Air fryer chicken legs are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and you are going to go crazy for these! (Also know as air fryer chicken drumsticks.)
Which one do you call it: chicken legs or drumsticks? Side note: If you are without an air fryer, I also have baked chicken legs here.😉👌🏻
These are seasoned somewhat similarly, with a few slight tweaks. And they are crazy delicious!
Ingredients
As always, use the best quality ingredients you have access to. The ingredient lineup for this air fryer drumsticks recipe is fairly simple.
It is similar to my other chicken leg recipe. Instead of paprika, this recipe uses chili powder.👌🏻
Preparation
Preparing air fryer chicken legs is easy! Here’s how to do it.
While the air fryer is preheating, put the drumsticks in a bowl, and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle on the seasonings, and use your hands to help rub the seasoning in.
Arrange the chicken legs in the fryer basket, making sure to leave enough space between each leg.
Note: you will almost certainly need to cook two batches for eight chicken legs. If you only do 4 or 5 drumsticks, you could get away with one batch.
Tip: use the slider in my recipe card below under “servings” to change the number of legs you want to make. It’ll adjust the other ingredients to scale.
How long to cook chicken legs in the air fryer
So how long do chicken legs need to cook in the air fryer? These were cooked completely in 20 minutes, and they were flipped half way through.
This can vary for very large chicken legs.
To be sure, you can use a meat thermometer, and cook an extra minute or two, if needed. The internal temperature you want is 165 degrees Fahrenheit/ 75 degrees celsius.
Serving suggestions
What goes well with sir fryer chicken legs? Here are some suggestions, complete with recipe links.
- Roasted sweet potatoes
- Air fryer baked potatoes
- Instant Pot wild rice pilaf
- Southern cornbread dressing
- Caprese orzo salad
- Corn salad with avocado, tomato and lime
- Roasted green beans with shallot
- Lemon garlic roasted Brussels sprouts
- Greek potato salad
- Instant Pot black-eyed peas and ham
- Greek salad
- Wedge salad
Be sure and check out all my side dish recipes here.
Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe
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Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks)
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks (I recommend skin on, but skinless will work too)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more or less, to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (more or less, to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F, usually takes about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile place the chicken drumsticks into a large bowl and drizzle and coat them in the oil.
- Mix up the spice rub - garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Pour the rub over the chicken and use your hands to rub the seasoning into the chicken so it is well coated all over.
- When the air fryer is ready, spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray and place the chicken into the basket in a single layer.
- Close the basket and cook for 20 minutes, turning the drumsticks over halfway through the cooking time.
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Remove, let cool for a few minutes and serve with your favorite sides.
Recipe Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and was calculated using a recipe nutrition label generator.
Andrea says
I made this tonight for my husband and three kids. We all loved it. What a simple dish to make and so easy! Everyone wanted seconds. My new easy go to recipe for week nights. Thank you for sharing!
Nicole Johnson says
That’s amazing! We are so glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Renee says
I’m trying to be sure I get the flavor right. What is meant by “chili powder”? the ancho chili kind used in “american chili” with beans? That chili powder has a mix of cumin, chilies, onion/garlic etc.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Renee! Great question. Yes, it is the “American” chili powder blend that is used in American chili with beans.👌🏻 I hope that helps. Enjoy!.
manoj says
The simplest and yet the best air fried chicken recipe I have tried.This is the best chicken! I did take the suggestion of yours and cooked them just a few minutes longer on each side. They are juicy, crispy and flavorful! Thank you for the recipe!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So very happy to hear this. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback!❤️
Gladys says
How many legs are considered a serving?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I would say one or two per person, depending on the size of the cut and the amount of side items used to round out the meal. The nutritional info uses one chicken leg.
Joseph Smith says
Marjorie, this is a fantastic recipe! I followed your instructions to the letter, and the food turned out beautifully. The best part is that the entrée, which I served with Greek salad, took less than 30 minutes to prepare. As someone who is trying to lose weight, this appears to be a delightful treat for my taste buds.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay! I am so glad that you enjoyed it, Joseph! 🙌🏻