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Crispy air fryer chicken thighs on a plate with sriracha cucumber dip, lime and cucumber

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Thighs with 7 Spices and Sriracha Cucumber Dip

Chicken thighs with a golden, craggy crust made with 7 spices, air fried with just a light spray of oil and served with a sweet and spicy sriracha cucumber dip.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Marinating Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 8 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Course
Ingredients Method Video Notes

Ingredients
  

Seasoning Mix
  • 3 1/2 tbsp plain flour
  • 3 1/2 tbsp potato starch
  • 2 tbsp rice flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp sweet paprika not smoked
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 3/4 tsp white pepper
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 tsp chicken stock powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp sugar
Chicken
  • 480 g small chicken thighs about 4 to 5 pieces, patted dry
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 1/2 tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • neutral oil spray a light mist
Sriracha Cucumber Dip
  • 2 tbsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1/4 cucumber soft middle removed, thinly sliced
  • 1 small shallot finely diced
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
To Serve
  • coriander a few sprigs
  • lime wedges

Method
 

  1. Whisk all the seasoning mix ingredients together until evenly yellow. Scoop out 1/2 cup into a wide, shallow dish and set it aside. This is the outer coating.
  2. Beat the egg white with the water and lemon juice. Set aside 1 1/2 tsp for the crags.
  3. Pour the rest of the egg white mixture into the remaining seasoning mix and whisk into a thick batter. When you lift the whisk, it should slowly flow down.
    Thick golden seasoning batter slowly flowing off a whisk
  4. Add the chicken thighs to the batter and turn them until every piece is coated. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
    Chicken thighs coated in the golden seasoning batter in a glass bowl
  5. While the chicken marinates, make the dip. Add the sriracha, honey, lime juice, soy sauce and water to a small pan and simmer over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly glossy. Let it cool.
    Sriracha honey sauce simmering in a small pan
  6. Once the sauce is cool, stir in the cucumber, shallot and sesame seeds. Keep it in the fridge until serving if you like it cold.
  7. Make the crags. Add the reserved 1 1/2 tsp egg white mixture to the outer coating and stir with a whisk until small, thick clumps form.
    Seasoning mix whisked with egg white to form small crags for the outer coating
  8. Take the chicken out of the fridge. Lightly spray the non-stick air fryer tray with oil. Press each piece of chicken firmly into the craggy coating on both sides, then place it straight onto the tray. Leave a little space between each piece.
  9. Give the chicken a light spray of oil. Air fry at 180°C (355°F) for 8 minutes.
  10. Flip the chicken, give the other side a light spray of oil and air fry for another 8 minutes, until golden and crispy. The thickest part should reach 74°C (165°F).
    Golden crispy chicken thigh lifted out of the air fryer with tongs
  11. Rest for 2 to 3 minutes, then serve with the sriracha cucumber dip, coriander and lime wedges.
    Close-up of the craggy, crunchy crust on air fryer chicken thighs

Notes

What I tested: 480g small chicken thighs at 180°C (355°F) for 16 minutes in total, flipping halfway. Bigger thighs, or thighs on the bone, may need a few more minutes, so check the thickest part reaches 74°C (165°F).
Colour: Keep the paprika to 1 tsp and stay at 180°C. More paprika or a hotter finish turns the crust dark brown instead of golden.
Batter texture: If the batter is too dry, the coating falls off as crumbs, so add a little more egg white. If it is runny like a thin batter, whisk in a spoonful of the seasoning mix.
Sticking: Lightly spray the non-stick tray with oil before adding the chicken, and wait until the crust has set before flipping. A perforated parchment liner also works.
Dip: This makes a small batch. If you love hot sauce, double it.