These Air Fryer Chicken Legs are tender, juicy and flavorful with a crispy exterior! The air fryer is the best and easiest way to cook those chicken drumsticks, with perfect results every time.
If you’ve been hanging out around here over the last couple months, you know we are obsessed with the air fryer!
Our favorite things to cook are anything meat or poultry — it just comes out so perfectly juicy! This Air Fryer Chicken Breast and these Air Fryer Meatballs are two of our favorites, but these chicken drumsticks are quickly moving up the list.
They are juicy on the inside (hello bone-in, skin on dark meat!), with a crispy and flavorful skin.
The kids love these Air Fryer Chicken Legs because it’s basically dinner on a stick, but we love them because they only take 5 minutes to prep and you can cook them from fresh or frozen!
Love crispy coated chicken? Try these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders or Air Fryer Fried Chicken!
Looking for more drumstick recipes? Try these Baked Chicken Drumsticks or these Maple Glazed Chicken Drumsticks next.
Tips and tricks!
- Preheat your air fryer — throwing the chicken in when the air fryer is hot means a quicker cook time and more even heat!
- Season well — I borrowed our favorite chicken seasoning from these Pan Fried Chicken Breasts, but you can use a variety of your favorite spices or seasoning blends
- Bring your chicken legs out of the fridge while you prepare your seasoning — letting the chicken warm up, even a little, will mean it cooks through more quickly and evenly
- Let them rest — letting your chicken drumsticks hang out a little before serving them isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it allows the juices to redistribute before you bite into that crispy skin!
The process:
Here are a few visuals of the process just so you know what to expect! For the full recipe, scroll down to the pink recipe card.
How long do you cook air fryer chicken legs?
All chicken should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, and the thermometer should not be touching the bone as it can lead to an inaccurate reading.
For me, this usually takes about 12-15 minutes but it will depend on how large and thick your chicken legs are.
You might also find that even though your chicken is cooked through, you want to give it a few extra minutes for extra crispiness!
This is fine, since the skin keeps the meat juicy even if it is cooked a little longer.
Can you cook frozen chicken drumsticks in the air fryer?
Yes!
This is one of other things we love about this recipe. On those days when we haven’t thought ahead for dinner, we can throw some frozen chicken drumsticks in the air fryer and the cook time is pretty much hands off.
Chicken drumsticks will take about 25-30 minutes to cook from frozen, but always be sure to check for doneness with a meat thermometer.
It’s an easy, stress free dinner we all love.
Make ’em saucy:
We love to have a variety of sauces to dunk our chicken in!
A bottle of ranch or store bought barbecue sauce is great, but if you have a few minutes while your chicken is cooking, try this Pineapple Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce, Spicy Mayo or this Homemade BBQ Sauce to take things up a notch.
What to serve with Chicken Legs:
The options really are endless here! We usually end up serving with a carb (think Roasted Red Potatoes, Homemade Breadsticks, or Creamy Cavatappi Pasta) and a veggie (like these Simple Roasted Vegetables, Homemade Coleslaw Recipe or Cheesy Broccoli Casserole).
Of course a side of No Knead Artisan Bread or a Homemade Dinner Roll never hurt either!
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs or drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons canola oil, (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Rub 1 tablespoon of oil over chicken legs. Combine salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika and rub evenly over all chicken legs.
- Brush remaining 1 tablespoon of oil on the air fryer rack in the basket.
- Place seasoned chicken legs in the basket and cook at 400 degrees F for about 8 minutes. Flip, and continue cooking for 6-7 minutes until an internal temperature of 165 degrees F is reached (make sure the meat thermometer is away from the bone). You can cook a few extra minutes if you want them crispier.
- Remove from the air fryer and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Laura Galland says
This recipe is a definite winner! I like tons of seasoning, so I sprinkle seasoning straight onto chicken then rub it in. Perfect for dinner or a lazy day snack! Works great with wings and thighs with a little time adjustment!
Ashley Fehr says
THanks Laura!
Jane says
There wasn’t enough of the seasoning to coat 5 chicken legs. I had to double the amount. Hopefully they come out great.
The Recipe Rebel says
I’m sorry to hear that Jane. The amounts worked well for us. It should not of affected the way they cooked.
Carla says
Excellent recipe! So easy and so tasty! Will be a regular on my menus.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Carla! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for your review!
Joanne says
Tried today, delicious and easy
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Joanne! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this review!
Vicki says
Hi!….just had to let you know I tried this recipe for chicken legs in my new toaster oven/air fryer, and they’re so good! In fact, these are the very first thing I’ve made using the air fryer function and I know I’ll be using your recipe a lot. I was really frustrated as the owner’s manual has very inadequate instructions, but I finally figured it out and these are a winner! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Vicki! I’m so happy that you enjoyed them!