• Recipe Box
    • All Recipes
    • Low Carb & Keto
    • Whole30
    • Paleo
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Ninja Foodi
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Dips, Salad Dressings & Sauces
    • Web Stories
  • Cooking Tips
  • About
    • Work With Dr. Davinah’s Eats
    • Contact
  • Keto Blog
    • Product Reviews & Guides
    • Recipe Collections
    • Keto Guide for Dummies: A Introduction to Keto
    • Get Exclusive Discounts
    • 360 Cookware
    • Amazon Favorites
    • Shop

↑

Dr. Davinah's Eats

Keto, Low Carb & Air Fryer Recipes for Foodies

  • Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Air Fryer Recipes
    • Cast Iron Skillet Recipes
    • Cauliflower Recipes
    • Chicken Recipes
      • Chicken Breast Recipes
      • Chicken Leg Recipes
      • Chicken Thigh Recipes
      • Chicken Wing Recipes
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Sauce Recipes
    • Beef Recipes
    • Five Ingredient Recipes or Less
    • Keto & Low Carb Recipes
      • 30 Minutes or Less
      • Dessert Recipes
      • Pizza Recipes
      • Breakfast Recipes
      • Game Day Recipes
      • Lunch & Dinner Recipes
      • Drink Recipes
    • Holiday Recipes
      • Christmas Recipes
      • Thanksgiving Recipes
    • Spice Mixes & Blends
    • Ninja Foodi Recipes
    • Paleo Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Seafood Recipes
      • Salmon Recipes
      • Scallops Recipes
      • Shrimp Recipes
    • Side Dish Recipes
    • Whole30 Recipes
    • Web Stories
  • Keto Blog
    • Product Reviews & Guides
    • Recipe Meal Idea Lists
  • Shop
    • Exclusive Coupon Codes
    • 360 Cookware
    • Amazon Shop
  • Cooking Tips
  • About
    • Work with Us
    • Contact Us
Home » Healthy Recipes » Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) [+VIDEO]

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) [+VIDEO]

Last Updated December 14, 2022. Published August 11, 2021 By Davinah Cenou Montezuma

7.8K shares
  • Share1.6K
Jump to Recipe
pinterest for air fryer chicken legs
Pinterest image for air fryer chicken legs
pinterest image for crispy air fryer chicken legs

This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and highly recommend. You can read my full disclosure .

These Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) come out delightfully crisp in about 30 minutes. They are the perfect way to get fried chicken flavor without using breading or flour. Enjoy these as is with sides like my creamed spinach. Or, switch things up with my other air fryer chicken leg recipes like air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks, air fryer roasted chicken legs, and air fryer marinated chicken legs.

Crispy Drumsticks on a plate

Why Share Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

  • Great for busy people and families: Air fryer chicken legs are one of my favorite easy keto recipes because they are perfect for busy people & families. They do not require much prep and cook until crispy in about 30 minutes total.
  • Perfect regardless of your way of eating: almost everyone loves crispy chicken, so the whole family will eat them happily even if they aren’t following a low carb or keto diet. 
  • Crispy without flour breading: these use a spice mix to get fried chicken flavors without adding flour

Ingredients Needed

  • Chicken Legs: this was about 4-6 drumsticks. Mine were fresh. If you have frozen meat, be sure to thaw them out
  • Natural Ancient Sea Salt
  • Black Pepper
  • Smoked Paprika
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Baking Powder
  • Olive Oil
Chicken Legs,, Natural Ancient Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Baking Powder, Olive Oil on separate bowls

How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs

The Ninja Foodi (all-in-one multi-cooker) makes it easy to cook air-fried dishes. In fact, it’s one of my favorite kitchen tools for chicken drumsticks, air fried chicken wings, air fryer roasted cauliflower, and air fryer sausages.

The best way to learn how to make this dish is to watch the post video. 

The basic steps to make drumsticks in the Foodi are:

  1. Mix the spices & prepare the chicken: Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels. Be sure to remove as much moisture as possible. Drier chicken results in a crispier end result. Mix up the spices, salt, and baking powder in a small bowl.
  2. Add spices to the chicken legs: Once the spices are well blended, place the chicken legs in a bowl or a large zip lock bag. Sprinkle the spice mix on top and give them a toss to coat the legs with the mixture.
  3. Place the chicken into the air fryer cooking basket and drizzle a little bit of oil on them. The oil will help give them a crispier skin.
  4. Air Crisp the chicken drumsticks for about 12-15 minutes per side.
steps to cook Chicken legs in an air fryer

Top Tips & FAQs

  • Use thawed chicken legs or chicken drumsticks for best results: You can make frozen chicken in the air fryer. But, this recipe works best with defrosted or thawed chicken.
  • Don’t try to substitute baking soda for baking powder: Trust me. I know from experience that the drumsticks will have a terrible taste, and you’ll waste perfectly good drumsticks for nothing.
  • Adjust the cook time based on size: chicken legs vary in size. So, it’s important to adjust the cook time for larger chicken legs.
  • Use all the spice mix: the spice mix helps the chicken legs crisp in the air fryer and add flavor. Be sure to use all or most of it for best results.

