Easy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Easy air fryer chicken drumsticks! This air fried chicken legs recipe will show you how to cook chicken drumsticks in air fryer in quick, simple steps. It comes out flavorful, tender, moist, delicious with crispy skin.

Serve with side dishes such as potatoes, vegetables, pasta, and sauces for a perfect meal.

It's a simple recipe today and you will love this best air fryer chicken drumsticks recipe!

Chicken legs are my favorite part of the chicken and this well seasoned, moist, and delicious, crispy air fryer chicken legs is my favorite way of making it.

Making chicken drumsticks in the air fryer is quicker than making it in the oven and you can get this chicken ready in 30 minutes.

Easy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

This crispy air fryer chicken drumsticks recipe is easy, simple, and quick.

It requires just a few ingredients to make it. Chicken, and a few herbs and spices to season it, then air fry to perfection.

These air fryer chicken legs are packed full of flavor, have crispy skin, and the meat is moist and tender.

This was made in a 5.5 liters basket type air fryer but you can make it in any other type of air fryer. Cooking time might vary slightly though so check the notes in tips below.

By making chicken drumsticks in air fryer, you do only minimal prep with just 5 minutes of hands-on time.

This recipe is low carb, and keto-friendly. It is high in protein, healthy, and delicious.

Not only is the air fryer fast, but it is also easy to clean when done cooking. Learn how to cook drumsticks in air fryer.

Can you put raw drumsticks in an air fryer?

Yes, you can. Air frying chicken drumsticks is one of the best ways of cooking it from raw.

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Ingredients For Making Air Fryer Chicken Legs

The detailed ingredients list, measurements, directions, and video are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Chicken drumsticks 

Smoked Paprika

Garlic powder

Onion powder 

Parsley 

Dried thyme

Black pepper or Cayenne pepper

Oil- vegetable, olive oil, or sunflower oil.

Salt

How To Cook Chicken Drumsticks In Air fryer

Here's how to air fry chicken drumsticks in quick steps:

First, pat the chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel so as to reduce excess moisture. 

In a small bowl, add the paprika, garlic powder, parsley, thyme, onion powder, black pepper, oil, and salt. Mix till well combined.

Add the marinade to the chicken and mix well till well combined and all parts of drumsticks covered in the seasoning.

If you have time, put the chicken legs in the fridge to marinate for 1-4 hours.

Arrange the chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Don't overlap.

Air fry at a temperature of 190C/380F for 25 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, flip the drumsticks with a thong so all sides are perfectly air fried. 

When the drumsticks are cooked, bring them out of the air fryer.

Serve and enjoy perfect air fried chicken legs with any side of your choice. 

Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Drumsticks

Separate the drumsticks into individual pieces.

You can do this by putting them in the air fryer and air frying at 180C/360F for 4 minutes, bring the air fryer basket out, then separate the chicken legs. or run them under warm water to separate.

In a small bowl, add the paprika, garlic powder, onion granules, black pepper, parsley, salt, and oil. 

Add the marinade to the chicken drumsticks and rub it all over the drumsticks.

Arrange the drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer and do not overlap.

Air fry chicken drumsticks at a temperature of 180C/360F for 30 minutes or till tender inside and crispy skin.

Take out the chicken, and serve.

If using pre-seasoned breaded chicken drumsticks, skip the above steps and just arrange them in the air fryer, and air fry for 30 minutes at a temperature of 180C.

Variation For Air Fryer Chicken Legs

Air fryer peri peri chicken drumsticks - Add 2 tablespoons of homemade peri peri sauce or store-bought Peri Peri sauce to the chicken when seasoning them, and another 2 tablespoons to brush them in the last 5 minutes of air frying. You can also serve some of the Peri Peri sauce with the drumsticks.

BBq chicken drumsticks in air fryer - Brush the drumsticks with bbq sauce in the last 5 minutes of air frying.

You can also toss in tosses like Teriyaki, Bang bang, lemon pepper, etc.

How Long To Cook Chicken Legs In Air Fryer

How long chicken drumsticks cook in air fryer is down to many factors such as the size of the drumsticks, the temperature of the air fryer, and the brand and type of the air fryer. Bigger chicken pieces will take longer to cook than smaller ones. The cooking time guide is as follows:

How long to cook chicken drumsticks in the air fryer is 25 - 30 minutes at a temperature of 180C/360F.

To cook it at a temperature of 190C/380F, takes 22 - 25 minutes.

How long to cook chicken leg in the air fryer at a temperature of 200C/400F is between 20- 25 minutes.

For how long to cook it from frozen, add additional 5-8 minutes to the cooking time it takes t cook it from fresh.

Chicken is cooked if when a meat thermometer inserted at the thickest point reads at least 165F/75C.

What To Serve With

It is versatile and can be served with almost any food including the ones listed below:

Most types of potato dishes including boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fried potatoes, baby potatoes, mashed potatoes. 

Rice dishes like brown rice, curry rice, spicy rice, boiled rice.

Boiled vegetables, roasted vegetables, steamed veggies.

Salads

Gravy

Pasta

How To Store

Leave drumsticks to cool completely and put in an airtight container, you can then store them either in the fridge or in the freezer.

How to store in the fridge- Put in an airtight container or sealable freezer bag then put in the fridge where it will be preserved for up to 3 days.

To store it in the freezer- for up to 4 months. Reheat in the air fryer, oven, or microwave.

To reheat in the oven, place chicken on an oven tray and bake at a temperature of 180C for 15 minutes or till heated through.

For reheating in the air fryer, arrange chicken in the air fryer basket and bake at a temperature of 180C for 4 minutes or till heated through.

To reheat in the microwave, microwave on high settings for 2 minutes or till heated through.

Tips

• Marinate the chicken 30-60 minutes or up to 12 hours prior to cooking if possible.

• Don't overcrowd the air fryer basket. Arrange chicken in a single file and not on top of each other.

• The pepper quantity and salt are a guide only so you can adjust them to suit your personal preference.

• It's ok to season the chicken legs with any other of your favorite seasoning like cajun seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, etc but whatever seasoning you use, make it a good one.

• Toss chicken drumsticks in sauces like bbq sauce, buffalo sauce, or any sauce of your choice.

• Cooking time may vary slight based on air fryer model; basket style or toaster over style so check on it after the first 5 minutes.

FAQS

Can you stand chicken legs up in air fryer?

Yes, as long as they are not on top of each other, and the air fryer is not crowded.

Do you have to flip chicken in the air fryer?

Flipping chicken halfway through cooking it in an air fryer helps both sides to brown and crisps well.

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