- Wrap each thigh tightly in a slice of bacon, tucking the end underneath to secure it.
- Place in the air fryer basket with the seam side down; cook to 370ºF for 10 minutes per side or until an instant-read thermometer reaches 165ºF degrees and the bacon is crispy.
Notes
- Use thin or thick bacon to make this recipe. It depends on your preference.
- To ensure the bacon gets nice and crispy, cook them in a single layer.
- You can double this recipe and make as many thighs as you want.
- Use Smoked bacon to give the chicken thighs a delicious smoky flavor.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for three months.
- Reheat in the air fryer for 5 minutes straight from the refrigerator or 15 minutes straight from the freezer.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 409Total Fat: 23gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 224mgSodium: 540mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 51g
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used. When the recipe list salt to taste the amount of salt is not calculated, only the sodium in the other ingredients is calculated.
