These crispy and juicy air fryer chicken drumsticks make for the best weeknight dinner! Seasoned drumsticks tossed in the air fryer, giving you the perfectly cooked chicken.
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AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
This air fryer chicken drumsticks recipe is the ultimate quick and easy dinner that’s full of flavor! In under 30 minutes, you can have perfectly cooked, crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside chicken ready to serve. Not only is this drumstick recipe perfect for busy weeknight dinners, but it’s also ideal for meal prepping and planning. The air fryer method enhances the natural flavors of bone-in chicken, making the meat so tender it practically slides off the bone.
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Chicken– This recipe calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks! Though you can easily swap them for bone-in, skin-on chicken thigh. Chicken wings are also a great alternative!
- Olive Oil– We use olive oil for extra flavor, but feel free to use your favorite oil like vegetable, canola, or avocado oil for this recipe.
- Flavor– A mix of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning gives these chicken drumsticks a delicious, savory flavor. Of course, the seasoning possibilities are endless—you can switch it up with Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, or any of your favorite spice blends!
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER DRUMSTICKS
These drumsticks are cheap, easy and packed with protein!
- Rinse and pat dry the chicken drumsticks.
- Add the chicken to a bowl with the oil and seasonings and then toss until well combined.
- Place the marinated chicken in the air fryer basket.
- Air fry until crispy and the chicken is cooked through, with an internal temperature of 165°F. To ensure extra crisp, flip the drumsticks halfway through the bake time.
- Once the drumsticks are cooked, serve with desired sides and sauces.
| EFFORTLESS TIP– We love to add everything into a plastic bag, zip and shake until the drumsticks are well marinated. This gives you NO dirty dishes! |
DRUMSTICK VARIATIONS
Switch up the flavors by swapping the seasonings or adding sauce to the drumsticks! Here are some ideas:
- Hot Honey– Make these sweet and spicy and use the sauce we use for our hot honey wings or just drizzle the drumsticks in some hot honey a couple minutes before they are done in the air fryer.
- Barbecue– Smother the drumsticks in BBQ sauce like our Grilled Barbecue Thighs! Just brush the drumsticks with your favorite barbecue sauce 5 minutes before the cook time is done. After the chicken is done air frying, brush again with additional BBQ sauce.
- Lemon Pepper– Swap out the seasoning blend for lemon pepper seasoning.
- Cajun– If you want a kick to your chicken, make these drumsticks Cajun flavoring! Just swap out the seasoning for Cajun seasoning.
- Blackened Drumsticks– Use my homemade blackening seasoning blend for a delicious, blackened chicken drumsticks recipe.
- Teriyaki– Marinate the chicken in your favorite teriyaki sauce! Brush the drumsticks again 5 minutes before they are done air frying with more teriyaki sauce.
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
The internal temperature of chicken should reach 165°F.
Yes! You can bake chicken drumsticks. Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the seasoned drumsticks to the baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
Yes! Preheat the grill on high heat. Add the marinated drumsticks to the cleaned grill and cook for 25-30 minutes, or until fully cooked through. Flip the chicken every 10 minutes.
Yes, once the drumsticks are cooled, transfer to a freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
Once the drumsticks are cooled, store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days!
You can reheat your leftover chicken in the air fryer, oven or microwave.
The longer the chicken marinated the juicer and softer it will be! Marinating time is best when you marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 12 hours.
Yes! Swap out the drumsticks for chicken wings, just use our chicken wings recipe and air fryer at 400°F for 20-25 minutes or until the wings are crispy and cooked through.
SERVING IDEAS-
Pair these chicken drumsticks with the right sides for the perfect dinner! Here are some great side to pair this chicken with:
Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken drumsticks bone-in & skin on
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Spice Blend
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the drumsticks and add into a bowl.
- Add the oil and seasonings to the chicken and toss until well combined.
- Add the drumsticks into the air fryer and cook at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy and the internal temp of the chicken reaches 165°F. (Halfway through the cook time, flip the chicken)
- Once the chicken is cooked, serve with desired sides and sauces.
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