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Air fryer chicken legs are juicy and tender on the inside, and perfectly crunchy on the outside. They’re crispy like fried chicken, without the oil! These chicken legs are so easy and quick to make, but jam-packed with spices and seasoning.
These air fryer fried chicken legs are incredibly juicy beneath their crunchy exterior. Every leg is bursting with flavor, but this easy air fryer recipe barely takes any time or effort to make. I use my secret to the best crispy chicken wings and legs: Baking powder! Just a little added to the seasoning blend helps the chicken skin crisp up, mimicking that deep-fried texture without the breading or oil. Try it once, and you’ll never want to cook your chicken legs any other way.
Why Air Fryer Chicken Legs Are Better Than Deep-Frying
- Easy and mess-free. The ingredients are simple, and these legs are ready in just 35 minutes (most of that is in the air fryer!). There’s no hovering over a hot stove or splattering oil.
- Amazing texture. The best part about this chicken is its perfectly crispy exterior. But it’s not breaded, floured, or deep-fried. It’s just covered in a spice blend and thrown in the air fryer, letting the baking powder in the seasoning do the work of getting the skin crispy and crunchy.
- Lighter. It might go without saying, but since these legs aren’t cooked in hot oil, they’re so much lighter than traditional fried chicken.
Ingredients Needed
Here are the easy ingredients you’ll need to make this quick air fryer fried chicken legs recipe. Scroll to the recipe card to see the exact amounts for each ingredient.
- Chicken legs – Make sure to use bone-in, skin-on chicken legs.
- Seasonings – I season the chicken legs with a blend of paprika, garlic and onion powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Baking powder – Added into the seasoning mix. Baking powder changes the pH of the chicken skin so it cooks up crispier. Do not try to replace the baking powder with baking soda, as the results will not be the same.
- Olive oil – You can use any type of oil that you like, but I prefer olive.
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How to Cook Chicken Legs in an Air Fryer
It only takes about 35 minutes to get tender, perfectly seasoned fried chicken legs on the table. I make this chicken in my Ninja Foodi air fryer, but you can use any model following the directions below.
- Prepare the spice rub. Use a paper towel to pat the chicken as dry as possible. Next, mix the salt, pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and baking powder in a small bowl.
- Season the chicken. Sprinkle the spice rub over the chicken, and toss to coat the meat.
- Add them to the air fryer. Place the chicken legs in the air fryer basket. Drizzle the olive oil over the top of the chicken.
- Cook. Air fry the chicken at 400F for 12-15 minutes, then flip. Air fry for another 12-15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked all the way through.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Don’t crowd the basket. When you cook the chicken, make sure that it’s not crowded in the air fryer basket. None of the pieces should be touching each other. This way, the heat from the air fryer can circulate better, making the chicken legs much crispier.
- Check the temperature. I recommend using a meat thermometer to test the doneness of the chicken legs. Take them out of the air fryer as soon as the chicken’s internal temperature hits 165ºF at the thickest part of the leg.
- Let it rest. Before serving your chicken, let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This allows the meat to reabsorb all of its tasty juices, making it moister and more flavorful. If you cut into the chicken too soon, a lot of the juice will leak out, and the chicken will be dry and bland.
What to Serve With Chicken Legs
These crispy chicken legs go with just about any meal. Serve them as an entrée dipped in homemade ranch or blue cheese dressing, or take the meat off the bone to add to a salad, pasta, sandwich, or even a taco. I also love to serve this chicken with a good traditional side dish. These are some sides that pair perfectly with this juicy chicken:
- Easy Sauteed Asparagus
- Creamed Spinach
- Loaded Cauliflower
- Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash with Gravy
Try This Chicken With Dipping Sauces
One of my favorite ways to serve these crispy chicken legs is with a mouthwatering sauce. Here are a few of my favorite dipping sauces for chicken:
How to Store and Reheat Leftover Chicken Legs
- Refrigerate. Air fryer chicken legs will last in the fridge for at least 3 days. Make sure to store it in an airtight container. Reheat in a 375ºF air fryer for 5 minutes, or a 375ºF oven for 10 minutes.
