These juicy oven baked (or air fried) chicken thighs have delicious crispy skin smothered in a spicy buffalo sauce. Easy prep and a fancy homemade sauce make this the perfect weeknight dinner option!
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Thighs
For this recipe you have two easy cooking options – oven or air fryer. With either cooking method, here’s what you’ll do:
- Prep the chicken and season it lightly with salt and pepper
- Bake it in the oven or air fryer
- While the chicken cooks, prepare the easy buffalo sauce
- Once the chicken is cooked, brush the sauce all over the chicken
That’s it! I don’t think a delicious chicken dinner get’s any easier than that.
Looking for more? Check out all of our delicious chicken recipes!
Bone in or Boneless Chicken Thighs?
If you like buffalo chicken wings, you definitely want to go with bone in skin on thighs for this recipe. You’ll get a little crispy skin on the outside that will soak up the spicy buffalo sauce while the inside stays juicy and delicious.
You can also use boneless skinless thighs (or even chicken breasts) for this recipe. Pretty much any cut of chicken will work. Just adjust the cooking time down or up as needed to ensure the chicken is cooked to 165° Fahrenheit.
Typically, boneless thighs will take a little less than the stated cooking time in the recipe.
What to Serve With This Easy Buffalo Chicken
If you’re looking for the easiest side dish option, roasted veggies are the way to go. Chop up anything that will cook in the oven in around 30 minutes at 400°. Some good options are:
- Cubed squash
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Cubed potatoes
- Brussels sprouts
- A mix of the above!
Simply add the veggies to a sheet pan, drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper (or your favorite seasoning mix). Then, just add the veggies in with the chicken thighs to cook everything at once.
Hungry for a different kind side dish? Check out all of our side dish recipes!
Your Turn To Make a Buffalo Chicken Dinner
These crispy chicken thighs smothered in homemade buffalo sauce are so good! You’ll love the bold buffalo flavor and just how easy this recipe is to make.
If you try it, be sure to leave a rating and comment below and let us know how it goes. Also, take a pic to share on Instagram. Tag us @realsimplegood, we love to see what you’re cooking!
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Easy Buffalo Chicken Thighs (Oven or Air Fryer)
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 2.5 lbs bone in skin on chicken thighs (about 4-5 pieces), (See recipe notes)
- Salt and pepper, (about 1/4 tsp each)
For the buffalo sauce:
- 1/4 cup hot sauce , (like Frank's Red Hot)
- 1 tbsp ghee, melted, (can sub butter or use coconut oil for dairy free)
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp lemon juice, (can sub apple cider vinegar)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
Equipment
Instructions
Cooking in the oven:
- Preheat oven to 400° Fahrenheit and line a sheet pan with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
- Place the chicken on the sheet pan and season the pieces lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Place the chicken in the oven to bake for 35-40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Remove when the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the buffalo sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or jar and mixing well.
- After the chicken is cooked, brush the thighs on both sides with the buffalo sauce to coat. Serve immediately.
Cooking in the air fryer:
- Preheat the air fryer to 400° Fahrenheit if yours preheats.
- Place the chicken in the air fryer basket and season the pieces lightly on both sides with salt and pepper.
- Air fry the chicken for 30-35 minutes, flipping halfway to allow for even cooking. Cook longer if needed, depending on the size of the chicken. Remove when the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the buffalo sauce by combining all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl or jar and mixing well.
- After the chicken is cooked, brush the thighs on both sides with the buffalo sauce to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
- You can use boneless chicken thighs or even chicken breasts. Just adjust the cooking time for the chicken if needed. Thin boneless thighs will need less than the stated cooking time and thick boneless breasts might need a little more.
- Nutrition details provided are per serving and an estimate provided for those following a Ketogenic or low-carb diet. See our full nutrition information disclosure here.
