The ultimate juicy Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer recipe is right here! Absolutely packed with flavour, this easy chicken drumsticks recipe takes just minutes to throw together and is so simple. Perfect for Whole30, Paleo, Keto and Gluten-Free diets.
Why you will love Air Fryer Drumsticks
- They’re easy! Mix the ingredients in a mixing bowl and then stick ’em in the air fryer! That’s it! From frozen it’s a little different. You put them straight in the air fryer, and then toss them in seasoning halfway through. Still…SO easy!
- So quick! From fresh, this chicken drumsticks air fryer recipe is ready in just 25 minutes, including prep and pre-heating the air fryer. Add just 10 more minutes on if you’re cooking them from frozen. Just 35 minutes!
- They taste SO good! Salty, smoky and spicy, not to mention they are crispy on the outside and so juicy inside. The juice literally exploded when I bit into them: amazing. They are the best of all flavours!
- You can make them for meal prep: These air fryer drumsticks taste great the next day, even cold, making them perfect to take to work for lunch. You can also reheat them in the air fryer if you’d prefer them hot again.
- Great for the whole family! Kids love chicken drumsticks. There’s something so fun about picking up your food and taking a bite off of it. You can pretend to be a dinosaur. Or a tiger. =]
- Fresh or Frozen: You can use either fresh or frozen drumsticks – I’ve included instructions for both! No need to worry about thawing (or forgetting to thaw out) chicken for this chicken drumsticks air fryer recipe.
Key ingredients for this Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer Recipe
- Chicken: Chicken drumsticks, of course, which are also called chicken legs! You can use fresh or frozen. The cooking times and method will differ a little between the two (I’ll list them both in the recipe below) but the time difference is about 10 minutes. If using fresh drumsticks, you’ll also want to make sure the raw drumsticks are as dry as possible before cooking to get the skin extra crispy, so drain them in a strainer and pat them down with a paper towel to get rid of the excess moisture. The frozen ones will dry a little more as they have extra cooking time, so no need to worry about patting them down.
- Spices: Ground black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and chili powder make these smoky, spicy and addictively garlicky. I kept it really simple as I think it has the best flavour for this chicken drumsticks air fryer recipe.
- Salt: I found 1 teaspoon too salty for me but my other half thought it was perfect for him. I think 3/4 teaspoon or even half is be perfect for me. I also use pink himalayan salt. It’s just a little more flavourful than sea salt or kosher salt.
How to make this Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer Recipe
Click through this story for all of the steps!
Can you put raw drumsticks in an air fryer?
Yes! These chicken drumsticks are seasoned and then placed in the air fryer raw. The air fryer does all the cooking leaving the drumsticks both crispy and juicy.
How long do drumsticks take in an air fryer?
From fresh, the drumsticks air fryer recipe takes 20 minutes, and the air fryer frozen chicken drumsticks take closer to 30 minutes.
How many drumsticks fit in an air fryer?
I put 10 chicken drumsticks in air fryer, and that seemed like just the right amount. They all cooked perfectly.
More of my favourite chicken recipes
- KETO CHICKEN WINGS
- INSTANT POT SHREDDED CHICKEN
- KETO CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE
- BRAZILIAN CHICKEN STROGANOFF
- HEALTHY CHICKEN RAMEN RECIPE
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Air Fryer Drumsticks (Fresh or Frozen)
The ultimate juicy Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer recipe is right here! Absolutely packed with flavour, this easy chicken drumsticks recipe takes just minutes to throw together and is so simple. Perfect for Whole30, Paleo, Keto and Gluten-Free diets.
Ingredients
- 1.1kg chicken drumsticks (about 2.5 lbs)
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/2-1 tsp salt
Instructions
Fresh or thawed drumsticks:
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 200°C/392°F, and set the time to 25 minutes, allowing it to heat for 5 minutes.
- Strain the drumsticks in a strainer and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Place the drumsticks in a mixing bowl along with the spices and mix them well together.
- After the air fryer has heated for 5 minutes, place the drumsticks in the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, remove the air fryer basket from the air fryer and turn the drumsticks with tongs.
- Close the basket and air fry for another 10 minutes.
- Make sure the chicken is cooked through by checking it with a meat thermometer. It should read 75°C/165°F.
Frozen drumsticks:
- Preheat the Air Fryer to 200°C/392°F, and set the time to 35 minutes, allowing it to heat for 5 minutes.
- After the air fryer has heated for 5 minutes, place the drumsticks in the air fryer and cook for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, remove the air fryer basket from the air fryer, and using tongs place the drumsticks in a mixing bowl along with the spices. Mix them well together with a wooden spoon.
- Place the drumsticks back in the basket with tongs and air fry for another 15 minutes.
- Make sure the chicken is cooked through by checking it with a meat thermometer. It should read 75°C/165°F.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 204Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 140mgSodium: 226mgCarbohydrates: 0gNet Carbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gSugar Alcohols: 0gProtein: 27g
Nutrition information and calculations will vary with the use of different brands or ingredients. These figures are estimates. Please get in touch if you have questions!
thanks for the whole30 recipe. they were really juicy