How to Cook Chicken Legs in an Air Fryer (Drumsticks Recipe)
Dive into this easy-to-follow guide on how to cook succulent chicken legs in the air fryer. A delicious, hassle-free recipe awaits!
Our air fryer has been a game changer for me, especially when it comes to busy weeknight dinners. I can make so many different things in a fraction of the time it would take to cook them in the oven.
And it is so simple to use. The best part is how little oil I need. Besides, it is just too cold to be outside cooking on the BBQ!
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Today’s delicious air fryer chicken legs recipe makes the perfect easy dinner recipe. You only need a couple of simple ingredients and the chicken is prepped in a matter of minutes.
And it is so good! We often end up eating the whole first batch before the second batch is even finishing cooking.
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Serve these perfectly crispy chicken legs with a simple garden salad and a family favorite dipping sauce, like honey mustard or ranch dressing, for an easy weeknight dinner the whole family will love. Potato salad or caesar salad would also make delicious side dishes. Enjoy!
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Supplies
- Ninja Air Fryer – this is a great all-around air fryer in my experience!
- Parchment paper – awesome for lining the basket of the air fryer and making clean up a breeze.
- Air Fryer Paper Liners – these disposable air fryer liners work great too!
- Cutting board – for slicing & dicing ingredients.
- Knife – this is my go to kitchen knife.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20- 25 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- Chicken drumsticks
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Avocado oil
- Smoked paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Dried rosemary
Instructions
1. Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (190°C) for about 5 minutes.
2. Pat the chicken drumsticks dry using paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This will help create nice crispy skin.
3. In a large bowl, add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried rosemary to the chicken drumsticks.
4. Drizzle the chicken drumsticks with avocado oil, ensuring they are evenly coated.
5. Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving some space between them for even cooking.
6. Cook the drumsticks in the air fryer at 380F (190°C) for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are fully cooked.
7. Once cooked, remove the drumsticks from the air fryer and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Note: Cooking times may vary depending on the size of the drumsticks and the type of air fryer you have. Adjust accordingly.
Tips and Tricks
- Adjust the cooking time based on what part of the chicken you are using. Larger bone-in chicken will take longer, while boneless pieces will be cooked more quickly.
- The best way to ensure that any meat is cooked properly is to test the internal temperature using a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat.
- Feel free to customize the seasoning according to your taste preferences. Add hot sauce, cayenne pepper, or chili powder for some heat. Experiment with different spice blends like cajun or Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, or even a BBQ dry rub.
- Toss the cooked chicken in some BBQ sauce or buffalo sauce.
- If you don’t yet have an air fryer, you can get similar results from this easy recipe by baking the drumsticks on a baking sheet in the oven. Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Store any leftover drumsticks in the fridge in an airtight container.
How to Get the Best Results from Your Air Fryer
- It’s important to preheat the air fryer to ensure even and consistent cooking.
- Make sure your food is in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the basket, as this may lead to uneven cooking. Cook in batches if needed to allow for adequate circulation of hot air.
- Save on cleanup by lining your air fryer basket with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
- Clean your air fryer! I recommend washing by hand, but check your manual.
FAQ
- Everyone is talking about air frying. How exactly does an air fryer work? An air fryer cooks food quickly by radiating heat into the chamber that is then circulated through convection. This allows for food to be fried without the use of oils.
This air fryer recipe is a great starting point. Once you know how to make this chicken drumsticks recipe, try substituting the drumsticks with full chicken legs or chicken breast.
Adjust the seasonings. Try making a breaded version. There are so many options.
And be sure to check out our teriyaki or BBQ chicken drumsticks on the grill, and BBQ crock pot chicken drumsticks.
More Tasty Air Fryer Recipes
Now that you have experienced just how simple an air fryer is to use, I have tons of other easy air fryer recipes for you.
- air fryer broccoli
- asparagus
- sweet potato
- air fryer burgers
- traditional French fries
- BBQ chicken drumsticks
- air fryer steak
- steak bites
- salmon
- thick cut bacon
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Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 7 chicken drumsticks
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (190°C) for about 5 minutes.
- Pat the chicken drumsticks dry using paper towels to remove any excess moisture. This will help create nice crispy skin.
- In a large bowl, add salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and dried rosemary to the chicken drumsticks.
- Drizzle the chicken drumsticks with avocado oil, ensuring they are evenly coated.
- Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving some space between them for even cooking.
- Cook the drumsticks in the air fryer at 380F (190°C) for about 20-25 minutes, flipping halfway through. The chicken should reach a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Once cooked, remove the drumsticks from the air fryer and let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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