Air Fryer Lemonade Chicken Thighs

I had everything needed to make a batch of one of our new(ish) grilled faves, Lemonade Marinated Chicken, but, the weather was not conducive to my husband stepping outside to light the grill, so…

quicklikeabunny, I went to da Google, and, da Google provided.

Specifically, with the temps and times to air fry bone-in chicken thighs. I figured my addition of a tasty lemonade marinade was just a courtesy detail, and all would be well.

It was – the chicken turned out as well as it does on the grill and, while I did have a bit of extra scrubbing of my air fryer basket later, I am pretty confident that a strip of parchment paper placed under the chicken in the air fryer basket would go a long way of keeping things easier to clean.

INGREDIENTS
Marinade:
•2 cups lemonade
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•2 tbsp Dijon mustard
•1 tbsp Sherry Peppers Sauce*
•1 tsp Cajun Power Spicy Garlic Pepper Sauce – or your fave hot sauce, to taste
•1 tsp dried oregano
•2 tsp dried onion
•1/4 tsp cumin
•1/4 tsp Seasoned Salt
•1/4 tsp black pepper
•1/4 tsp Aleppo pepper

Chicken:
•4 bone-in chicken thighs
Arby’s Sauce (optional, but nice)

*No Sherry Peppers Sauce? No Problem! Simply add a bit of decent sherry (none of that “cooking” stuff) and a dash or three of your fave hot sauce, to taste.

Whisk the marinade ingredients together until nicely blended, then pour over the chicken to cover; cover tightly, and stash in the fridge for a few hours or, always more better, overnight, taking the time to turn the chicken over once or twice, if you think to.

Once ready to cook, preheat your air fryer to 380º for five minutes or so.

Note: some air fryers do not need to be preheated, but, if you plan to do this with one of those slide-in baskets that makes the air fryer engage and you choose to use that strip of parchment paper I mentioned, do not add the parchment until you add the chicken.

Remove the chicken from the marinade (save the marinade!) and arrange, skin side down, on your air fryer basket. If you like, give each piece a drizzle of Arby’s Sauce, then pop into the hot air fryer for twelve minutes.

While the chicken is in the air fryer, transfer the marinade to a 2-1/2 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.

Simmer, stirring often, for twenty minutes or so, until the sauce has reduced, thickened, and turned this lovely deep golden brown color. Keep warm while you finish the chicken.

After twelve minutes in the air fryer, remove the chicken and turn so that they are now skin side up.

Really, if you have it, do give each thigh a drizzle of that tasty Arby’s Sauce.

Return to the air fryer for ten minutes more, until the skin is blackened in places (just like on the grill!) and an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the largest chicken thigh reads 165º.

Crispity skin, tender and tasty insides, these thighs were like Mary Poppins, practically perfect in every way.

We had ours with Sautéed Asparagus and yellow rice.

Oh! And that lovely cooked down marinade sauce drizzled over all.

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