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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.
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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.
