Juicy, tender, Air Fryer Cranberry Chicken Thighs come together in just 30 minutes and with only 4 ingredients, making it a perfect dinner for busy weeknights! A SUPER FLAVORFUL CHICKEN THIGH RECIPE Now I know some of y’all might look at this recipe and think to yourself “Really? Cranberries with chicken thighs?” and I would understand the hesitation. But when I tell you this combination of flavors just works – it really works! I can’t explain it but the sweet and savory and tangy flavors all come together to give you the juiciest and yummiest chicken. It is so unique and it only takes 4 ingredients and your air fryer. This dish is easy enough for a busy weeknight but festive enough for a holiday meal. If you are looking for more ways to cook up chicken thighs and you’re tired of the usual, then look into giving this one a try! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:  What style of Air Fryer should I use and will mine work if it’s different? I tested this recipe using a basket style Air Fryer just like my other Air Fryer recipes. However, this recipe would work with other styles of Air Fryers too. I use the basket style fryer since it’s the most common style in both America and Canada. But, if you have a different kind of Air Fryer, check your make and model and see if the instruction manual has any specific settings you should try to use. Some may cook faster, which would mean less cook time, either way, I recommend keeping a meat thermometer on hand to make sure your chicken is safe to eat with an internal temp of 165F before serving. Do I need to preheat the Air Fryer first? No, there is no need to preheat the Air Fryer for this recipe. Can I use chicken breasts instead? Chicken breasts can be used, but remember that chicken breasts are made of white meat and will cook faster than the dark meat in chicken thighs. If you want to use chicken breasts, I’d check out my Air Fryer Chicken Breasts recipe for a better idea on cooking time and cooking tips. Can I make this in the Slow Cooker instead? Yes, you can make this in the Slow Cooker instead of using the Air Fryer. First, place the chicken in the Crock Pot. Then pour Catalina dressing over the chicken with the cranberry sauce following it. Then sprinkle your onion soup mix on top and stir everything together before closing the cooker with the lid. Cook on low for 4-5 hours or for 2-3 hours on high. Can I make this in the oven instead? Yep! I would make the basting sauce just as you would for this Air Fryer version. But, instead, once you’ve added your sauce the first time, cook the chicken in a baking dish (sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) in the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes. Before the last 5 minutes, baste the thighs again with the sauce and finish the baking process. Make sure the chicken internal temperature reaches the appropriate temp before consuming. What to serve with Air Fryer Cranberry Chicken Thighs? These chicken thighs go great with a side of white rice and vegetables. I love those frozen streamable veggies (like broccoli or carrots, etc.) They’d be good on a bed of egg noodles or Creamy Mashed Potatoes too. I would also really enjoy these with some Honey Glazed Carrots and delicious Grilled Corn on the Cob. How should I store leftovers? Leftovers can be stored in a lidded container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator. They’ll keep longer by freezing them for up to 3 months. INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE) Catalina salad dressing– If you don’t have Catalina dressing or can’t find it, simply use some French or Russian dressing instead. Or if you live in an area that sells Western dressing, you can use that too. dry onion soup mix– this is something you can pick up at the grocery store, or make your own homemade version of Onion Soup Mix. Making your own is something I really like (especially if you have any sodium sensitivities), because it is the easiest way to control how much salt you’re using. These packets from the store always contain a lot of sodium, so making your own is a great way to keep those things in check, especially since finding a low sodium or no sodium added option is nearly impossible to find in the grocery store. whole berry cranberry sauce– honestly, this recipe works best if you use the whole berry cranberry sauce. I don’t recommend trying to use the jelly version. It won’t work as well as the whole berry sauce will. If you need help on what to look for in the grocery store, check out this whole berry cranberry sauce for reference (not a paid link). If you really NEED to use the jelly, I guess you could. But it will throw off the whole intended texture of this dish. boneless skinless chicken thighs– chicken breast can be used, see the Frequently Asked Questions section above for info on this type of ingredient swap. Additionally, you could use bone-in, skin on chicken thighs. The cook time should be relatively the same – just use a meat thermometer at the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone to make sure the internal temperature reaches 165F before eating. HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CRANBERRY CHICKEN THIGHS In a large bowl, mix together Catalina dressing, dry onion soup mix and whole cranberry sauce. Set aside one cup of this sauce for basting. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with the sauce and gently stir to coat evenly.  Spray a 6 quart air fryer basket with olive oil non stick cooking spray (or use an air fryer liner that has holes in it.) Place the chicken thighs in an even layer in the air fryer basket taking care not to overlap. Cook at 400F degrees for 10 minutes then flip each of the thighs. Baste each one with some of the reserved sauce and cook for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165F degrees. While the thighs  finish cooking, you can heat any leftover sauce  in the microwave or on the stovetop and serve it with the thighs. Serve and enjoy! CRAVING MORE RECIPES?  Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs BBQ Baked Chicken Thighs Chicken and Potato Foil Packs Print Air Fryer Cranberry Chicken Thighs Sweet, savory, and bursting with flavor, these juicy boneless skinless chicken thighs are a great dinner to enjoy with your favorite sides. Course Dinner, Main CourseCuisine American Prep Time 10 minutes minutesCook Time 20 minutes minutesTotal Time 30 minutes minutes Servings 6 Calories 498kcal Author Brandie @ The Country Cook Ingredients1 cup (8 ounce bottle) Catalina salad dressing1 packet dry onion soup mix14 ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 6) InstructionsIn a large bowl, mix together catalina dressing, dry onion soup mix and whole cranberry sauce. Set aside one cup of this sauce for basting. Add the chicken thighs to the bowl with the sauce and gently stir to coat evenly. Spray a 6 quart air fryer basket with olive oil non stick cooking spray( or use an air fryer liner that has holes in it.)Place the chicken thighs in an even layer in the air fryer basket taking care not to overlap. Cook at 400F degrees for 10 minutes then flip each of the thighs. Baste each one with some of the reserved sauce and cook for another 10 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs reaches 165F degrees. While the thighs finish cooking, you can heat any leftover sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop and serve it with the thighs.Serve and enjoy! Notes Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions. NutritionCalories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 733mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g