Name: Air-Fryer Roasted Chicken Thighs with Ras El Hanout and Lemon
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 4 teaspoons ras el hanout; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest , plus lemon wedges for serving; ½ teaspoon table salt; 4 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs , trimmed

Why This Recipe Works

The air fryer is the perfect tool to achieve perfectly roasted chicken thighs on a weeknight. For crisp and golden skin, we started by pricking the skin all over with a skewer. This helped render the fat underneath, which fries and browns the skin while the meat is cooking. To maximize flavor, we tossed the chicken thighs in ras el hanout and lemon that yielded bold flavor with minimal effort.

Before You Begin

Try to find four chicken thighs of the same size so that they cook at the same rate. This recipe was developed using our winning air fryer (the Instant Vortex Plus 6-Quart Air Fryer), which is a drawer-style model with a removable basket; you can use other styles of air fryers, but your cooking times may vary, so pay close attention to the visual cues and temperature of your chicken as it cooks.

Instructions

Combine ras el hanout, lemon zest, and salt in small bowl. Poke skin side of each thigh 10 to 15 times with metal skewer. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then sprinkle all over with spice mixture.

Arrange chicken thighs skin side up in air-fryer basket, spaced evenly apart. Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 375 degrees. Cook until skin is well browned and crisp and chicken registers at least 185 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating chicken halfway through cooking (do not flip).

Transfer chicken to large plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.