Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

 

We are having stinking hot weather here in Nova Scotia at the moment.  Our temperatures are in the mid to high 80's with high humidity as well.  There is a heat warning in effect. Not the weather to be putting your oven on or to be standing outside with the BBQ.  

I had some chicken drumsticks that needed cooking today and so I decided to cook them in my air fryer. I checked on Pinterest and saw a few different recipes which I thought were inspiring. After reading through them I decided to pick the best bits of each and do my own thing!

 

These were simply coated in a spice mixture by shaking everything together in a zip lock baggie, then a tiny bit of oil was added and I shook them again to lightly coat them before popping then into the air fryer.

The end result was perfectly crispy coated, tender and juicy chicken drumsticks that were filled with bags of flavor. I had a variety of chilled salads that I served with them.  Coleslaw, macaroni salad and potato and egg salad.  This was the perfect supper to enjoy on a hot, hot first day of summer!

  

No fuss, no muss. Easy, simple and delicious!

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

First of all you will need an air fryer of course (although they can also be made in the conventional oven. See recipe notes.)  Only very simple ingredients are used.  The baking powder is the secret ingredient to helping them get crispy without drying them out! Trust me on this!

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 1 tsp baking powder (trust me on this)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp soft light brown sugar
• 2 TBS light olive oil

  

All of the ingredients are fairly straight forward. My drumsticks were on the small side. If yours are larger they may feed more people and they may take longer to cook.  Test their internal temperature as per the suggestion to see if they are cooked all the way through or not.  

The original recipe did not call for any salt. I added it because I felt that a little bit of salt was needed. For this amount of chicken, only 1/2 tsp, which is really not a lot.

I used a zip lock baggie to shake the spices together in and then shake the chicken in to coat it. No fuss no muss, no dirty hands.

 

The air fryer I have here at home is the Kuraidori Multifunctional Digital Air Fryer.  It is quite a large air fryer and came with a large basket, which is great for doing chips, as well as two racks and an oven rack, bottom tray, baking tin and rotisserie attachment.

I have never had any problems with it at all.  I purchased it from my local Home Hardware and have been using it for several years now without any problems. I also purchased one as a thank you gift for my sister and she loves hers as well, and uses it all the time.

 

HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

Nothing could really be easier to make. These turn out perfectly delicious, tender and juicy every single time!

Put all of the spice ingredients into a zip lock baggie. Give them a good shake to combine well.

Add the chicken pieces to the zip lock baggie and shake them to coat them evenly. Add the oil and give them another good shake. Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Brush the basket with some oil. Add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer.

Air fry at 400*F/200*C for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over. Air fryer for an additional 10 minutes.

Check to see that they are done. The internal temperature should read 165*F/74*C, and the juices should run clear.  If they are not quite done, then return to the air fryer and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

  

WHAT I ENJOYED ABOUT THIS RECIPE

I was really pleased with how these turned out. They were lovely and crisp on the outside and juicy and tender inside.  Not greasy at all. The spice mixture was a beautiful combination of flavors.  Not too spicy, salty or sweet. I called it just right.

These were lovely served on the hottest day of the year with an assortment of cold salads on the side and some thinly sliced Havarti cheese.  Cooking the chicken in the air fryer meant I didn't have to heat up my kitchen. I also didn't need to use a lot of oil for frying, etc.

 

WHY I THINK YOU WILL ENJOY THIS RECIPE

1. They are quick and easy to make without a lot of effort and a load of dishes to wash afterwards.

2. Your kitchen will stay nice and cool.

3. They cook simply and quickly without any frying in oil. This makes them healthier than conventional fried chicken drumsticks.

4.  The end result is chicken that is succulent and juicy inside with a crisp and flavor-filled skin on the outside. Not greasy in the least.  Super juicy and flavor-filled!

 

If you have an air fryer and are looking for additional ways to use it in order to keep your kitchen cool, you might also enjoy the following recipes!

AIR FRYER HOTDOGS - Perfectly cooked hot dogs with crisp and buttery buns.  Topped with melty cheese and crispy fried onions, these always go down a real treat!  Serve with your favorite summer sides for a real family pleasing meal!

AIR FRYER HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN SKEWERS - Chunks of chicken thigh are marinated in a delicious honey garlic marinade and then threaded onto bamboo skewers before cooking to sticky sweet morish perfection in the air fryer.  These are fabulous served with sticky rice and a smattering of spring onions scattered over top.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 25 Min

Crispy and flavor-filled on the outside. Juicy and tender inside. And your kitchen doesn't get overly heated. Bonus!

Ingredients

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 1 tsp baking powder (trust me on this)
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp soft light brown sugar
• 2 TBS light olive oil

Instructions

1. Put all of the spice ingredients into a zip lock baggie. Give them a good shake to combine well.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the zip lock baggie and shake them to coat them evenly. Add the oil and give them another good shake.
3. Preheat your air fryer to 400*F/200*C. Brush the basket with some oil. Add the coated chicken pieces in a single layer.
4. Air fry at 400*F/200*C for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken pieces over. Air fryer for an additional 10 minutes.
5. Check to see that they are done. The internal temperature should read 165*F/74*C, and the juices should run clear.
6. If they are not quite done, then return to the air fryer and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Notes

If you don't have an air fryer, you can cook these chicken drumsticks in a conventional oven. Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C. Place onto a buttered baking sheet and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until done.

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