My air fryer chicken legs have become a weeknight dinner favorite in my house. The tender chicken and crispy skin has my husband and kids asking for this dinner time and time again!
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My Family Favorite Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe
My air fryer chicken legs recipe has completely changed the way I make chicken at home. It’s become as simple as tossing the chicken with my flavorful seasoning blend and air frying it!
I remember the first time I decided to air fry chicken legs. My husband was skeptical because he liked when I oven baked them, but I just didn’t want to deal with preheating the oven.
He gave me a face and said, “fine I’ll try them” and took a bite and boy, did his face change. He ended up telling me they were the crispiest and juiciest chicken legs he had ever eaten! He was convinced I had made them in the oven, but nope! They were air fried!
And, if you love a good air fryer chicken recipe, try my air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer orange chicken, air fry chicken thighs, air fryer fried chicken, and air fryer drumsticks.
Ingredients for Air Fry Chicken Legs
- Chicken legs — about 2 pounds
- Salt
- Oregano
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Brown sugar
- Black pepper
- Olive oil
How to Cook Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F and mix together the paprika, salt, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and black pepper in a small bowl. I add a little cayenne pepper to the mix because I like a little kick to it.
STEP TWO: Place the chicken drumsticks into a large bowl and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on top, then toss to coat completely.
STEP THREE: Add the chicken inside the air fryer basket, being careful to arrange them in a single layer. It’s important not to crowd them. If I have more than what my air fryer can hold, I just cook in batches.
STEP FOUR: Air fry for about 15 minutes, making sure to flip the drumsticks halfway through. Serve immediately with your favorite sides!
Tips for Air Fried Chicken Legs
- Always preheat the air fryer before adding the chicken legs. I find that gives the chicken a nice and crispy skin while keeping the chicken juicy.
- Use bone-in skin on chicken legs to get the juiciest chicken and crispiest skin.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture from the skin. This helps the oil stick better.
- Leave space between each chicken leg so the hot air can circulate and cook the chicken evenly.
- Flip the legs halfway through the cooking time to make sure all sides are browned nicely.
- Use an Instant Read Thermometer to make sure the chicken reaches 165 degrees F at the thickest point to ensure they’re fully cooked.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Reheat leftover chicken legs in the air fryer by preheating to 350 degrees F, then cooking for 5-8 minutes until heated through.
Variations and Substitutions for Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Mix up the flavors with seasoning blends like Cajun, Italian, or even a curry mix.
- Add a glaze by brushing with BBQ sauce or honey mustard in the last few minutes to add more flavor to the protein.
- Kick up the heat by adding cayenne pepper to the seasoning or topping with your favorite hot sauce.
- Swap whole chicken legs or quarters or in for drumsticks for a different presentation.
What to serve with Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
On a typical weeknight, I love to serve these with air fryer french fries, air fryer asparagus, air fryer sweet potatoes, or air fryer tater tots with a little Texas Toast in the air fryer and salad.
If I have a little more time, I serve them alongside some acorn squash and velveeta mac and cheese.
Air Fryer Chicken Legs FAQs
How long to Cook Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer
I find chicken legs take about 15 minutes when cooked in a preheated air fryer at 400 degrees F. They are done cooking when they hit an internal temperature of 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer.
Can You Put Raw Chicken Drumsticks In An Air Fryer?
Yes! My recipe uses raw drumsticks to get crispy and juicy chicken. If I’m using already cooked chicken legs, they just need about 5 minutes to warm them back up.
How Do You Stack Chicken Legs In An Air Fryer?
The short answer is — you don’t. I recommend only cooking food, including these chicken legs, in a single layer in the air fryer basket to allow the heat to circulate and get evenly cooked chicken. Plus, it makes the chicken crispier.
How Many Pieces of Chicken Can You Put In An Air Fryer?
This will depend on how big your air fryer is and how big the pieces are. In my basket air fryer, I typically can fit 8-10 pieces, and in my air fryer oven, I can do up to 18 or so at a time.
Do You Put Foil on Chicken in the Air Fryer?
Yes, you can use aluminum foil in the air fryer to help with clean up. I find the chicken can take a minute or two longer to cook with foil. I don’t recommend covering the chicken with foil unless you don’t want a browned roasted skin.
Can I Use Parchment Paper in an Air Fryer?
Yes! You can use parchment rounds with holes specifically made for an air fryer. They help with clean up and still get your food nice and crispy. I use parchment rounds and have come to love my silicone liners for this reason.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- Pork Loin in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Hash Browns
- Air Fryer Hamburgers
- Air Fryer Pork Chops
- Air Fryer Bacon
- Air Fryer Steak
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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 lbs chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400F.
- In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, salt, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and black pepper to make the seasoning.
- Add chicken drumsticks to a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasoning, and toss to coat.
- Place chicken drumsticks in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket.
- Air fry for 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until cooked to 165 F.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Reheat leftovers in a preheated air fryer at 350 degrees F for about 5 to 8 minutes.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
I’m trying this tonight! The chicken really looks delicious! Thank you!
Can you make this using the steam and crisp function?
Hi Karen, I have not personally tried this function, but it may work. I would love to hear your experience if you decide to try it.
It was fantastic I followed the recipe to a T. It came out perfect, looked just like the picture. Usually don’t have chicken in the summer as so hot here but not now.
Thank you
Hi Paula, So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Do you have to use brown sugar or can you substitute something else
Hi Zambia, I haven’t personally tested this recipe with any other variety of sugar, but it may still work with either white sugar or 1/8th teaspoon of molasses. Best wishes!
My Complements to the CHEF ! 🙂
This is a big winner, I could taste the paprika and the sweetness of the brown sugar. This great with a side if quina rice.
Hi Roman, So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for your feedback!
Since I never have enough meat on the drumsticks , would this recipe work on thighs?
Thank You
Hi Eileen, Feel free to use this seasoning combination on thighs, but I’d recommend using this recipe for a more accurate cooking time and temperature. Enjoy!
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sara!
I make this recipe quite often. I just use 1/2 teaspoon of salt instead of 1 teaspoon. I have to watch my salt intake.
Hi Renee, Thank you for your feedback! We make this recipe quite a lot too. It’s a keeper!