• 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 » Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Last Updated July 18, 2022. Published July 7, 2022 By Davinah Cenou Montezuma

  • Share
Jump to Recipe
pinterest image for marinated chicken drumsticks

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

Cook marinated chicken legs (or marinated chicken drumsticks) in your air fryer with this simple Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Drumsticks recipe. It uses an easy marinade that works great on turkey thighs, chicken thighs, whole chicken, and marinated chicken wings. Add the chicken to the marinade for up to 2 days in advance for a ready-to-cook air fryer meal prep.

cooked Marinated Drumsticks on a plate surrounded with slices of lemon

Why Make Air Fryer Marinated Drumsticks

  • Simple homemade marinade: this marinated chicken legs recipe includes a six-ingredient marinade that uses pantry staples and easy-to-find ingredients like olive oil, garlic, and lemon. It also skips things like added sugar.
  • Make in the air fryer: You can bake, roast or slow cook your marinated chicken, but the air fryer serves as the quickest way to get a crispy, yet juicy result.

Ingredients Needed

  • Chicken Drumsticks: I’m using fresh chicken legs for this recipe. If you have frozen chicken, then I recommend thawing it before adding it to the marinade.
  • Chicken Marinade: The ingredients for the marinade are quite simple. You’ll need to gather sea salt, a salt-free herb seasoning, garlic cloves, black pepper, olive oil (or avocado oil), and lemon juice.
salt, black pepper, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, chicken drumsticks and herb seasoning on separate bowls

How to Air Fry Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

  1. Make the marinade: Add the salt, herb seasoning, garlic, black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to a large bowl. Whisk to incorporate.
  2. Add the chicken to the marinade & marinate: You can keep your chicken in a bowl that has a lid or a large freezer bag. I keep the chicken in for at least 4 hours.
  3. Put the chicken in the air fryer: I shake off excess marinade and add my chicken drumsticks in an even layer to the air fryer basket.
  4. Air Fry the chicken legs: I cook my chicken at 400 degrees and flip them at the halfway point to ensure even browning and crisping of the chicken drumstick skin.
steps to cook marinated drumsticks in an air fryer

Top Cooking Tips & FAQs

  • Marinate for up to two days: the longer you allow your chicken the marinate, the better in terms of flavor. I add my chicken legs and marinade to a large zipper bag and store it in the refrigerator until I am ready to cook them later in the week.
  • Freeze uncooked chicken with the marinade for later: Sometimes, meal plans change. You can also add the chicken with the marinade on it to the freezer (one benefit of using a freezer bag to store it). Simply take your chicken out 24 hours before you want to use it so that it can thaw in the refrigerator.
How long do chicken drumsticks take to cook in an air fryer?

This depends on the size of the chicken legs. Generally, though, they take 24-30 minutes to cook.

How many drumsticks can fit in an air fryer?

This depends on the size. I can usually fit 4-6. Just ensure that they are in a flat even layer. If you stack the chicken drumsticks, they will not brown evenly and take longer to cook. So, it’s best to do them in batches if they don’t all fit.

Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?

Yes. You can put aluminum foil in an air fryer. Be sure to check out my guide to see the best ways to use it and when you should not.

Recipes to Enjoy This With

  • Keto Creamed Spinach
  • Pressure Cooker Cabbage
  • Pressure Cooker Collard Greens
  • Air Fryer Green Beans Recipe

More Marinated Chicken Recipes

  • Marinated Chicken Wings
  • Baked Chicken Thighs
  • Indoor Grill Chicken Kababs

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! 

close up shot of Marinated Drumsticks

Air Fryer Marinated Drumsticks

Cook marinated chicken legs (or marinated chicken drumsticks) in your air fryer with this simple Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Drumsticks recipe.
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Ready in: 30 mins
Cuisine: American
Course: Dinner, Lunch
Servings: 4
Calories: 195kcal
Author: Davinah
Pin Rate Print