How long to cook chicken legs in an air fryer?

The technical answer for how long to cook chicken drumsticks is to cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. To confirm this, you’ll need a meat thermometer. But, of course, not everyone has a meat thermometer.

For bare minimum doneness: 24 total minutes in an air fryer set to 400 degrees will adequately cook the drumsticks. But, the longer you keep them in the air fryer, the crispier they will get.

For crispy drumsticks: cook them for about 30 total minutes.

One great thing about air fryers generally is that you can always open the lid, check on your meat, and continue cooking if you need more time.

Getting air fryer chicken legs crispy with no breading

Traditional fried chicken relies on breading to help crisp up the outside of the chicken. Of course, breading, whether flour, bread crumbs, or a batter, is not keto or low carb friendly.

The solution to this is pretty simple. Baking powder, when added to the spice mix, allows the chicken skin to crisp up nicely in the air fryer.

Along with a drizzle of olive oil, you will have crispy, great-tasting drumsticks without the use of bread crumbs and other grains.

Can you put foil in an air fryer?

Yes. You can put foil in an air fryer. You can also line your air fryer with parchment paper. These can help make clean up easier when you are done cooking.

Side Dishes for Air Fryer Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks can go with a lot of different side dishes and dips. What you serve it with will depend on what you are in the mood for that night.

If you want a great vegetable side dish, you can try:

  • Easy Sauteed Asparagus
  • Keto Creamed Spinach
  • Loaded Cauliflower
  • Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash with Keto Gravy

Or, you can try it with a dipping sauce. One of my favorites is low carb sweet chili sauce, which I used to make Keto Asian sticky wings and would give these drumsticks an Asian flare. 

More Air Fryer Chicken Leg Recipes

  • Air Fryer Dry Rub Chicken Drumsticks
  • Roasted Chicken Legs in the Ninja Foodi
  • Marinated Chicken Legs
  • BBQ Chicken Legs
  • Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters

If you try this recipe, please stop back and leave it a star rating and/or a review in the comments. Stay connected & share photos of your creations with me & others on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest! 

air fryer chicken legs recipe on a plate

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe

Air Fryer Chicken Legs come out delightfully crispy and full of flavor in about 30 minutes. They are the perfect way to get crispy fried chicken without using breading or added grains.
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Ready in: 35 mins
Cuisine: American
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Servings: 3
Calories: 288kcal
Author: Davinah
Pin Rate Print

Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!

Recommended Equipment

Ninja Foodi

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs Chicken Legs, this was about 6 drumsticks
  • 1/2 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1.5 tbsp Baking Powder
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Instructions

  • Remove the chicken legs from the refrigerator and pat dry (removing as much moisture as possible helps to have a crispy chicken skin)
  • Mix the sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and baking powder in a small dish or ramekin
  • Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on the chicken and toss to coat
  • Place the drumsticks on the cooking basket. In the Ninja Foodi, this is called the "Cook & Crisp" basket. 
  • Drizzle olive oil on them
  • Use the Air Crisp setting on 400 degrees for the Ninja Foodi or 400 degrees on other fryers to cook the chicken for 12-15 minutes per side. 
  • Enjoy the chicken legs alone or add your favorite keto or low-carb dips and sauces. 

Recipe Notes

  • Use thawed chicken legs or chicken drumsticks for best results: You can make frozen chicken in the air fryer. But, this recipe works best with defrosted or thawed chicken.
  • Don’t try to substitute baking soda for baking powder: Trust me. I know from experience that the drumsticks will have a terrible taste, and you’ll waste perfectly good drumsticks for nothing.
  • Adjust the cook time based on size: chicken legs vary in size. So, it’s important to adjust the cook time for larger chicken legs.
  • Use all the spice mix: the spice mix helps the chicken legs crisp in the air fryer and add flavor. Be sure to use all or most of it for best results.

Nutrition Details

Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 501mg | Potassium: 678mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Calcium: 185mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used. The keto sweeteners I use have 0g net carbs & are not included because sugar alcohols do not impact most people. This is provided as a courtesy, but you can do your own calculations if you wish!

Share this RecipeIf you enjoy this recipe, share a link to it via email or Facebook, pin it, or leave a rating. Please don’t copy/paste the instructions to other websites. Thanks for helping the website grow!

