Make these chicken legs in the air fryer for a quick and easy weeknight meal that your family will love! The chicken legs are coated in a simple seasoning blend, then cooked in the air fryer until they're crisp and golden brown. These chicken legs are incredibly juicy, and after one bite into the crunchy skin, you won't want to cook them in the oven or deep fryer again! With this simple and easy chicken recipe, you can have dinner on the table in less than 20 minutes!
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If you've spent time on my blog, you must know that a favorite cooking method of mine is air frying. It is so easy to make delicious meals like Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Crispy Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer, Air Fryer Halibut, and Air Fryer Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs.
One of my new favorite things to make in the air fryer is these crispy chicken drumsticks! They come out with crispy skin and tender meat; my whole family loves them!
I especially love making these crispy drumsticks on busy weeknights when I don't have much time to cook a big meal.
Like my Air Fryer Thin Pork Chops and Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings, the best part about these juicy chicken legs is that they are made with just a few simple ingredients you likely already have.
These juicy chicken drumsticks are tender on the inside with crispy, golden-brown skin. Serve them with a side of Creamy Potato Salad, Air Fryer Frozen French Fries, and a simple salad for a complete meal. And the best part is that they're ready in less time than it would take to order take-out!
So, if you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner recipe, try this air fryer chicken legs recipe. You may even find that it has become your new go-to meal!
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Why you will love this recipe
- You don't have to heat your whole house with the oven.
- This is an easy recipe. Only 5 minutes of prep time is required.
- The chicken legs are cooked in about 15 minutes, which is way faster than baking them in the oven.
- The skin on these chicken legs gets nice and crispy, but you can easily leave it off if you're not into eating chicken skin.
- No splattering oil; your kitchen stays clean, and the air fryer makes for easy cleanup.
- The chicken leg has juicy meat cooked evenly throughout, so you don't have to worry about undercooked or dry chicken.
- It's a quick and easy way to make a delicious chicken dinner with minimal effort.
- Leftovers reheat well in the air fryer so that you can enjoy crispy chicken drumsticks all week long!
- They get super-duper crispy without any breading or flour at all. Soooo good.
- Chicken legs are one of the most budget-friendly cuts of meat, and they're perfect for feeding a crowd (or meal prepping for the week).
- And last but not least, they have such a great flavor! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce and side dishes.
Ingredients
Chicken legs are one of my favorite things to make in the air fryer! They come out so crispy and juicy! The key to making crispy chicken legs is to start with good quality ingredients, which I can pick up at my local grocery store.
- Chicken legs. I used bone-in chicken legs with skin. I could fit seven chicken legs in my air fryer basket at a time.
- Olive oil.
- Baking powder. This is the secret ingredient for getting crispy chicken legs.
- Chicken dry rub, or your favorite spice mixture. I used my homemade chicken rub that tastes amazing on any chicken. You could also use lemon pepper or Italian seasoning.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Air fryer chicken legs are a great recipe for weeknight dinners or entertaining friends and family.
To make this air fryer chicken drumstick recipe, start by preheating your air fryer to 400 degrees F.
Dry the chicken with a paper towel.
Brush the raw chicken with olive oil.
Next, mix the seasoning and baking powder in a small bowl.
Then, apply the mixture to the chicken legs. Make sure to cover the entire chicken leg.
Next, place the chicken legs in a single layer in the air fryer basket and set the cook time for 8 minutes.
After the chicken drumsticks cook for 8 minutes, flip them over.
Air fry chicken legs for another 7 minutes until crispy and golden brown. The internal temperature of the chicken, in the thickest part, should be 165 degrees F.
Remove from the air fryer and let rest for 3-4 minutes on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess moisture.
Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce or on a plate with your favorite sides.
Enjoy!
Substitutions
When it comes to making crispy chicken legs in the air fryer, there are a few substitutions that can be made to the ingredients list:
- Chicken legs: Use chicken breasts or thighs. If you're looking for a healthier option, you could try using skinless chicken legs.
- Olive oil: Use avocado oil or non-stick cooking spray. You can also use vegetable oil
- Chicken rub: Use your favorite spice rub for chicken. I used my own Homemade Dry Chicken Rub, which contains brown sugar, garlic powder, Roasted garlic and pepper seasoning, paprika, chili powder, seasoning salt, onion powder, and black pepper. Of course, salt and pepper are a must, but you can also add smoked paprika, chili powder, cumin, or any other spices you enjoy. Just be sure to adjust the seasoning amounts to taste.
- Spicy: Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the spice rub.
- Low carb: Make these chicken legs low carb by omitting the brown sugar from the spice rub.
