These Easy Paprika Chicken Thighs are made with minimal ingredients and cook in the air fryer or oven in less than twenty-five minutes. Sweet and spicy, they’re loaded with flavor and pair well with all your favorite sides!
What Is Paprika Chicken?
Classic paprika chicken, also known as chicken paprikash recipe, is a traditional dish from Hungary that features tender pieces of chicken cooked in a creamy, paprika-based sauce commonly served over egg noodles or dumplings.
However, this paprika chicken recipe is a simple dish that features marinated spiced chicken cooked in an air fryer or oven. Not exactly authentic, it’s still super tasty, high-protein, and versatile for a meal the whole family will enjoy. Plus, it requires just ten minutes of prep time and has a total time of under an hour. Winner, winner, chicken dinner!
Ingredients You’ll Need
One of our go-to recipes for busy weeknights, this quick paprika chicken comes together with just a handful of pantry staple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Chicken Thighs – Look for boneless skinless chicken thighs.
- Light Olive Oil – This forms the base of the marinade, helping to tenderize the chicken and infuse it with flavor. If needed, regular olive oil can be substituted, but it will have a stronger taste.
- Seasonings – Smoked paprika or sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper combine to create a bold savory flavor with just a hint of heat.
- Honey or Sugar – Technically optional this adds a touch of sweetness to balance out the spice.
- Citrus and Herbs for Garnish – Sliced lemons (or lemon juice) and fresh parsley make for the finishing touch, providing an element of freshness that balances out the warmth of the spices.
How to Make Paprika Chicken Thighs
We’re huge fans of air fryer recipes like our air fryer salmon and our air fryer chicken tenders. However, we also love a good oven baked meal. So, we decided to turn these paprika chicken thighs into both! Take a look at the recipe steps below, and be sure to scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for the full instructions.
Air Fryer Option
- Coat the Chicken. Add the chicken thighs to a large mixing bowl or ziplock bag, and drizzle the oil on top, coating them evenly.
- Create a Spice Rub. In a small bowl, stir the seasonings together until well combined.
- Season the Chicken. Rub the seasoning mixture over the chicken, and set aside to marinate.
- Air Fry. Arrange the chicken in an even layer in a preheated air fryer, leaving space in between each piece. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping them over halfway through.
Note: Depending on the size of your chicken thighs and how many you’re cooking, you may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer.
- Rest. Set the cooked paprika chicken aside to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Oven Option
- Marinate. Follow the steps above, coating the chicken with oil, seasoning it with the spice blend, and letting it marinate.
- Bake. Arrange the spiced chicken thighs in a single layer on a baking sheet greased with cooking oil spray. Bake until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping them over halfway through.
- Broil. For extra crispy chicken, place the thighs under the broiler for the last few minutes. Be careful not to burn!
Tip! Transform this recipe into a sheet pan meal by adding chopped veggies to the pan with your chicken. For the best results, use veggies with similar cooking times.
Serving Suggestions
Honestly, there’s not much this homemade paprika chicken dish doesn’t pair well with. However, if you’re looking for some inspiration, some of our favorite sides include:
- Rice, Quinoa, or Cauliflower Rice for an option lower in carbohydrates
- Risotto Style Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole
- Oven Roasted Leeks and Potatoes
- Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes
How to Store and Reheat
We like to prepare a big batch of air fryer paprika chicken when meal prepping for the week, because it’s easy to store and can be mixed and matched with whatever you have on hand so you never get bored.
- To Store: Once cooled, transfer leftover chicken to an airtight container, and keep it stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze: Place the chicken in a freezer-safe container, and keep it frozen for up to 2-3 months.
- To Reheat: Let frozen chicken thaw in the fridge overnight. Then, warm it in the air fryer, oven, a skillet over medium-high heat, or in the microwave just until your desired temperature is reached. Or, simply eat it cold in a salad or wrap!
Common Questions
Paprika can be described as being a slightly milder version of a chili pepper. It is smoky and can contain a hint of sweetness, depending on the type of paprika used.
For this paprika chicken thighs recipe, we season the chicken with paprika and other spices before cooking to allow plenty of time for the flavor to sink into the meat.
Depending on the type of paprika used and your taste preferences, paprika can sometimes be a bit spicy. For a less spicy option, use sweet paprika.
Not always! Paprika is a spice made from dried, ground red peppers from the capsicum annuum species which contains bell peppers, capsaicin, sweet pepper, and even jalapeños.
No, the two are similar but not quite the same. The primary difference is that paprika is made with a single type of chili while chili powder often contains a variety of chiles along with other ingredients and spices such as cumin and garlic powder.
We haven’t tested it, but it should work! Just be sure to adjust the amount of sauce used as the breasts will likely be larger and require more. You’ll also probably need to adjust the cooking time as breasts tend to cook a little more quickly!
Sure! Just keep a close eye on it, and adjust the cooking time as needed.
More of Our Favorite
Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Recipes
If you enjoy these easy paprika chicken thighs, you won’t want to miss out on more of our favorite chicken recipes below!
Easy Paprika Chicken Thighs Recipe
- Total Time: 43-50 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 5 people 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Prepare this easy paprika chicken thighs recipe with less than 10 ingredients and 40 minutes in the air fryer or oven for a healthy, high-protein meal you’ll love!
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds boneless chicken thighs (skinless)
- 1–2 Tablespoons light olive oil
Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika or sweet hot paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 2 teaspoons honey or raw sugar
- Garnish: sliced lemons & fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F (air fryer directions in notes). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place chicken thighs in a large mixing bowl or ziplock bag. Drizzle oil over the chicken and toss to evenly coat the thighs. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the seasoning. Sprinkle the seasoning on top of the chicken, then rub the seasoning generously over the chicken.
- If possible, let marinade for 15 minutes.
- Place the coated thighs on the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 23 minutes (turning/flipping over after 10 minutes) or until the internal temperature is 165-170F.
- Serve immediately and store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Alternative Method – AIR FRYER OPTION – Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Once preheated, spray the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray and place coated thighs in the basket. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes (turning/flipping over after 4 minutes) or until the internal temperature is 165-170F.
Storage Tips – The baked chicken thighs, once cooled, can be stored in the freezer in an airtight storage bag for up to 4 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Rest Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 to 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 197
- Sugar: 0.2 g
- Sodium: 316.9 mg
- Fat: 8.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 1.7 g
- Fiber: 0.7 g
- Protein: 27.1 g
- Cholesterol: 127.8 mg
I cooked this tonight . It was delish!!!! It will be on regular rotation at my house
Woohoo! So glad you liked this recipe, Felicia. It’s a favorite around here too. 🙂 Happy cooking!