A simple seasoning blend and BBQ glaze turn these air fryer chicken drumsticks into the crispy, juicy dinner of your dreams in just minutes.
I’ve never understood why chicken breasts cost so much more than dark meat like thighs and drumsticks (or legs if that’s what you prefer to call them). Is it because they’re more in demand? Otherwise, it makes zero sense to me. Even the demand argument is hard to wrap my head around considering I’d take the juicy dark meat of a chicken drumstick over a sad, dried out chicken breast any day and I don’t understand people who don’t agree with that.
That said, I don’t buy drumsticks enough. They’re even more affordable than my go-to cut of thighs and it’s hard not to love the fun ability to eat these with your hands.
The air fryer hype has died down a bit from its peak a couple years ago and while I don’t pull mine out of the pantry much any more, I’m now using the air fryer setting on my oven instead, which works just as well.
No matter what type of air fryer you’re using, these are a no-brainer dinner option and here’s why you’ll love them:
- Quick and easy — That’s the whole point of the air fryer, isn’t it? These are cooked through in just 20 minutes.
- Crispy skin! — The skin on drumsticks “fry” up to the perfect crispy texture and the simple seasoning mixture makes each bite mouthwateringly delicious.
- Juicy — Drumsticks are hard to dry out. The dark meat of this cut ensures things stay nice and juicy.
- BBQ flair — The recipe has you brush the drumsticks halfway through for just a subtle sticky BBQ glaze that really makes these shine.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken drumsticks — You can also use this exact recipe on chicken leg quarters which is the thigh and drumstick still attached to each other.
- Seasoning mixture — We’re using a combination of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and fresh parsley.
- BBQ sauce — Choose your favorite one or make your own to lightly glaze the drumsticks. If you prefer your chicken with a dry rub, you can omit this. Clean up will be a little easier too.
How to Make Chicken Drumsticks in the Air Fryer
I’ve included process photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities though, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and add the seasoning mixture.
- Add the fresh parsley.
- Toss together until well combined and all pieces are coated in the seasonings.
- Arrange the drumsticks in the air fryer leaving ample space between them for good air flow while cooking. Depending on your air fryer model, you may have to cook in batches.
- Halfway through, flip the drumsticks and brush them with BBQ sauce.
- Continue air frying until the drumsticks are crispy and golden brown on the outside.
- The internal temperature should read 165°F using an instant read thermometer which is suggested for the most accurate cooking since every air fryer is a bit different.
My Pro Tips
For the Best Air Fried Drumsticks
- Dry the chicken: When seasoning the chicken, try to keep it as dry as possible. You can use paper towels to remove excess moisture.
- Preheat the air fryer: For some recipes this doesn’t matter but if you’re trying for crispy skinned chicken, preheating makes a difference.
- Crispier: If you like them extra crispy, add 2–3 extra minutes to the end of cooking. Make sure the BBQ sauce doesn’t burn or forego brushing them halfway through and brush them with BBQ sauce at the end of cooking.
- Treat them like wings: Serve with a cooling dip like ranch, blue cheese or a Greek yogurt bang bang sauce. Check out this bang bang chicken recipe for details on the sauce.
- Let it rest: Don’t dig in right away, let the juices redistribute back into the drumsticks after cooking. Just 3-5 minutes of rest time makes a difference in how these will taste.
Don’t Have an Air Fryer?
You can bake these in the oven instead. If you have a convection setting, use that as it mimics air frying very closely. Bake at 400°F for 20-25 minutes, but it’s still best to use an instant read thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches 165°F.
Storage and Reheating
Cooked drumsticks can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week. I like to reheat them back in the air fryer at 350-375°F for a few minutes until warmed through. Don’t use the microwave. There’s nothing worse than soggy reheated chicken skin.
From oil sprays to muffin cups and from pizza pans to racks, we've got them all, and they make fantastic Christmas presents, too!
Serving Options
To keep with the simple approach of these air fryer chicken drumsticks, I usually go with a simple side salad, rice, baked potatoes or steamed veggies.
They’re also great with some more indulgent options like sweet potato mac and cheese, cheesy quinoa or roasted garlic mashed potatoes.
More Air Fryer Dinner Recipes
Don’t miss air fryer Cornish hens, air fryer frozen chicken breasts and air fryer buffalo chicken tenders if you want more ways to whip up quick chicken dinners for your family.
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (plus extra for topping)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated onion
Instructions
- Place the drumsticks in a large bowl.
- Add the smoked paprika, chopped parsley, garlic powder, granulated onion, salt and pepper. Mix well so that all the chicken drumsticks are well coated.
- Place the chicken in the air fryer and cook at 400°F for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, brush each drumstick with barbecue sauce. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown.
- If desired, brush with an extra layer of barbecue sauce once cooked and sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- You can marinate the chicken thighs with the dry spices for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking for a more intense flavor.
- Leave space between the thighs to ensure even browning and cooking.
- Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or chili powder to the spice mix if you want a spicier version.
- If you like them extra crispy, add 2–3 extra minutes to the end of cooking. Make sure the BBQ sauce doesn’t burn.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
looking forward to making these soon. look delicious. I know they are drumsticks, but your directions keep saying thighs. Guess they would be excellent too.
Hey John – You’re right, I think my brain spaced out while writing the directions! I changed the mention of thighs to drumsticks. They’re pretty much synonymous though and you could certainly use this recipe for either cut. Hope you enjoy!