Air Fryer Thai Coconut Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Salad

Name: Air Fryer Thai Coconut Chicken Thighs with Cucumber Salad
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: thai
Ingredients: 4 piece bone-in skin-on chicken thighs; 0.5 cup canned coconut milk (full fat); 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce (tamari); 3 tbsp lime juice; 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste; 1 tbsp honey; 0.5 tsp garlic powder; 1 whole cucumber; 0.25 whole red onion; 0.25 cup fresh cilantro; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 2 cup white jasmine rice; 2.5 cup water

⏱ 30 min

🍽 Serves 4

≈ $10.80 ($2.70/serving)

novice

Why this fits a family on a budget

Bone-in chicken thighs are one of the most affordable cuts at roughly $1.50–$2.00 per piece, keeping this meal solidly under the $3 per serving target. The air fryer delivers crispy, flavorful chicken in under 30 minutes without babysitting a hot stovetop.

Ingredients

• 4 piece bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

• 0.5 cup canned coconut milk (full fat)

• 2 tbsp gluten-free soy sauce (tamari)

• 3 tbsp lime juice

• 2 tbsp Thai red curry paste

• 1 tbsp honey

• 0.5 tsp garlic powder

• 1 whole cucumber

• 0.25 whole red onion

• 0.25 cup fresh cilantro

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• 1 tsp sugar

• 2 cup white jasmine rice

• 2.5 cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, combine coconut milk, tamari, 1 tbsp lime juice, red curry paste, honey, and garlic powder in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.

2. Pat chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels — this helps the skin get crispy. Add thighs to the marinade bowl and turn to coat all sides well.

3. Place chicken thighs skin-side down in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not overlapping. Cook at 400°F for 12 minutes.

4. While chicken cooks, add jasmine rice and 2.5 cups water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to the lowest heat setting, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid.

5. Flip the chicken thighs skin-side up using tongs. Continue cooking at 400°F for another 10–12 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and crispy. The internal temperature should read 165°F on a meat thermometer, or the juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part.

6. While chicken finishes, make the cucumber salad: slice cucumber into thin half-moons and thinly slice the red onion. Combine in a bowl with cilantro, fish sauce, remaining 2 tbsp lime juice, and sugar. Toss well and let sit for at least 5 minutes so flavors meld.

7. Remove rice from heat and let sit covered for 2 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

8. Serve each chicken thigh over a scoop of rice with the cucumber salad on the side. Spoon any sauce from the bottom of the air fryer basket over the chicken for extra flavor.

Contains: soy, fish. Always double-check labels for your household's allergies.

Cost is a national-average estimate and varies by store and region.

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This recipe was generated by Plento Pasto's AI from a library of family-friendly dishes and reviewed for a real photo before publishing. Cooking times, costs, and nutrition are estimates — use your judgment in the kitchen.

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