These easy-to-make Air Fryer Butterflied Chicken Legs have crispy skin on the outside and juicy meat on the inside. They are perfect for an easy weeknight meal!
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These are similar to my Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe, but instead I butterflied the chicken drumsticks and cooked them at a lower temperature. These chicken legs are just like giant chicken wings, and are delicious dipped in ranch dressing!
If you love this recipe, then check out Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs and Thin Pork Chops In The Air Fryer!
Jump to:
- What you'll love about this recipe
- Ingredients you'll need
- Butterflying the chicken legs
- How To Make Air Fryer Butterflied Chicken Legs
- Substitutions & Variations
- Expert Air Frying Tips
- Storage Tips + Reheating
- Recipe FAQ's
- Serving Suggestions
- More Air Fryer Recipes You'll Love
- More Chicken Drumstick Recipes
- Recipe
- About Jeri Walker
- Comments
What you'll love about this recipe
- Quick and easy to make.
- Perfect meal for busy weeknights.
- Ready in less than 20 minutes.
- Butterflying the chicken legs gives them a larger cooking surface so you can cover them in more seasoning!
Ingredients you'll need
Here's what you'll need to make these air fryer butterfly drumsticks:
- Chicken legs with the skin on are a must to keep the meat juicy inside. If you don't want to eat the skin, remove it after the drumsticks are cooked.
- Olive oil helps crisp up the outside, seal in the moisture, and give the rub something to stick to.
- You can use homemade rub like my favorite dry rub for smoked chicken, my pork rub for smoking (which is also yummy on chicken), or your favorite store-bought rub. For this recipe, I used dill pickle seasoning, which gave it a delicious flavor.
For a full list of ingredients and quantities, see the printable recipe card below.
Butterflying the chicken legs
To butterfly the chicken legs, follow these simple steps or watch the video below.
- Locate the Bone: Feel around the meat to locate the main bone in the drumstick.
- Make the Cuts: Place the chicken on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise cut along each side of the chicken bone. Cut through the meat beside each bone, but do not cut through the meat.
- Open the Drumstick: Open up the drumstick like a book and flatten it out.
How To Make Air Fryer Butterflied Chicken Legs
- Butterfly each chicken leg following the instructions above. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees F.
- Brush olive oil on the chicken and coat generously with dry rub. Repeat for the other side of the chicken. You can also add oil and dry rub to a large mixing bowl, add butterflied chicken legs, and toss until well coated.
- Place butterfly chicken legs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes at 380 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Use tongs to flip the chicken legs over, and air fry for 6 more minutes at 380 degrees F until the chicken skin is golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature is 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer. If not fully cooked, air fry for 1-2 minutes more until done.
- Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes or dipping sauce and enjoy!
Depending on the number of chicken pieces you are cooking and the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the chicken in batches.
Substitutions & Variations
- Play around with the dry rub. Add some cayenne pepper or red chili flakes to spice it up!
- If you like saucy chicken, toss the butterflied chicken legs in some BBQ sauce or hot sauce after cooking!
- Marinate the chicken legs in a bowl with soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, and ginger.
Expert Air Frying Tips
- Read through all of the instructions on how to butterfly the chicken legs before starting.
- Leave space between the chicken legs so they cook evenly.
- When flipping over, spray with cooking spray or avocado oil spray for extra crispy skin.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Make sure you don't touch the bone though!
Storage Tips + Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftover chicken drumsticks in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Freeze cooked chicken in a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat in the air fryer on the REHEAT function until heated through.
Recipe FAQ's
Cook the butterflied chicken legs at 380°F.
Butterflied chicken legs take about 16 minutes to cook in an air fryer. Larger chicken legs take longer to cook than smaller ones.
You can use a variety of seasonings such as smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and herbs like thyme or rosemary.
Yes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking ensures that both sides are evenly cooked and browned.
Serving Suggestions
I like serving these butterfly chicken drumsticks with air fryer sweet potato fries, air fryer gnocchi, or air fryer roasted root vegetables.
They also pair nicely with crispy air fryer potatoes and air fryer scalloped potatoes.
More Chicken Drumstick Recipes
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- Jeri
Recipe
Air Fryer Butterflied Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken legs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons your favorite chicken rub or dill pickle seasoning
Instructions
Butterfly The Chicken Legs
- Place the chicken on a cutting board. Feel around the meat to locate the main bone in the drumstick. Using a sharp knife, make a lengthwise cut along each side of the chicken bone. Do not cut the meat all the way through.
- Open up the drumstick like a book. Now that it's butterflied, it's ready for seasoning.
Air Fry The Butterflied Chicken Legs
- Preheat your air fryer to 380℉.
- Whisk olive oil and dry rub in a large mixing bowl. Add butterflied chicken legs to the bowl and toss until well coated.
- Place butterflied chicken in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 10 minutes at 380℉. Use tongs to flip the chicken over, and air fry for 6 more minutes at 380℉ until it is golden brown and crispy, and the internal temperature is 165℉. (If not fully cooked, air fry for 1-2 minutes more until done.)
- Serve immediately with your favorite side dishes or dipping sauce and enjoy!
Video
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Recipe Notes:
- Read through all of the instructions on how to butterfly the chicken legs before starting.
- Leave space between the chicken legs so they cook evenly.
- When flipping over, spray with cooking spray or avocado oil spray for extra crispy skin.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. Make sure you don't touch the bone.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
NUTRITION INFORMATION
The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
About Jeri Walker
Jeri Walker is the founder and CEO of Winding Creek Ranch. She is a self-taught home cook who specializes in easy family-friendly recipes. Jeri is also a food writer who regularly writes articles for MSN. Read about Jeri's journey and connect with her on your favorite social media channels!
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