Crispy, sticky Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are a super fast and easy choice for a busy weeknight dinner. Chicken legs are seasoned, basted with BBQ sauce, and air fried to tender perfection.
The more new things I try in my air fryer, the more my love for this incredible appliance grows. I’ve been air frying at least one or two dinners a week and these delicious Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks have quick become a favorite. Everyone loves ’em!
Chicken legs are an inexpensive choice for dinner and leftovers are fabulous warm or cold from the fridge the next day for lunch. They’re incredibly easy to make and fun to eat.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken drumsticks – This recipe makes 6 chicken legs, approximately 1 ½ to 2 pounds. The recipe can easily be doubled and cooked in two batches.
- Oil – You need a very small amount and I recommend using either olive or avocado oil.
- BBQ sauce – Use your favorite store-bought or homemade BBQ sauce. We like Kinders Mild.
- BBQ Seasoning Mix – Onion powder, granulated garlic, kosher salt, dried thyme, dry mustard, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper (just enough for a little kick). This dry seasoning mix creates amazing flavor when it blends with the BBQ sauce.
- Nonstick cooking spray – Always use a propellant free nonstick cooking spray or a refillable oil mister when air frying as sprays that contain propellants can cause the nonstick lining of your air fryer basket to peel over time. Refined avocado oil has a high smoke point and is an excellent choice for air frying up to 500 degrees F.
How to Make Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Place the chicken legs in a large bowl, drizzle with the oil and sprinkle with the seasoning. Toss until well coated.
- Preheat your air fryer to 380 degrees. When hot, spritz the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks in the basket in one layer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Use tongs to flip the chicken and cook for an additional 8 minutes.
- Pull the basket out and baste the chicken liberally on all sides with BBQ sauce. Cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165 F and the BBQ sauce is slightly caramelized.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Crispy, sticky Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are a super fast and easy choice for a busy weeknight dinner. Chicken legs are seasoned, basted with BBQ sauce, and air fried to tender perfection.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 23 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 chicken drumsticks, approximately 1 ½ to 2 pounds
- 2 teaspoons olive or avocado oil
- ¼ cup BBQ sauce
- propellant-free nonstick cooking spray, like Chosen Avocado Oil Spray
BBQ Spice Mix
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to tate
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 380 degrees F. for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and place in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with the oil and toss again to coat the drumsticks well. Sprinkle the seasoning over the chicken and toss until the chicken is well coated on all sides. Set aside.
- Spritz the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray (be sure it’s propellant free – see Notes). Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks in the basket in one layer with a little space in between and cook for 10 minutes at 380 degrees F. Use tongs to flip the chicken and cook for an additional 8 minutes.
- Pull the basket out and baste the chicken liberally on all sides with BBQ sauce. Cook at 380 degrees F for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165 F and the BBQ sauce is slightly caramelized.
