Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks are a family and crowd favorite all year long!

Now you can cook chicken drumsticks in the air fryer with this super easy fried chicken recipe. These drummies come out tender, juicy, and crispy every time. Cook up a batch or two for dinner or the big game and be the MVP!

cooked Air Fryer Drumsticks

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

©TheShortcutKitchen

PIN IT your DINNER BOARD to SAVE it for later!

Follow TheShortcutKitchen on Pinterest for more great recipes!

Easy Drumstick Recipe

We love cooking drumsticks in the air fryer. No-fuss, no muss and they save so much time when you’re busy preparing other goodies. And the best part? No dishes to wash! Everything gets mixed in a zippered bag, then just shake and air bake. Fresh or frozen drumsticks are tossed with oil, onion and garlic powder, Italian seasonings, and a dash of salt and pepper, and then they are fried to crispy perfection. But you can also try any of your favorite seasoning blends; we like garlic and lemon pepper, or ready-made ranch or taco seasoning, we make it easy!

process of adding seasoning and chicken to bag to make Air Fryer Drumsticks

How to Bake Chicken Drumsticks

Air fryer chicken drumsticks can be air fried or baked! We’ll show you how to make chicken drumsticks both ways. 

For the air fryer:

  1. Place chicken drumsticks in a large (gallon-sized) zippered bag.
  2. Add remaining ingredients and close the bag without removing the excess air. Shake the bag until all of the drumsticks are coated.
  3. Spray pan release in the basket of the air fryer or use a liner. Place seasoned drumsticks in the air fryer basket and cook, turning once. If using frozen drumsticks, add 10 minutes to the cook time.
  4. Once cooked, brush with BBQ, Buffalo, or spicy Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. And some Ranch dressing for dipping!

In the Oven:

  1. Season, as with air fryer instructions above, then:
  2. Bake seasoned drumsticks in an oven preheated to 425° F for about 40 minutes, turning after 30 minutes.

PRO TIP: For extra crunchy drumsticks, once seasoned, roll them in Panko breadcrumbs. Press the breaded crumbs into the meat before cooking to make sure they are fully coated.

chicken in the air fryer to make Air Fryer Drumsticks

What to Serve with Chicken Drumsticks

Here are our fave suggestions for appetizers, sides, a dessert, and a pitcher of drinks to get the party started!

Ready for picnics and potlucks, try avocado deviled eggs along with some sweet potato fries and a creamy potato salad. For dessert have a pineapple upside down cake and don’t forget to serve a delicious pitcher of spiked blue raspberry lemonade

Recipe Tips and Tricks

  • Pat drumsticks dry with a paper towel so the oil and seasons will adhere well during the air frying process.
  • Keep pieces evenly spaced apart so the heat can move around them.
  • Store leftover drumsticks in a sealed container in the refrigerator and they will keep about 3 days. Reheat in the microwave, a toaster oven, or under the broiler.

Air Fryer Drumsticks cooked in the air fryer   

Other Air Fryer Recipes!

cooked Air Fryer Drumsticks
5 from 10 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Make these drumsticks in air fryer come out crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 8 drumsticks
Author Holly Nilsson

Equipment

Ingredients  

  • 8 chicken drumsticks
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon paprika

Instructions 

  • Preheat the Air Fryer to 400˚F.
  • Add the chicken drumsticks to a sealable plastic bag. Add the olive oil and seasonings to the plastic bag and seal without removing any excess air.
  • Toss the drumsticks in the bag to coat evenly with olive oil and seasonings.
  • Prepare the basket of the Air fryer with a liner or olive oil spray. Add the chicken drumsticks in a single layer, careful to not overlap. Cook for 10 minutes.
  • Turn the drumsticks in the basket and cook for an additional 10 minutes, for a total of 20 minutes cook time. Serve.
5 from 10 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1drumstick | Calories: 154kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Main Course
Cuisine American

REPIN this Easy Recipe

close up of Air Fryer Drumsticks with a title

Air Fryer Drumsticks with writing
Air Fryer Drumsticks before and after cooking in the air fryer

Categories:

, , , , ,

Recipes you'll love

About the author

See more posts by Gaja

latest & greatest

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating