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This recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Legs is the best for perfectly seasoned drumsticks without heavy breading and extra oil. They are juicy on the inside with mouthwatering crispy, crunchy skin. If that were not enough, they are ready to serve in just 25 minutes!
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Hey there! Do you love fried chicken but hate all the breading and the hassle of cooking it on the stove? Well, I have a solution that might just make your day!
Have you tried cooking chicken legs in the air fryer? It’s super easy and the results are absolutely delicious. There’s no question that there’s nothing like classic Southern fried chicken, but sometimes you need a simple, quick recipe to satisfy your taste buds.
Why I Love This Recipe
- It’s easy! With 5 simple ingredients, this recipe is super easy to prep.
- I can have the chicken cooked and ready to serve in just 25 minutes.
- Chicken Legs are inexpensive, making them perfect for a family meal or when I’m feeding a crowd.
- It is dependable. The chicken is tender and juicy with crispy gold skin and turns out perfectly every time.
Ingredients Needed For This Recipe
- Bone-in Skin-on Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) – choose ones that are about the same size, so they will cook evenly.
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning – I use Weber Zesty Lemon Seasoning.
- Paprika – Smoked Paprika can be substituted if you like a more intense flavor.
- Garlic Powder
- Kosher Salt
Are Chicken Legs The Same As Drumsticks?
Most folks, including me, use the terms “drumstick” and “chicken leg” interchangeably. The chicken leg is actually the entire leg, with the thigh and drumstick combined.
How To Air Fry Chicken Legs
- Take the chicken out of the packaging and pat dry.
- Place the chicken legs in a bowl and mix up the seasoning.
- Sprinkle the chicken liberally with the seasoning.
- Place in the air fryer and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Pro Tip: Do not overcrowd the air fryer. The air needs to circulate around the chicken so that it cooks evenly and the skin gets crispy. If necessary, work in batches.
How Long Do Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) Cook In The Air Fryer?
Set the air fryer temperature to 400 degrees. Preheat for 5 minutes, then place the chicken legs in the basket. Cook for 10 minutes, flip the chicken, and continue to cook for 10 minutes. If the chicken has not reached 165 degrees, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes at 400 degrees.
Commonly Asked Questions
The chicken legs should reach an internal temperature of 165°F to be safe to eat.
Yes, it is recommended to flip the chicken legs halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking and crispy chicken skin.
You can coat your chicken legs with a teaspoon of olive oil or extra virgin olive oil before cooking them in an air fryer.
It takes around 20-25 minutes to cook chicken legs in an air fryer at 400°F. However, the exact cooking time may vary depending on the size of the chicken legs and the skin condition.
Yes, you can cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts in an air fryer. The cooking time will be shorter, around 12-15 minutes at 375°F.
Yes, you can brush BBQ sauce on the chicken legs during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking for extra flavor.
What To Serve With Chicken Legs
- Best Caprese Pasta Salad (Fresh and Easy)
- Crock Pot Maple Bacon Green Beans
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Spaghetti Salad
- Easy Roasted Broccoli
- Classic Scalloped Potatoes
Tips For Making The Best Air Fried Chicken Legs
- Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels before coating them with olive oil and spices. This will help the seasoning stick better to the chicken and also help to keep the skin crispy.
- If you’re looking to make the chicken legs healthier, you can remove the skin before cooking them, or use skinless chicken breasts instead.
- To ensure that the chicken legs are cooked to the right temperature, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature.
More Air Fryer Recipes You’ll Love!
- Air Fryer Hot Dogs
- Air Fryer Baked Potatoes
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Cajun Potatoes
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4-6 chicken legs bone-in/skin-on
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Remove chicken legs from packaging, pat dry, and place in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, add lemon pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and salt. Mix together and sprinkle over chicken legs.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees for 5 minutes. Place the chicken in the basket of the air fryer. Cook for 10 minutes. Flip and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. If not reached, when the timer goes off, continue to cook for 3-5 more minutes.
- Remove chicken from the basket of the air fryer and serve hot or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Want To Know More About Air Frying?
If you are new to cooking with an Air Fryer or just don’t know where to start, I’ve got something to help. I’ve put together a helpful guide with tips and recipes to get you using the Air Fryer like a pro!
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The simplest and yet the best air fried chicken recipe I have tried.This is the best chicken! I did take the suggestion of yours and cooked them just a few minutes longer on each side. They are juicy, crispy and flavorful! Thank you for the recipe!
Hey there Manoj!
Wow! I am thrilled to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, I totally agree with you that it’s best to leave them in a few extra minutes to let the chicken legs get extra crispy on the outside! If you enjoyed this recipe, you should check out my ‘Air Fryer Chicken Wings’ recipe, it’s just as simple to make as this recipe and it’s great for entertaining. Thank you so much for your kind words of support, if you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya
Danya, love your recipes. Are there regular oven baking instructions?
Hey there!
Thank you so much, I am so happy to hear that you’ve been enjoying my recipes! If you want to make this recipe in the oven instead of the air fryer, I would recommend baking them at 400 degree for 20-25 minutes or until they are nice and crispy on the outside, they should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. I hope this helps, let me know how everything turns out if you give this recipe a try, I’d love to hear what you think!
~Donya
Superb spice rub, Donya, so savory and delicious! You saved dinner tonight because I did not plan ahead (!!) I needed to cook pronto and was brain dead for a quick idea. Your recipe was so simple and produced quantum results, even though half of ours was thighs along with the drumsticks. Thank you for sharing your knowledge the way you do!
Hey there Jackie!
My goodness, reading this has made my day! I am so happy to hear that this recipe came in handy, Air Fryer main dishes are definitely the way to go when you need to get dinner on the table quickly. If you enjoyed this recipe, you should check out Midweek Menu 176, it has a whole meal plan with easy to make sides that you can serve with Air Fryer Roasted Turkey, you actually end up getting several meals out of it. Thank you so much for your kind words and your fantastic rating, your support means the world to me! If you ever have any questions about a recipe please don’t hesitate to ask!
~Donya