We absolutely love drumsticks in the air fryer and this recipe is a quick & easy dinner!
Drumsticks are seasoned and coated in our fave bbq sauce. They’re air fried until sticky on the outside with super moist and flavorful meat.
Our Favorite Way to Cook Drumsticks
While we love baked drumsticks, these are our new favorite!
- Drumsticks in the air fryer take way less time than the oven.
- They can be cooked with bbq sauce or just seasonings if you’d prefer.
- Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these are quick and easy.
- Clean up is quick and easy.
We love the way air fryers cook chicken! Whether you have a Ninja, a Corsori, or another brand, all air fryers work by circulating hot air around the food, letting the outside crisp up while sealing in all the juices. Also, the food isn’t left cooking in the fat that’s left behind. It’s a win-win!
New to Air Frying? Check out our favorite Air Fryer here.
Find everything air fryer here including our best tips, tricks, and recipes.
View all Air Fryer Recipes here.
No Air Fryer? No Problem! We use this drumsticks recipe in the oven.
Ingredients and Variations
CHICKEN Drumsticks (or chicken thighs) tend to be economical and have lots of meat.
SAUCE This chicken is lightly seasoned and then finished off with our homemade bbq Sauce. And if you’re looking for something a little spicier, add a splash of Buffalo Sauce or sriracha.
SEASONING Keep it simple and delicious with parsley, salt & pepper, onion, and garlic powder. Delish.
Chicken drumsticks can also be served like fried chicken by dipping in a flour mixture.
How to Make Air Fryer Drumsticks
Air fryer chicken drumsticks are super easy to make in 1, 2, 3!
- Combine oil and dry seasonings in a bowl, coat drumsticks.
- Fry in a preheated air fryer, removing to baste with sauce once.
- Remove drumsticks from air fryer and brush on another coating of sauce (optional).
Leftovers
- Keep leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator and they’ll last for 3-4 days. Enjoy them cold or reheat in the air fryer for 4-5 minutes.
- Frozen drumsticks can last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Simply place them in a zippered bag and write the date on the outside. Take out portions as needed and thaw in the refrigerator or microwave.
Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken – crispy & crunchy
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings – best wings ever
- Air Fryer Chicken Tenders – better than deep fried
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs – tender & juicy
- Air Fryer Chicken Breasts – easy to cook
- Hoisin Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – ready in no time
- Air Fryer Buffalo Wings – perfect for game day
- Air Fryer Bone-In Chicken Breasts – juicy & tender
Did you make this Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 cup barbeque sauce
Instructions
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Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
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In a bowl combine the drumsticks, olive oil, and dry seasonings, mix until fully coated.
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Place the drumsticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
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Remove from the air fryer and flip the drumsticks, basting them with the barbeque sauce.
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Cook for 5 more minutes and repeat the basting process cooking the chicken for an additional 5 minutes or until the drumsticks reach 165°F internally.
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Remove from the basket and serve, adding one more coating of barbeque sauce if desired.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
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Very easy, quick and delicious! Great weeknight meal.
Thanks, Sue! I am glad you enjoyed it.
I’ve made this now twice and even my son (he usually doesn’t eat his meat), ate all his chicken. My family asked me to make this again. So this is one recipe I will go back to often. Thank you for sharing this with the world.
That is great, Narina. So happy he enjoyed it!
I just got an air fryer and this will be the first recipe I try. But my air fryer has multiple settings on it and I’m not sure if I should use the air fry setting, or the roast setting?
This recipe uses the air fryer setting. I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you!
These are fantastic! So easy to make. My husband ate two of them in a millisecond. Love my airfryer for cooking chicken. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
I’m so glad you loved them, I think they’re my favorite drumstick recipe too!
Made this for my family Saturday evening and they all loved it! They requested that it must be made again soon!
I am so happy to hear that, Narina! You will definitely have to add it to your menu rotation!
I made this recipe for dinner last night and it was a big hit
So happy to hear that, Victoria!
This dish was quick, easy and amazing. Thank you for the recipe!!
You are very welcome Bennie! We are glad you enjoyed it.
Hi – These look terrific and I’m going to make the recipe tonight. Just one question – in a couple places you say to remove the chicken from the air fryer to baste, or to flip and baste. The photo shows basting in the air flyer. Do you actually remove them completely, putting them on a plate and then returning them to the air fryer?
Thanks!
You can do it either way Beth. Enjoy the drumsticks, they’re so tasty!