Variations
There's nothing quite like the taste of crispy chicken legs fresh out of the air fryer. But if you're in the mood for something a little different, there are plenty of ways to switch up your air fryer chicken routine. Some fun options to try are:
- Coat your chicken legs in a mixture of flour and spices before cooking them in the air fryer. This will give them an extra crispy coating that is full of flavor.
- Use different seasonings on your chicken legs. Some great ones are a Cajun spice blend, Italian herbs, or even just salt and pepper for a simple but tasty option.
- Don't forget about sauces! Dip your chicken legs in BBQ sauce, hot sauce, honey mustard, or ranch dressing for an extra flavor boost.
Equipment
To make bone-in chicken legs, you need an air fryer. I used my large Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer.
There are many different models of air fryers, and they all cook differently. Some are hotter and cook faster than others.
The cooking time may need to be adjusted depending on your air fryer model.
Storage
There's nothing quite like a big batch of crispy chicken legs straight out of the air fryer. But what do you do with the leftovers?
- Fridge: The best way to store leftover chicken legs is to place them in an airtight container and put them in the refrigerator. They should stay fresh for up to four days.
- Freezer: If you want to keep them even longer, you can freeze them for up to two months. Wrap the chicken legs individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a Ziplock bag. Grab them whenever you want one!
- Reheat: When you're ready to eat them, pop them back in the air fryer for a few minutes until they're hot and crispy!
Expert Tips
Chicken legs are such an easy dinner recipe. They come out crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, full of delicious flavor. For best results, follow these tips for excellent results every time:
- Start with dry chicken legs. If your chicken legs are wet or sticky, they won't get as crispy in the air fryer.
- Season them generously with your favorite dry rub before cooking.
- Preheat your air fryer before adding the chicken legs. This will help them cook evenly and prevent sticking to the basket.
- Cook the chicken legs in a single layer. If you overcrowd the air fryer, the chicken legs steam instead of crisping up. You may need to cook them in batches if necessary.
- Flip the chicken legs halfway during cooking. Like oven-baked chicken, flipping them halfway through will help them cook evenly on all sides.
- Check on the chicken legs frequently during cooking. Every air fryer is different, so it's important to keep an eye on them so they don't get overcooked or burnt.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken legs to make sure they are 165 degrees F.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A serving of two chicken legs has approximately 338 calories.
Drumsticks take about 15 minutes in the air fryer.
No, you should not stack chicken legs in an air fryer. To ensure that they cook evenly, place them in a single layer and don't overcrowd the air fryer. The hot air needs to circulate around the chicken legs so they crisp up nicely.
Be sure to try out this air fryer chicken drumsticks recipe. They are super juicy, easy to make, crispy, and taste delicious.
If you try it out and like it, I would appreciate it if you could take a moment to leave a star rating and/or comment in the comments section below. 🙂
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📋 Recipe
Easy Crispy Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6-7 chicken legs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dry chicken rub link for homemade rub is down below in the notes
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel.
- Brush the chicken with olive oil.
- Mix together the seasoning and baking powder in a small bowl. Cover the chicken legs with the seasoning mixture.
- Place the chicken legs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Set the cooking time for 8 minutes.
- Flip the chicken legs over, and cook for 7 more minutes. The chicken legs are done when the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F, and the chicken is crispy and golden brown.
- Remove the chicken from the air fryer and let rest for 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce or side dishes.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Start with dry chicken legs. If your chicken legs are wet or sticky, they won’t get as crispy in the air fryer.
- Season them generously with your favorite dry rub for cooking.
- Preheat your air fryer before adding the chicken legs. This will help them cook evenly and prevent them from sticking to the basket.
- Cook the chicken legs in a single layer. If you overcrowd the air fryer, the chicken legs will steam instead of crisping up. So make sure to cook them in batches if necessary.
- Flip the chicken legs halfway during cooking. Just like with oven-baked chicken, flipping them halfway through will help them cook evenly on all sides.
- Check on the chicken legs frequently during cooking. Every air fryer is different, so it’s important to keep an eye on them so they don’t get overcooked or burnt.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken legs to make sure they are 165 degrees F.
Rod
While recuperating up at Jeri's, I had the opportunity to try the air-fried chicken legs.
The meat was so tender and delicious. Would recommend it to anybody! Thanks, Jeri. DAD.
Jeri
Thanks, Dad! 🙂 Thanks for being my taste tester! 🙂
Erica Leigh
I am excited to try these adding them to the menu for tomorrow night.
Jeri
That's awesome! Let me know how you like them! 🙂