Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks are a deliciously easy meal, ready in less than 20 minutes. This simple recipe makes crispy, juicy chicken drumsticks, everyone will love.
There is just something about chicken drumsticks that make them a fun meal. They are also a perfect picnic food too. This delicious chicken drumstick recipe is made with just a few simple ingredients and very little prep time, making it one of our favorite recipes.
Love chicken? You might also enjoy these air fryer lemon pepper chicken thighs. Or try these Air Fryer Turkey Legs!
Ingredients Needed to make this Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
- chicken drumsticks-for a crispier drumstick, leave the skin on
- olive oil
- all purpose flour
- baking powder- or corn starch
- paprika
- onion powder- for slightly different flavor, you can substitute garlic powder
- salt- I prefer to use kosher salt
- black pepper
- optional spices: for an extra spicy drumstick, you can substitute chili powder for onion powder. If you like them hot, use a bit of cayenne pepper.
- Optional Garnish- parsley flakes
How to make Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
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Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel, then brush with a light coating of olive oil. Place the drumsticks in a large Ziploc bag.
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In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and onion powder. Shake the bag until the drumsticks are covered with the spice mixture.Â
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Lightly spray the basket with cooking spray, or brush a light coating of olive oil over basket to prevent drumsticks from sticking.
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Place the drumsticks in air fryer basket in a single layer, without overlapping or stacking. Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Flip chicken drumsticks halfway through the cooking time.Â
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Once chicken has reached 165° degrees internal temperature, and has your desired crispness, remove from the air fryer and serve immediately.Â
FAQs
Chicken Legs and Drumsticks are both dark meat. The legs of the chicken have the thigh as part of the piece. Drumsticks are the lower part of the leg, without the thigh. Drumsticks are one of the cheapest meats, which is perfect for feeding larger families.Â
I flip the chicken to rotate the top, which is closest to the fan in my oven. This ensures they cook evenly.Â
Chicken Drumsticks are an easy dinner recipe because can be served with almost any favorite side dish. Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes, French Fries, or Twice Baked Potatoes, would all be delicious.Â
Keep chicken in an airtight container, or Ziploc bag, and place them in the refrigerator. They should last 3-5 days. They can also be frozen for 30-60 days.Â
These drumsticks are very flavorful on their own. If you want to serve with dipping sauces, you can serve, buffalo sauce, ranch, or your favorite BBQ sauce.Â
Tips for Making Crispy Chicken Drumsticks
- Combining the flour and baking powder with other spices helps make the drumsticks crispy. This air fryer recipe makes the best crispy and juicy chicken drumsticks.
- Leaving chicken drumsticks skin on helps the chicken to become crispy. Skinless chicken will be delicious too, just not as crispy.
- Use a digital food thermometer to check chicken for doneness. I highly recommend using this thermometer, when cooking meat in the air fryer. A thermometer confirms chicken temperature very easily.
- I make this recipe in my Cosori air fryer and 20 minutes cook time was perfect. Because all air fryers are different, you may need to adjust cooking time by 2-5 minutes.
- If making more than 4-6 drumsticks, prepare the chicken in batches. To get the crunchy skin, avoid overlapping or having drumsticks touch in the basket.
MORE CHICKEN AIR FRYER RECIPES:
- Chicken Breasts
- Green Bean Fries
- Sesame Chicken
- Chicken Thighs
- Wings
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
- Blackened Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel. Brush drumsticks with oil and then place into a Ziploc bag.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder paprika, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Once combined, pour into the bag with chicken and toss again until the drumsticks are covered with the spice mixture.Â
- Lightly spray the basket with cooking spray, or brush a light coating of olive oil over basket to prevent drumsticks from sticking.
- Place the drumsticks in air fryer basket without overlapping or stacking. Air fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Flip chicken drumsticks halfway through the cooking time.Â
- Once chicken has reached 165° degrees internal temperature, and has your desired crispness, remove from the air fryer and serve immediately.Â
Notes
- I make this recipe in my Cosori air fryer and 20 minutes cook time was perfect. Because all air fryers are different, you may need to adjust cooking time by 2-5 minutes.Â
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is a calculated guesstimate. Please note that this can change with different brands and modifications you may make to the recipe. For the most accurate information, use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands and measurements you're using with each recipe.
©AirFryingFoodie 2023
This is a really great recipe
Thank you! So glad you liked it!
Can you use Bisquick instead of flour
Hi James. I'm not sure if it would cook the same because there are other ingredients in Bisquick. If you try it, let me know how it turns out.
Looked good so I tryed it so far it's great thank u for sharing
Endorsed.
Great recipe. I have a Chapman air fryer. Had to adjust time to 30 mins. At 400 to get done on inside.
Love the recipe, made it tonight for my family!! The only down side mine didn’t brown up as well as your did. Can you guide me on how to get them nice a brown like this . I have a ninja foodi xl grill 6-in-1 and A innsky oven I used both at the same time due to the amount I made.
I will try this today, BUT: ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS rinse raw chicken in cold water before preparing THEN: Wash your hands and preps area completely after handling raw chicken,
Cooked perfectly. PERFECTLY. Flavorful, crispy, quick, little cleanup.
Fast and tasty chicken drumsticks. Thank you!
Thank you! So glad you liked them!
Very tasty, and smelled so good while it was cooking!
Thank you for the feedback! So glad you liked it!
Have cooked twice, best tasting drumsticks we've had yet, and we are 60 years old. Lol
That's so awesome! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
My husband and I loves wings/drummettes but it’s expensive to eat out at wing places so I started looking for an Air Fryer recipe to make them at home. I’ve tried several and this is the best recipe I’ve found. I even make him the Garlic Parm Hot sauce he likes at the restaurants & he’s a happy camper! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Thank you for the feedback! I'm so glad you liked them!
I am new to air frying - like haven't even used it yet new, lol - I was just wondering, do you spray the chicken lightly with oil after it's coated in the seasoning?
Yes! If you give the chicken a light spray of olive oil, it will help prevent sticking and give it a little crisp. Let us know how it goes!