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

Recommended Equipment

Ninja Foodi

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Chicken Drumsticks
  • 1 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt, use DRDAVINAHS to save!
  • 1 tbsp 24 Herbs Sprinkle Seasoning (Salt-free), or another salt-free mixed herb seasoning like Herbs de Provence or Italian Seasoning
  • 2 tbsp Garlic, cloves, minced, about 8 cloves
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1/3 cup Olive Oil, or avocado oil
  • 3 tbsp Lemon Juice, fresh or bottled work

Instructions

  • Add the salt, herb seasoning, garlic, black pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to a large bowl. Whisk to incorporate.
  • Pat the drumsticks dry with a paper towel.
  • Add the chicken drumsticks to the bowl, and mix them evenly with the marinade.
  • Cover and marinate for at least 4 hours (ideally overnight)
  • Take the chicken about 15-30 minutes before cooking.
  • Stir the chicken in the marinade one last time.
  • Add the chicken to the air fryer cooking basket in an even layer.
  • Air crisp the drumsticks at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes per side.

Recipe Notes

  • Marinate for up to two days: the longer you allow your chicken the marinate, the better in terms of flavor. I add my chicken legs and marinade to a large zipper bag and store it in the refrigerator until I am ready to cook them later in the week.
  • Freeze uncooked chicken with the marinade for later: Sometimes, meal plans change. You can also add the chicken with the marinade on it to the freezer (one benefit of using a freezer bag to store it). Simply take your chicken out 24 hours before you want to use it so that it can thaw in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Details

Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 371mg | Potassium: 209mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

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

  • close up of three chicken thighs cooked in the Ninja Foodi air fryer
    Air Fryer Dry Rub Chicken Thighs
  • cooked boneless skinless chicken thighs in the ninja foodi air fryer
    Air Fryer Boneless Chicken Thighs Recipe
  • air fryer roasted chicken wings close up
    Air Fryer Roasted Chicken Wings
  • Air Fryer Whole Chicken on a blue serving dish with two lemon halves.
    Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe (Keto & Whole30)

Filed Under: Air Fryer Recipes, Chicken Leg Recipes, Chicken Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Keto Appetizer Recipes, Keto Dinner Recipes, Keto Recipes, Ninja Foodi Recipes, Whole30 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

fresh green beans with bacon cooked in a crockpot slow cooker

Crockpot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon

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]

Most Popular Recipes

Shrimp Scampi on a white oblong plate

Keto Shrimp Scampi Recipe

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

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

pan seared scallops in a bowl with cauliflower risotto

Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto

keto coleslaw in a bowl with a fork

Best Keto Coleslaw 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
air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks on a plate with bbq sauce

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

air fryer chicken legs recipe on a plate

Air Fryer Chicken Legs

close up shot of marinated chicken in a plate

Marinated Chicken Wings

close-up of two dry rub chicken breasts on a plate

Dry Rub Chicken Breasts

crispy baked bbq chicken wings on a cooling rack

Best BBQ Chicken Wings Recipe

Keto Stuffed French Toast topped with blueberries and maple syrup

Healthy Stuffed French Toast with Cream Cheese

crispy air fryer whole chicken wings and sauce on a plate

Air Fried Chicken Wings

air fryer asparagus on a plate with a lemon slice

Air Fryer Asparagus

close-up of a plate of radishes cooked in the Ninja Foodi air fryer

Air Fryer Roasted Radishes

Air Fryer Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

fresh green beans with bacon cooked in a crockpot slow cooker

Crockpot Fresh Green Beans with Bacon

crispy air fryer green beans in a bowl

Easy Air Fryer Green Beans Recipe

keto coleslaw in a bowl with a fork

Best Keto Coleslaw Recipe [+VIDEO]

instant pot southern green beans with bacon in a white bowl

Instant Pot Southern Green Beans

cabbage in a pressure cooker cooking pot

Instant Pot Cabbage Recipe [+VIDEO]

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
  • Share