Today I’m bringing you ActiFry Chicken Thighs! (Air Fryer Chicken Thighs). Whether you’re a busy mum or dad there are days when you simply don’t have the energy to cook but the thought of a ready meal depresses you for its lack of freshness and nutrients.
I had such a night recently when my energy levels had hit rock bottom after a busy day and the last thing I wanted to do was cook. Yes I’m sure even Jamie Oliver doesn’t feel like cooking when he gets home after a day in the kitchen and the same can be said for food bloggers! So with a packet of chicken thighs in the fridge I tried to think of the easiest and quickest option for them. Yes I could roast them in the oven but I have grown a little weary of the mess that causes and the billows of burning chicken fat that it causes when next using the oven!
Then bingo the Tefal ActiFry caught my eye and I knew that it would be perfect for the job of roasting my chicken thighs in a really efficient way and with minimal mess. Its usual to add a spoon of oil to food being fried but as the chicken thighs had their skins on I knew this would be necessary so just coated them in paprika and onion granules for a bit of flavour. You could use any spices you wish or simply salt and pepper but the paprika did give a nice colour.
To go with our succulent and tasty chicken thighs I simply heated up some rolls in the oven and prepared some salad ingredients including avocado. Once the chicken thighs were cooked I simply removed the bone and placed the chicken meat in the buns with the salad and some mayonnaise. If I’d had some oven chips I might have cooked some to go on the side too.
This really was minimal effort food using fresh ingredients and far better than resorting to a ready meal and also much cheaper! I bought my chicken thighs in Aldi for £1.99 so this was an extremely cheap meal. I also got my rolls reduced from Tesco for 25p and had them in the freezer. And if you want to know the cheapest place to get avocados then go to Morrisons where they are 99p for 4.
More Recipe Ideas for when you’re too tired to Cook!
- Yogurt & Parmesan Chicken Breasts from Fab Food 4 All
- Quick Ciabatta Pizzas from Fab Food 4 All
- Best Baked Feta Pasta from Fab Food 4 All
- Leek Mushroom and Goats Cheese Tart from Planet Veggie
- One Pot Creamy Sausage & Tomato Spaghetti from My Fussy Eater
- Cherry Tomato Bread & Butter Pudding from Farmersgirl Kitchen
- The Easiest Dinner Traybake from It’s Not Easy Being Greedy
- Veggie Sausage & Roasted Vegetable Tray Bake from family-friends-food
- Puff Pastry, Cheese, Courgette & Mint Tart from Kavey Eats
- Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca from Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary
- Spicy Chorizo and Egg Fried Wholegrain Rice from Anne’s Kitchen
- Easy Crab Chilli & Rocket Pasta from Cook Sister
As each of my ActiFry Chicken Thighs in a bun cost about 70 p a serving I’m entering them into Credit Crunch Munch which I run with Fuss Free Flavours which is being hosted by Jo’s Kitchen this month.
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NB: This is not a sponsored post.
ActiFry Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 750 g approx 4 - 5 pieces Chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- Paprika
- Onion granules
Instructions
- Trim any excess skin from the chicken thighs.
- Dust both sides of the thighs with onion granules and paprika.
- Place in ActiFry equally spaced apart and set to cook for 35 minutes. (No oil needed).
- You will have to keep an eye on the thighs for the first few minutes as they might get caught on the paddle and need a gentle shove with a wooden spoon to get them back on their way! (This just happened once to me).
- Check the meat is cooked and not pink and serve as required. I put my boned thighs in rolls with salad and mayonnaise.
Lorraine
Hi I’m making chicken drumsticks in my t-fal actifry machine can I remove the paddle in the middle to cook my chicken ??? Thanks
Camilla
Hi Lorraine, yes you can cook without the paddle but would need to manually turn the chicken. Drumsticks are quite small so I’m not sure why you’d need to remove the paddle?
TheStrayedCat
SO easy and good! Thanks!
Camilla
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed it:-)
Johnny
I heard that the cooking temp in an actifry is preset at 350 F!should anyone care to know!
Camilla
Or 180C not sure it that changes with the faster frying models.
Terrance McDaniel
Crispier skin? Try reducing the temperature and increasing the cooking time
Camilla
There is no temperature control on an ActiFry, it works at one temperature.
Charlie
I have a Secura air-fryer (Recommended by Jaden @ Steamy Kitchen), which I really like.
I made this last night and it turned out good, enjoyed it very much.
The next time though I will cut the time from 35 to 30 minutes just to give it a little more juiciness.
Thanks so much for the recipe :~D
Camilla
Thanks Charlie, yes all models vary so best to gauge with a digital thermometer towards the end of the cooking time:-)
Kavita Favelle
Great recipe for when you want a tasty meal fast, thanks Camilla!
Camilla
Thanks Kavey:-)
Jill from Canada
Great recipe! Next time try it without the paddle….. I flip the thighs after 15 minutes. The skins is unbroken and crispy but the chicken is still moist.
Camilla
Thanks. The skin is unbroken with the paddle so I’ll stick to this hands free way:-)
Patty Miller
Hi Jill,
I was wondering if you could do lots of different meats with the ActiFry. I just got one and the paddle through me off.