- Freeze. You can freeze this air fryer fried chicken, though some of the crispy texture will be lost. Store the meat in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw or defrost fully before reheating.
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
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Recommended Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds Chicken Legs, this is about 6 drumsticks
- 1/2 teaspoon Natural Ancient Sea Salt
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 1.5 tablespoons Baking Powder
- 2 tablespoons 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 air fryer basket.
- Drizzle olive oil on top of the chicken.
- Cook the chicken in the air fryer on 400F for 12-15 minutes. Flip the meat and cook for 12-15 more minutes, until cooked all the way through.
- Enjoy the chicken legs alone or add your favorite keto or low-carb dips, sauces, and side dishes.
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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.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.
- Reheat in a 375F air fryer for 5 minutes, or in a 375F oven for 10 minutes.
Nutrition Details
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.
Sandi V says
Excellent! I used a little bigger drumsticks so just increased the cooking time according an used 390 degrees. The spices were such a great combination. I made sue to use them all and everyone loved this chicken. I will be adding this recipe to my favorites!
Davinah Cenou Montezuma says
Thanks so much for stopping back to share your review, Sandi! I really appreciate it.
Rosie says
I tried this for the first time yesterday, it was so delicious that my husband asked me make it again today, we enjoyed it just as much. I did ( as I always do) add some Old Bay to it, we like spicy. My husband is now on a low carb diet, and this is just perfect, it’s nice to make food that not only looks good but taste good too. Thank You for your delicious recipe.
Davinah Cenou Montezuma says
Thanks, Rosie!
I appreciate you taking the time to share your review. I also love that you added Old Bay – it really tastes great on chicken.
Nina says
I usually don’t leave reviews, but I made this recipe, and my husband just kept talking about how good these chicken legs are. They are so easy and quick to made, so this is a definite keeper for me.
Dr. Davinah's Eats Team says
We really appreciate you stopping back to write such a thoughtful review. 🙂
Julie says
Thank you for a healthy way to get delicious fried chicken! And without the mess!
Dr. Davinah's Eats Team says
Glad that you liked the recipe. Thank you. 🙂
Robert A. Molek sr says
Deliciously crispy and retain juices too ! Thank you!!!!
Dr. Davinah's Eats Team says
We’re so happy you liked it. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
Joanne says
The meat comes out tender and juicy, and the crispy skin with these fantastic spices are absolutely delicious. This meal also takes no time at all to prepare. The drumsticks taste great cold as well. I love my Jinja and I love this recipe. Thank you!
Davinah says
I love my Foodi too! So happy that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for stopping back to share your experience making it!
Joanie says
I made this tonight and the chicken was perfect. I finished them with a very small basting of barbeque sauce. They were delicious. Thank you for the recipe
Davinah says
I love this making this with bbq sauce too! I’m happy that you enjoyed this recipe!
kerry says
This is a super easy recipe and absolutely delicious. I used arrowroot flour instead of the baking powder and it made it even more like fried chicken.
Davinah says
What a great idea! Arrowroot is perfect for people who might want these, but are following paleo or Whole30! Nice tip.
Judy says
Thank you for this recipe. Family loved absolutely loved it.
Davinah says
Happy that you all enjoyed it! Thank you for stopping back!
Ruth Ann says
OMGosh, the skin became crunchy and tasty.
Hubby said keep this recipe this is really good!!
I worried about too many spices, they were just right!
If you want spicy, ad a bit of Chipotle to your taste.
Davinah says
Thanks for the tip, Ruth Ann! I appreciate you for trusting the recipe :). Love that you make these spicy by adding some chipotle!
