Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks (Legs) - Easy and Crispy

Prepare the best air fryer chicken drumsticks on your block! Try this easy and crispy recipe, and get fun plating and sauce ideas from the photos. If you want to skip to a specific section within this post, just click on the links below.

1. Overview
2. Chicken History
3. Cooking Instructions
4. Sauces
5. Clean-up
6. Junkie Lifestyle Tip

Overview

While red meat graced every dinner table for the early part of the last century, it’s chicken that dominates most menus and recipe searches nowadays. It’s tasty, healthy, and versatile. Breasts and thighs are delicious, but it’s the leg that hits the spot. When done right, your air fryer chicken drumsticks will rival any restaurant offering. This is a low-carb option compared to those popular (and highly addictive) national chains. This easy recipe will deliver that crispy skin that appeals to the whole family.

A little history

Call me eccentric or genuinely curious, but knowing the history of what I’m eating fascinates me. And there is no better place to learn about that right now than on the History Channel. Burger battles, pizza wars, chip dominance, and many other fun tidbits about the foods we enjoy today can be found on the series titled The Food That Built America. Speaking of the original, crispy chicken drumstick look no further than Colonel Sanders. Learn about this American hero in this 10-minute bio here.

Cooking chicken drumsticks (legs)

Needs: Air Fryer, Air Fryer Basket, Chicken Drumsticks, Cooking Spray, Oil, and Spices

Step 1: Wipe your basket

Wipe your air fryer basket with some olive oil using a paper towel to prevent sticking. You can also use a non-aerosol EVOO mister and spray your basket. Limit the use of any traditional cooking sprays. It will damage the basket.

Step 2: Heat

Preheat your air fryer to 390 for 2-4 minutes.

NOTE: You have to pre-heat your air fryer for the best results. This will allow you to get a nice, even cook across your chicken drumsticks. You need the hot air to circulate so you get that crunchy outer skin.

Step 3: Coat and Season

Rinse your chicken and dry it with a paper towel. Then slather each drumstick with olive oil. A standard cooking brush typically delivers the best results, but use any means necessary to get a nice even coat on your legs. Next, create a spice mixture that suits your pallet. Simple seasonings like salt, pepper, and a little garlic or cayenne work well. There are plenty of pre-made spice mixtures in your local grocery store that hit the spot too.

I prefer to make my own rubs. For my legs, let’s use the following:

• 1 tbs Salt
• 1/2 tsp Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tbs Brown Sugar
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp chili powder

Place your coated drumsticks in a bowl or plastic bag (my preference). Add your spice mix, then shake or mix until your chicken drumsticks are coated evenly with your spices.

Step 4: Arrange

Arrange the chicken legs in your air fryer basket in a single layer, allowing for some space between the drumsticks. This will ensure the best results. However, all air fryers are not created equal.

A 6-quart air fryer should be able to hold 6 drumsticks easily. If you need to cook 8 legs, arrange them in a laddered pattern to allow for some airflow even though they’ll be touching. You don’t want to overstuff your air fryer basket.

A 4-quart air fryer should be able to hold at least 4 legs. If they overlap, arrange them diagonally so the meat is directly on the basket.

Step 5: Cook Time

I like to use a cooking time that I can easily remember. For my chicken drumsticks, I use a 12-12 time period.

Cook your air fryer chicken drumsticks for 12 minutes. Open the basket, flip them over.

Cook for another 12 minutes and open the basket. You’ll see a nice, crispy texture.

Remove from basket and cover. They will continue to cook until you’re ready to serve.

NOTE: This recipe is designed to get you a nice, crispy cook. The skin may start to get a slight char, but that’s perfectly fine. It won’t impact the flavor. Finally, don’t worry if you don’t get it quite right the first time. The best thing to do is keep trying! Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer and make sure you hit 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sauces and stuff

If you watch The Food Network you know that plating is everything. I’m a Food Network junkie, hence the name of this blog. However, air fryer chicken drumsticks are the ultimate finger food. Just grab a basket, find your favorite sauce, and start munching away. I prefer to eat my drumsticks with some ranch dressing with cayenne. The creaminess of the ranch offsets the subtle heat from our finished product.

Other great sauces include homemade barbeque sauce, soy sauce, and avocado hot sauce. And remember, mix in some fruit with your fried feast. Let’s go with an orange or some cherries. The citrus and tartness work great with chicken (refer to the header post picture as a reminder).

Clean-up is a snap.

After your polish off your delicious, crispy chicken legs it time for that dreaded clean-up. Depending on your cooking method, this task could set you back 15 minutes (or more). That’s not the case with air frying. Just remove your air fry basket, take the basket and the pan to your sink, and rinse it out. No mess here, it’s all self-contained with just a dishrag and/or a simple sponge. That’s why air fryer chicken drumsticks should be one of your new favorite recipes. Something great to eat without the mess? Sign me up!

The junkie lifestyle

I close out all of my posts by emphasizing the same thing. Air frying is a lifestyle. It’s quick, fun, and casual. Just fry, eat and repeat! Chicken has quickly become the #1 protein of choice for most families. It works as a healthy meal option, it’s a staple in the keto diet, and it trends so high on social media that the cooking ideas are endless. Whatever flavor you crave, there is a delicious recipe that fills that void. So fill it with some air fryer chicken drumsticks. It will be your new favorite recipe. That’s my tip for today!