Camilla
I’m not Jill but I have a great Beef & Vegetable Stirfry recipe here: https://www.fabfood4all.co.uk/beef-and-vegetables-stir-fry-with-noodles-tefal-actifrydays-challenge/
Leila Benhamida
Mouth watering. Lovely with Paprika. Will have mine with some couscous ,
Camilla
Thanks Leila-) Couscous sounds good:-)
Sandy
What temp set sir fryer on for chicken thigh recipe says cook 35 min
Camilla
Hi Sandy, the ActiFry doesn’t have a temperature setting, just a time setting.
Ronny E Intilia
What is the cooking temperature…..I missed it.
Camilla
The ActiFry doesn’t have a temperature setting.
Massey Jones
The 1st Generation (ActiFry Original) has small symbols at the top, suggesting frying time; generally around 30 minutes for meats and raw potatoes. The trick is to use as little oil as possible, and let the hot air do the work; some meats will supply their natural oil, while cooling.
Camilla
This query was from 7 years ago. I think ActiFrys have moved on a lot since then:-) I don’t know what generation mine was but my 2nd more powerful one was exactly the same with just a timer on it.
Lindsey Stuart
Oh chicken is my favourite meat, they look delicious and easy to make thanks to you for sharing!
Camilla
Thanks Lindsey:-)
Mike H
I bought a basket for my ActiFry this nobles me to cook two things at same time plus there not expensive to buy £14 original ActiFry accessory
Shannkn
Can you cook frozen chicken in a actifry? If so how long? X
Camilla
Hi Shannon, no but you can in the new style electric pressure cookers like the Pressure King Pro!
MH
Yes you can cook chicken from frozen in your ActiFry just give it 5 mins longer I do it all the time
Camilla
Maybe OK with lean strips of breast meat but I wouldn’t recommend for my readers to do this with bone in chicken thighs, just not worth risking Salmonella poisoning. And what is fine for one person could kill another as we all have different constitutions and are of different ages.
Sam McKean
Such a simple but brilliant idea, thanks for the inspo!
Camilla
Thanks Sam:-)
Susan Mann
These look fab. Thanks for sharing lovely x
Camilla
Thanks Susan:-)
Sheila
I’ve just purchased my Actifry and was wondering what to do with some chicken wings and drumsticks and seen this recipe which looks very nice and easy so this is what we having for tea tonight fingers crossed x
Marion Weir
Adding to my list of recipes. One of my kind, generous children will eventually buy me an actfry lol 😀
Camilla
Fingers crossed LOL:-)
Maya Russell
An actifry is going on my list of things I want. Really, really, want!
Camilla
I don’t blame you:-)
Jane Davies
This looks great, would love to be able to make quick food that is healthy, must get an actifry !!!!!
Camilla
It is fab:-)
brenda heads
I love chicken cooked in my actifry.
Jane Davies
This looks amazing, and to be able to enjoy it without feeling guilty !!!!!
Must get an actifry !
Camilla
Can’t recommend highly enough:-)
Rosie Wilcock
This recipe is definitely getting saved so I can have a go at replicating it as it looks amazing and i don’t eat red m,eat anymore so this is perfect for me
Camilla
Great:-)
Ursula Hunt
Fried chicken is a lovely treat to have now and again
Camilla
This is air fried Ursula so not naughty at all:-)
Emily Leary
Simple and really showcases how great the Actifry can be.
Camilla
It’s such a fab machine, I find myself talking about it at the school gate and then having to explain exactly what it does LOL as some people think it’s a deep fat fryer I’m talking about. Had a great meal tonight in one:-)
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
They’ve browned up nicely. I need to find a home in my kitchen for the multifryer as it’s quite useful but takes up a lot of space.
Camilla
I bet you have lots of kitchen gadgets but I have used my ActiFry so often now it sits in the corner where my slow cooker used to be.
Jo of Jo's Kitchen
I must try this. I use my Actifry all the time but have never done chicken thighs in it
Camilla
Nor had I Jo until exhaustion led me to this beautiful outcome LOL:-)
Karen @ Karen's Kitchen Stories
That looks really tasty!
Nayna Kanabar (@SIMPLYF00D)
I have an actifry and find it really useful too. I am looking to find more vegetarian recipes I can make in it.
Camilla
They are fab aren’t they Nayna, I bet it could do a really good ratatouille:-)
Sarah Cooper
I have an actifry – I must try these.
Camilla
Great, I love mine:-)
hdh74
Looks delicious. Got me coveting an actifry now. And a bigger kitchen – I love gadgets – but where to put them?
Camilla
I know what you mean about a bigger kitchen! We use the ActiFry so much that it’s taken the spot where the slow cooker was:-)
Janice
Great idea! Thanks for including my recipe in your round up, so many quick and easy recipes.
Camilla
Thanks Janice and I’m definitely going to try to remember to make your lovely savoury bread and butter pudding:-)
Tracy
You have made me want an actifry just so that I can make this! Looks delicious, and much better than reaching for a ready meal.
Camilla
Thanks:-) Exactly and far healthier:-)
Ciara (My Fussy Eater)
Yum , this looks delicious. Thanks for the mention! x
Camilla
Thanks Ciara, a pleasure:-)
Kavey
Always good to be armed with some quick and simple dinner ideas!
Camilla
Exactly:-)