Related Posts

  • Air Fryer Whole Chicken on a blue serving dish with two lemon halves.
    Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe (Keto & Whole30)
  • a close-up photo of a garlic parmesan wing on a plate
    Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings [+VIDEO]
  • crispy air fryer whole chicken wings and sauce on a plate
    Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe [+VIDEO]
  • two air fryer salmon filets on a plate topped with garlic butter
    Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Herbed Salmon Recipe

Filed Under: Air Fryer Recipes, Chicken Leg Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Clean Eating Recipes, Easy Keto Recipes: 30 Minutes or Less, Five Ingredient Recipes or Less, Healthy Recipes, Keto Appetizer Recipes, Keto Dinner Recipes, Keto Recipes, Ninja Foodi Recipes

close up photo of Davinah - the blogger behind Dr. Davinah\'s Eats welcome text that reads, \"I\'m Davinah\" I'm an educator & hardcore foodie who realized eating "all the things" couldn’t last forever. After getting my PhD in Education, I decided to make eating healthier my next big goal. Here, you'll find my collection of keto, low-carb and whole food comfort food recipes. Read More

Search this Website

Free Keto & Low Carb Recipes Delivered Weekly!

Subscribe for amazing recipes, giveaways, discounts and more.

Holiday Favorites

cabbage cooked in a crockpot

Easy Crockpot Cabbage Recipe

getting a slice of strawberry cheesecake

Best Keto Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe

close up of slow cooker turkey tenderloin recipe on a plate with gravy

Crockpot Turkey Tenderloin

Keto Stuffed French Toast topped with blueberries and maple syrup

Healthy Stuffed French Toast with Cream Cheese

a close up of surf and turf with steak and shrimp scampi on a plate

Surf and Turf (Steak & Shrimp) Recipe [+ Video]

close-up shot of Turkey Tenderloin

Air Fryer Turkey Tenderloin [+VIDEO]

Most Popular Recipes

two air fryer salmon filets on a plate topped with garlic butter

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Herbed Salmon Recipe

crispy air fryer whole chicken wings and sauce on a plate

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe [+VIDEO]

air fryer chicken legs recipe on a plate

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) [+VIDEO]

pan seared scallops in a bowl with cauliflower risotto

Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto

a close-up photo of a garlic parmesan wing on a plate

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings [+VIDEO]

keto coleslaw in a bowl with a fork

Easy Low Carb & Keto Coleslaw Recipe [+VIDEO]

a close-up of Keto Bang Bang shrimp in a bowl

Low-Carb Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe (Grain-free, No-Added Sugar)

Shrimp Scampi on a white oblong plate

Keto Garlic Shrimp Scampi Recipe [+VIDEO]

close-up of Pressure Cooker Pot Roast in a bowl

Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

Menu Planning Ideas

  • Chicken Recipes
  • 30 Minutes or Less
  • Side Dishes
Close up of a roast chicken on a plate with a lemon slice

Air Fryer Roasted Whole Chicken [4 Ingredients]

air fried chicken sausage on a cutting board

Perfect Air Fryer Chicken Sausages

crispy baked chicken wings on a parchment lined baking sheet

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings Recipe [+VIDEO]

frozen wings cooked in an air fryer on a plate with celery and bbq sauce

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Wings

A plate of baked wings, celery, carrots, and a ramekin of ranch dressing.

Spicy Dry Rub Chicken Wings Recipe [+Video]

air fryer frozen meatballs in a white bowl

How to Cook Frozen Meatballs in an Air Fryer

Cast Iron Skillet Pork Chops Recipe on a plate

The Best Keto Pork Chops Cast Iron Skillet Recipe

Pumpkin Spice Latte on a mug

Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte [+VIDEO]

close up of three chicken thighs cooked in the Ninja Foodi air fryer

Air Fryer Dry Rub Chicken Thighs

tasty Leftover Turkey Soup on a bowl

Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe 

cabbage in a pressure cooker cooking pot

Instant Pot Cabbage Recipe [+VIDEO]

air fryer mushrooms with roasted garlic butter sauce and roasted garlic

Air Fryer Mushrooms

close up of browned air fryer sausage patties on a plate

Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage Patties [+Video]

cabbage cooked in a crockpot

Easy Crockpot Cabbage Recipe

roasted butternut squash in the air fryer

Air Fryer Butternut Squash

Featured on:

list of magazines and online blogs that feature Dr. Davinah\'s Eats recipes

@DrDavinahs Follow On Instagram

Free Keto & Low Carb Recipes Delivered Weekly!

Subscribe for amazing recipes, giveaways, discounts and more.

By using this website, you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures

Browse by Category

Recipes by Course

  • Recipe Index
  • Breakfast
  • Main Course
  • Side Dish Recipes
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
  • Dip, Salad Dressing & Sauces

Recipes by Diet

  • Keto & Low-Carb Recipes
  • Paleo Recipes
  • Whole30 Recipes

About Davinah Policies Work With Us

Search this Website

Copyright ©2023, Dr. Davinah's Eats. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs
  • Pin
  • 1.6KShare