Sasha thomas says
Hello Queen; You Slayed this recipe. It was perfection. No need to add nor alter it. This is a 5 star recipe and if you follow it, you will have a crispy flavorful piece of chicken. Thank you BOSS QUEEN, great job. p.s. Now on a side note to you Ms. Queen D. I want 2 share . I use organic free range chicken drumsticks brined in kosher salt and organic herbs such as lemon garlic etc. for 2 1/2 hrs, then follow your recipe with ALL ORGANIC ingredients. So juicy. Organic fruits n vegetables , grass fed organic ground beef n wild caught tuna/salmon. Lost over 70 lbs without trying so I try to always eat clean. No processed foods ., Great Recipe u have here. Thank you
Davinah says
Thank you so much! I appreciate the extra tips that you left! So glad that you enjoyed it and was able to incorporate this in your weight loss journey! Keep up the amazing work!
Mary Pearl says
I’m using smoked paprika for the first time. What’s the difference between it and plain paprika?
Davinah says
Hi Mary,
Thanks for asking. Smoked Paprika literally has a sweet & smokey flavor. Plain paprika is not a good substitute for it as it is more peppery-tasting. In fact, I tend to only use plain paprika for “decoration”/added color in my kitchen.
Hope that helps!
Patricia A Malloy says
Loved the crispiness and spiciness.
Mary says
Delish! Very easy to do. Total time for complete meal – 30 minutes.
Pat says
I made this last night. I highly recommend it. It couldn’t have been easier. The seasonings and baking powder and the splash of olive oil made a lovely delicious crust. It was so healthy!!! Everyone needs to try this!!
Davinah says
Thanks so much, Pat! Glad you enjoyed it!
Rachel T. says
Yesssss, gurl!!! Lol! Your recipe and instructions are on point. I just finished making (and eating) this recipe with the family and I got so many compliments from the way it looks, the crispness, and great flavor. My adult son who bought my dual sided air fryer for me, raved about these air fryer chicken legs. Chicken legs, I would never have thought! Lmbo! I made cubed potatoes with home grown elephant garlic in the other air fryer compartment, same temp/time, brushed with oil and it paired nicely. Thank you, thank you!
Davinah says
Love these tip and this meal idea! I actually only eat chicken legs this way too! Appreciate you for trying this and stopping back to leave a review.
Chris Henry says
This recipe is AWESOME. I have a ninja Foodi and will never pan fry again. Thank you.
Davinah says
Glad you enjoyed this, Chris! Appreciate you for stopping back to leave a review.
Kim says
So damn good!!!
AndeeSmith says
Love your recipe – thank you! I saved this recipe to my Pinterest IP Air Fryer Lid board. A lot of air fryer wing and drumstick recipes have you cook in the instant pot and then again in the air fryer. Who wants overcooking chicken??!!
Shannon says
While the seasonings were delicious, my chicken did not get crisp in my Foodi. IF I try this recipe again, I will only make 4 drumsticks to see if they crisp up more.
Davinah says
Hi Shannon,
Thanks for sharing this and you’re right about using 4. I added some tips and an instructional video to make this point clearer since chicken legs can really vary in size. Space is key here for them to fully crisp up so you might need to make 4 drumsticks to leave some room in your air fryer.
Best,
Davinah
April V says
I made this tonight along with your keto creamed spinach and WOW! Amazing flavor, so easy to follow and my family loved it! Thank you so much for sharing! I’ll be sure to try your other recipes!
Christine Morgester says
This was some of the best chicken I’ve had in ages. Tastes just like “fried” chicken! Thank you for posting it!
Maria says
I’ve had my air fryer for a few years, but have only used it once before. Decided to give this recipe a try since I just went to Costco yesterday and happened to buy chicken drumsticks. The only thing I would do differently, and the reason for giving it 4 instead of 5 stars, is that I would add more salt and pepper. It has a good amount of onion and garlic powder, but I thought it could have used some more salt and pepper, and possibly more paprika too. Otherwise, it’s a great recipe. And the air fryer cooks the drumsticks in about half the time as my oven, even at the same temperature . My husband loved the chicken! I paired it with Davinah’s easy Keto coleslaw recipe.