Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Crispy + Juicy)
Crispy, juicy, and oh-so-tasty, these air fryer chicken legs are the perfect way to satisfy your fried chicken cravings in a healthier way! It's the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal- make it in under 30 minutes!
Servings: 6
Calories: 207kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken legs (drumsticks) (about 6 legs)
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 390°F.
- Place the chicken legs in a large bowl and pour the oil on top. Toss to coat the chicken with the oil.
- Mix the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on the chicken legs and toss well to coat them evenly with the seasoning.
- Place the chicken legs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. You can line the basket with an air fryer liner for easy clean up, if desired. Cook 10 minutes until browned, then flip the drumsticks over and cook another 8-10 minutes until done (the chicken is cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F). If the chicken is getting too dark, lower the air fryer temperature to 375 or 380°F.
- Serve chicken legs with desired side dishes.
Notes
- Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture before coating them with the oil and spices- this will help the skin crisp up nicely.
- Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
- Use an air fryer liner for easy clean up. You can buy them or make your own liners with parchment paper.
- Don't overcrowd the basket. The hot air of the air fryer needs to circulate around the food in order for it to crisp up nicely and cook evenly, so arrange the chicken legs in a single layer. Cook it in batches if needed.
- If desired, you can brush these air fryer chicken legs with a sauce like bbq sauce or buffalo sauce at the end of cooking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 drumstick | Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg