Air Fryer Chicken Legs

 

 

For some reason there is nothing quite as fun to eat as chicken legs, or drumsticks as they are also called. They are great cold or hot, for lunch or for supper.  

They are as at home at the family dinner table as the backyard picnic table! 

Now cooking them just got easier. These crispy air fryer chicken legs are literally finger-licking, lip smacking delicious and can be ready to eat in less than half an hour, including prep-time! 

 

 

This classic finger food is something which everyone loves and this version is delicious. They begin with  a sweet and spicy rub which gives them fabulous flavors and a beautifully crisp skin!

This air fryer chicken leg recipe results in a lovely family friendly week night dinner that everyone is going to love! 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN LEGS

Simple ingredients put together in a very simple way with extraordinary results! 

• 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 TBS kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp mild chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• 4 to 6 medium sized chicken drumsticks
• light olive oil to brush

You will also need an air fryer!  (This should go without saying, but you would be surprised!)

 

The chicken I used for this was from whole chickens that I had cut up into smaller pieces.  Its so much cheaper to buy whole chickens when they are on offer and then cut them up yourself.

It is a well known fact that the more the food you buy has been handled by other people the more it costs.  Cutting chicken up yourself is always much more cost effective, and not all that difficult to do if you have a good sharp knife and a good pair of kitchen scissors. 

 

HOW TO CUT UP A CHICKEN

You want a big sharp knife and a good pair of kitchen scissors.  Using your kitchen scissors turn the chicken upside down and working on both sides of the pope's nose and from the back end, cut up the length of the chicken.  This is the back bone and can be discarded or frozen to make stock at a later date.

Open the chicken out and flatten it. Cut around each leg at the hip joint. Its not hard to find the actual joint as this is where the chicken will easily bend.  Insert the knife tip into the joint and cut it apart and then slice the legs away from the chicken breasts.

 

You can then cut the legs into two pieces each, the thigh and the drumstick, applying the same method.

Cut the wing tips off at the joint and discard or save for stock.  Cut through the breast bone to halve the chicken. You should have two chicken breasts with the wings still attached.

Slice each breast about a third of the way down from the thickest end so that you end up with four pieces of chicken breast, two with the wings attached.

Use a paring knife or kitchen scissors to trim away any spiny ribs if they are present and any superfluous skin, fat, bone, etc. discarding them.

You now have eight tasty pieces of chicken to cook as you wish to cook them! 

HOW TO COOK AIR FRYER CHICKEN LEGS

I am so enjoying getting to know my air fryer and cooking things in it.  It is very much a learning curve and I am taking you all on the journey with me, hoping that as I go along I can also bring you with me! 

In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, pepper, salt, chili powder, paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder and onion powder.

Pat the chicken pieces dry with some paper kitchen toweling.

Put the chicken into a large zip lock baggie and add the sugar mixture. Seal the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken, rubbing it together with the chicken coating it all evenly.

 

Spray your air fryer basket with a bit of nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken drumsticks into the basket and brush the with some light olive oil.

Place the basket into your air fryer and cook the chicken for 10 minutes at 390*F/198*C.

Flip the drumsticks over and brush again with some light olive oil.

Return to the air fryer and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes at 390*F/198*C. The chicken is done when it tests at 165*F/74*C internally at the thickest part.

Transfer to a heated platter and serve immediately. Delicious!

 

You could of course also cook these in a regular oven if that is all that you have.  About 25 minutes at 375*F/190*C/gas mark 5 on a lightly greased baking tray.

Some other air fryer recipes that I have cooked and enjoyed are:

Air Fryer Chicken Wings - crisp and delicious.  Everything a good wing should be!

Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potatoes - So easy and so tasty!

Air Fryer Onion Rings - Crisp and delicious!

 

Today I served these with some wild and brown rice with herbs, and brussels sprouts, but they also go very well with chips and salad, or potato salad and coleslaw, or mac and cheese and steamed peas.

In short, with whatever you choose to put them with!  They are delicious no matter what! 

Yield 4

Author Marie Rayner

Prep time

5 Min

Cook time

20 Min

Total time

25 Min

Air Fryer Chicken Legs

Quick, easy and delicious. Everyone gets a drumstick!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (50g) soft light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 TBS kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp mild chili powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
• 1 tsp onion powder (not salt)
• 4 to 6 medium sized chicken drumsticks
• light olive oil to brush

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, pepper, salt, chili powder, paprika, mustard powder, garlic powder and onion powder.
2. Pat the chicken pieces dry with some paper kitchen toweling.
3. Put the chicken into a large zip lock baggie and add the sugar mixture. Seal the bag. Shake the bag to coat the chicken, rubbing it together with the chicken coating it all evenly.
4. Spray your air fryer basket with a bit of nonstick cooking spray. Place the chicken drumsticks into the basket and brush the with some light olive oil.
5. Place the basket into your air fryer and cook the chicken for 10 minutes at 390*F/198*C.
6. Flip the drumsticks over and brush again with some light olive oil.
7. Return to the air fryer and cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes at 390*F/198*C. The chicken is done when it tests at 165*F/74*C internally at the thickest part.
8. Transfer to a heated platter and serve immediately. Delicious!

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