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Chicken Drumsticks in Air Fryer

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Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks with savory crispy skin will give you a bite that is tender and juicy. Simple ingredients for a quick dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Air fryer chicken drumsticks with savory crispy skin, will give you a bite that is tender and juicy. Simple ingredients for a quick dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Our family favorite for a quick meal because it is done in less than an hour or can be prepped the day before. You just need a few ingredients like onion powder, Paprika, and pepper. Nothing fancy and you are eating tasty crispy chicken drumsticks right at home.

One of our family favorites for a quick meal because it is done in less than an hour or can be prepped the day before. You just need a few ingredients like onion powder, Paprika, and pepper. Nothing fancy and you are eating tasty crispy chicken drumsticks right at home.

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Ingredients

With easy and simple ingredients, you can get the seasoning done ahead of time. So when you need a quick dinner, you just put them in the air fryer and dinner will be on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredient over head shoot of legs. Simple ingredients: chicken legs, olive oil, cornstarch, onion powder, salt, dry mustard, smoked Paprika, and ground pepper. On the table in less than 30 minutes with nothing fancy and you are eating tasty crispy legs right at home. this recipe
  • Chicken Drumsticks with skin on
  • Olive oil
  • Cornstarch
  • Onion powder
  • Salt
  • Dry mustard
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Ground pepper

See the recipe card for quantities.

Sprinkle is excited to share with you our Simple, Easy, and Tasty recipes. She has traveled for years and enjoyed food everywhere from Hawaii to Italy. Now she is the muse for The Kitchen Bucket List helping us developed and create our favorite dishes to bring to all of you.

Just a pinch of cornstarch, a little goes a long way.

Instructions

1.
Place the chicken drumsticks into a zip-top-bag.
2.
Pour the olive oil over the chicken.
3.
Close the bag and massage the drumsticks to coat them with the oil.
4.
Sprinkle the cornstarch, onion powder, salt, dry mustard, smoked paprika, and ground pepper.
5.
Close the bag and massage to coat all the chicken drumsticks.

SIx raw legs with savory simple seasoning in zip-top-bag. It is a quick dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. You just need a few ingredients like onion powder, Paprika, and pepper. Nothing fancy and you are eating tasty crispy legs right at home.
Four cooked legs with savory crispy skin, will give you a bite that is tender and juicy. They are arranged 3 in row and 1 lengthwise so the air can flow all around them for cooking.


6.
Place the drumsticks in the air fryer basket, don’t overpack the basket so they can cook evenly. For this recipe, I did 2 batches. I used a Cosori 5.8 Qt. with 4 medium-sized drumsticks in each batch.
7.
Cook in the air fryer on manual setting at 400 degrees F. for 9 minutes. Flip them and cook for an additional 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 to 175 degrees F. We like them above 175 degrees F. because the higher temperature gives a more tender and tastier drumstick.
8.
Serve and Enjoy!

A bite out of the leg with savory crispy skin. You can see that it is tender and juicy. Simple ingredients for a quick dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Our family favorite for a quick meal and it can be prepped the day before. You just need a few ingredients like onion powder, Paprika, and pepper. Nothing fancy and you are eating tasty crispy legs right at home.

Substitutions

You can substitute the onion with garlic powder and the drumsticks with chicken thighs. Now, the cooking time for the thighs will vary. Sweet Paprika is a good switch for the smoked Paprika.

Variations

The seasoning can be modified to your desired taste. Also, think about a simple glaze like BBQ sauce or even a thicker teriyaki sauce halfway thru to add dinner magic. You can keep it simple by adding grated Parmiggiano cheese, sesame seeds, or fresh herbs once they are done.

  • Seasonings – You can replace the seasoning with Ranch (or your favorite), lemon pepper, or simply use salt and pepper.
  • Spicy – Add red pepper chili flakes, press in some jalapeno juice, or even Thai chilis.
  • Deluxe – Sprinkle your favorite cheese with fresh herbs and a dipping sauce.
  • Kid-friendly – Lose the Paprika for celery seed. Or make it sweeter with the kids’ favorite dipping sauce.

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Zip-top-bag (1 gallon) or mixing bowl
6 legs with savory crispy skin, will give you a bite that is tender and juicy. Simple ingredients for a quick dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Our family favorite for a quick meal because it is done in less than an hour or can be prepped the day before. You just need a few ingredients like onion powder, Paprika, and pepper. Nothing fancy and you are eating tasty crispy legs right at home.

Storage

Keep leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days or freeze them for up to 4 months. You can even rewarm them in the air fryer, win-win.

Chicken Drumsticks go great with…

Cheesy garlic bread in the air fryer: have you ever tried it? A simple and tasty recipe that can be the perfect side dish to a main course or served as an appetizer. It is the type of recipe where you decide how much garlic or cheese you want. Garlic Bread was one of the first things I learned how to make when I was a kid in the “Old-Toaster Oven Days”. It is so versatile and the fresher the ingredients the better it tastes.

Cheesy Garlic Bread Our go-to for a quick side or just a tasty treat. No such thing as to much CHHEEESSEE!

