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Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks)

14 Comments November 5, 2018 Post Updated April 27, 2020

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Air Fryer Chicken Legs are simple to make and really tasty. This Chicken Legs Drumsticks recipe is easy and flavorful. This air fried chicken is very similar to Jerk Chicken but without the spicy heat. This is one of the more simple air fryer recipes. It can be made with drumsticks or thighs. It takes under 30 minutes to prepare. It can be prepared in air fryer basket or oven style air fryers and the cook time should be the same. Air Fryer Chicken Legs are healthy because they are not fried they are Air Fried. You can use legs, thighs, or even the whole drumstick leg and thigh. If you use chicken breast decrease the time by a few minutes. Truth is in the air fryer legs and thighs are the best to use because they are a bit more juicy and forgiving.

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

If you’ve ever tried Jerk Chicken and you like it but its a bit too spicy for you then you will love this recipe. It has flavors very similar to Jerk Chicken like Allspice, Cinnamon and Coriander with just a touch of heat. I absolutely LOVE Jerk Chicken. Here in South Florida where I am located, it is served all over.  I loved the Caribbean Island flavors of this dish.

How many chicken legs can I cook in the Air Fryer?

Size does matter when you are cooking in an Air Fryer. You do not want to overcrowd the chicken pieces. In a 5.8 Qt Air Fryer you can fit about 7-10 chicken legs or thigh pieces. In a 3 Qt. Air Fryer its it about 4-5 chicken pieces.

What temperature to Air Fry the Chicken Legs?

When cooking these air fried chicken legs I tend to keep the cooking tempurature at 380 degrees. Different people will give you different answers. A few minutes before the chicken is done cooking I usually take a peek and see how it is looking. Most of the time I will crank up the chicken frying temp for the last 5 minutes to around 400 degrees just to give the chicken that crispy skin that is crunchy and delicious.

How long to cook chicken legs in the Air Fryer?

Generally I tell everyone about 25 to 30 minutes of cook time to cook the chicken pieces and get them nice and crispy and golden in color.

Ingredients in these Air fryer Chicken Drumsticks?

  • Chicken Pieces (Legs, Drumsticks, Thighs)
  • Allspice
  • Cinnamon
  • Coriander
  • Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt
  • Ground Ginger
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Old Bay
  • Olive Oil

Preparing these Easy Airfryer Chicken Legs is EASY. Simply mix together all the dry spices. Then add a couple tablespoons of Olive Oil and mix with the spices to form somewhat of a paste. Once that is completed add your chicken. You can use drumsticks, thighs or both. Coat the chicken well with the oil and spice mixture. Let the chicken marinate for at least 20 minutes or overnight. You want the flavor of all those spices in the chicken.

easy airfryer chicken drumsticks recipe

Once the chicken has marinated a bit we are ready to put it in the Airfryer. I paired these Air Fryer Chicken Legs with Steamed Cabbage and Sweet Potato fries that I made in the Airfryer to make it more Paleo. Truth is this goes really well with my Instant Pot Vegetarian Pasta Salad.

How to cook chicken drumsticks in Airfryer

Full Instructions and Ingredient Amounts in Recipe Card Below

Step 1– Mix together all of the spices in a bowl large enough for the chicken pieces. Stir to combine all of the spices into a rub. Add the olive oil to the spice mixture and stir together to form a paste.

Step 2 – Add the chicken to the spice mixture. Toss chicken to coat well in the spice mixture paste. Let chicken marinate for at least 15 minutes. The longer that the chicken marinates the better. It can be marinated for up to 24 hours.

Step 3 – Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees. This takes about 5 minutes. Once the air fryer is preheated add the chicken to the air fryer. Cook the chicken for 25 to 30 minutes. Flip chicken halfway through cooking time. If you want it a bit more crispy turn temperature to 400 degrees last 5 minutes of cook time. Watch chicken closely for the amount of doneness that you prefer.

These air fryer chicken drumsticks are not only easy they are also keto-friendly. If you are a fan of Air Fryer fried chicken then give this a try because it is a really tasty alternative. This can be done with bone-in chicken thighs as well.

What to Serve with Air Fryer Drumsticks?

Jamaican Steamed Cabbage
Instant Pot Vegetarian Pasta Salad

If you have any questions about this recipe feel free to leave a comment. If you have made this recipe please leave a rating and a comment it really helps us out. Thanks so much for stopping by my spot on the internet.

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Kitchen Essentials and Items Used in Recipe

Instant Vortex 4-in-1 Air Fryer, 6 Quart, 4 One-Touch Programs, Air Fry, Roast, Bake, Reheat
Misto Frosted Glass Bottle Oil Sprayer – 5090770,Frosted, Glass
Pompeian Smooth Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 16 fl oz

Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe

airfryer chicken drumsticks
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5 from 8 votes

Air Fryer Chicken Legs

Air Fryer Chicken Legs and Thighs
Course dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Caribbean
Keyword air fryer chicken legs, Airfryer Chicken Drumsticks, airfryer chicken legs, airfryer chicken thighs, easy airfryer chicken legs
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 202kcal
Author Matt Freund

Ingredients

  • 2 Pounds Chicken Parts
  • 1 Tbsp. Allspice
  • 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp. Coriander
  • 1/2 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp. Smoked Paprika
  • 1/2 tsp. Old Bay
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

Instructions

  • Mix all the Spices together and stir till they are well combined. Add olive oil and stir till it is kind of a paste. Add the chicken and coat well. Let marinate 15 minutes or Overnite.
  • Turn Airfryer to 380 degrees and PREHEAT. Spray preheated basket with Pam or Olive Oil Spray. Add Chicken and cook 12 Minutes. Then Flip Chicken and Cook 10 to 12 Minutes More. Remove Chicken season with salt and pepper to taste and let cool a few minutes.
  • Enjoy.
air fryer chicken drumsticks are like jerk chicken without the spice.
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Tagged With: airfryer, chicken, chicken legs, drumsticks, easy airfryer chicken

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