Easy, quick, and fully loaded Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes in the air fryer are light, fluffy, and dreamy. And if you have a Foodi Ninja, you can make mashed potatoes in no time with its pressure cooker setting. The buttery and cheese flavors are complemented with celery seeds for freshness. The ramekins make this recipe ideal for a tasteful appetizer or in a bigger ramekin for a lite meal. You get to choose, if you need more just double the recipe.

Twice-Baked Mashed Potatoes Give those leftover mashed potatoes one more go with our WoW-Factor!

These Sausage Meatballs are done with mild Tennessee sausage, garlic, mild Cheddar cheese, and our secret ingredient, Bisquick. They are a crowd-pleaser hot or cold. Cooking the sausage meatballs in the air fryer is a time saver. They are done in just under 10 min. The Bisquick combines all the flavors and lets the sweetness from the sausage come through in every bite. The dough's texture makes them ideal for finger food for game day or a side dish at your next get-together.

Sausage Meatballs If you need a meatier addition, these are prepped and cooked in under 20 minutes. BAM!

Crunchy air fryer cinnamon sugar tortilla chips and apple pie dip are the perfect snacks at home or on the go. Now you can have this sweet treat that is quick and easy in the air fryer and stove. Your kitchen will be filled with incredible fall aromas of cinnamon sugar tortilla chips and apple pie dip.

Cinnamon Tortilla Chips and Apple Pie Dip are a simple dessert or great snack at home. Filling your kitchen with incredible Fall aromas of cinnamon and apple.

Welcome to The Kitchen Bucket List. My name is Karina and I am very excited to share with you our Simple, Easy, and Tasty recipes. After years of cooking and baking with my girls, where even dad shows up from time to time, especially for the BBQ, The Kitchen Bucket List was created in the Spring of 2020.

What did you think of the savory crispy skin? How about the tender bite?
Let us know below.

Air fryer chicken drumsticks with savory crispy skin, will give you a bite that is tender and juicy. Simple ingredients for a quick dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes. Our family favorite for a quick meal because it is done in less than an hour or can be prepped the day before. You just need a few ingredients like onion powder, Paprika, and pepper. Nothing fancy and you are eating tasty crispy chicken drumsticks right at home.

Chicken Drumsticks in Air Fryer

Karina
The Kitchen Bucket List helps you to have dinner ready in less than 30. Are you ready for Crispy Drumsticks?
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 4 People

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Zip-top-bag (Mixing bowl)

Ingredients
  

  • 8 2 pounds chicken drumsticks (with skin on)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked Paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions
 

  • Place the chicken drumsticks into a bag.
  • Pour the olive oil over the drumsticks.
  • Close the bag and massage the chicken to coat it with the oil.
  • Sprinkle the cornstarch, onion powder, salt, dry mustard, smoked paprika, and ground pepper.
  • Close the bag and massage to coat all the chicken drumsticks.
  • Place the drumsticks in the air fryer basket, don’t overpack the basket so they can cook evenly.
  • Cook in the air fryer on a manual setting at 400 degrees F. for 9 minutes. Flip them and cook for an additional 8 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 to 175 degrees F.
  • That's it, Enjoy!
Keyword air fryer, chicken drumsticks, Crispy Skin, quick meal, simple ingredients

FAQ

How long ahead can I do the drumsticks with the seasoning on them?

The most I have done is 24 hours because this is one of our go-to overnight recipes. I usually do it the night before when I know that crazy day is tomorrow. And when I forget, I can still have dinner done in under 30 minutes.

So, why go above 165 degrees F., won’t they get drier?

No. Actually what we have found out is above 175 degrees F. the connective tissue in the drumsticks starts to break down and give a more tender bite. Additional cornstarch aids in developing crispy skin, which helps keep the moisture in the drumsticks.

If I do more than one batch, what is a good way to keep the first warm?

You can loosely cover them with aluminum foil. Not too tight so the air can circulate a bit, so you don’t lose that crispy skin. Think about reflecting the heat back on the drumsticks.

Food safety

Remember you will be working with raw chicken. Be careful and follow food safety steps like cleaning your hands and prep surfaces.
Additionally, the minimum recommended safe temperature, per USDA, is 165 degrees F. for cooked chicken. We always use an instant-read thermometer to check the internal temperature.

Happy Air Frying

PS

If you loved the air fryer version and have some more time, you got to give our Smoked Chicken Drumsticks a go. It is one of our favorite short smokes done in just under 2 hours. With mesquite wood and a simple rub, now you have classic Texas BBQ at home.

These tender and juicy smoked chicken drumsticks have a light & crispy skin. The combination of the flavors of the chicken, simple rub, and low & slow cook gives every bite just the right hint of warmth from the pepper and Paprika.

Air Fryer Recipes

Comments

  1. Emily says

    5 stars
    I have always had trouble finding a recipe for awesome fried chicken at home without making a huge mess with oil. This is the holy grail! I’ve made this several times and it always comes out deliciously crispy and tasty! I play with different spices each time. Don’t skimp on the cornstarch-it takes it to a whole different level. It’s always a hit at our house! Can’t wait to try more of Karinas great recipes!

    Reply

    • Karina says

      I am so glad you have found a recipe that everyone loves. I love that you play around with the spices. So many options!

      Reply

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