Air Fryer Chicken Legs
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You only need four ingredients and less than 25 minutes to cook these tasty BBQ air fryer chicken legs. They come out sticky and crispy on the outside and perfectly moist and juicy on the inside. The best part is that the air fryer does all the work for this easy dinner recipe!
It’s no secret in my friend group that I’m obsessed with my air fryer. It’s great for cooking everything from pork tenderloin to “boiled” eggs to now these chicken drumsticks!
These air fryer chicken legs are seasoned with savory spices and coated with sticky bbq sauce. When you cook them in the air fryer they come out perfect every time.
Instant download of our tips to cook the best chicken!
Why This Recipe is a Family Favorite
I especially love air fryer recipes during the summer because there’s no need to heat up the entire oven. This also makes it possible to have dinner ready in under 25 minutes!
Plus, there’s also hardly any cleanup at all since you can throw the air fryer basket right into the dishwasher.
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making this recipe! I’ve made this countless times, so I can save you from a failed attempt.
- To ensure even cooking, try to get chicken legs that are all about the same size and weight.
- Just as you would an oven or grill, always preheat the air fryer for a crispy end result.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil before adding the drumsticks to prevent sticking and for an even easier cleanup.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer! Leave a little room between each drumstick to allow the air to flow between them. It’s far better to work in batches than to overfill the basket.
- Check that the internal temperature has reached 165°F using a meat thermometer.
Ingredients
A combination of BBQ seasonings and BBQ sauce give these drumsticks incredible flavor.
Use my homemade blend of sugar-free BBQ Spices or any store-bought blend. You can also mix together a 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, plus a 1/4 teaspoon each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and onion powder.
Make my sugar-free BBQ sauce or use your favorite store-bought sauce.
To ensure even cooking, try to get chicken legs that are all about the same size and weight.
How to Make Air Fryer Chicken Legs
This is a summary of the steps. For the full instructions, see the recipe card! ⬇️
Jump to Recipe
- Start by patting the drumsticks really dry with paper towels. This is the secret to getting that crispy skin!
- Drizzle them with oil and sprinkle the seasoning. Use your hands to turn the drumsticks and evenly coat them on all sides.
- Use a pair of tongs to add chicken legs to a preheated air fryer and cook until crispy. Make sure to leave a bit of room between each drumstick so they cook evenly!
IMPORTANT: Spray or brush the air fryer basket or rack with oil. This will help keep the chicken from sticking!
- Halfway through cooking, turn the drumsticks and brush each piece with a little bit of BBQ sauce.
- If needed, continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through. When they're done carefully transfer the drumsticks to a plate to enjoy!
BBQ Chicken Leg FAQs
Always make sure to preheat your air fryer, just like you would for almost all grilled and baked recipes. It helps ensure even cooking and accurate cook times.
Also, if you're new to air fryer cooking, get my printable air fryer cooking times chart!
Absolutely! You can prep the chicken legs by coating them with the oil and seasonings up to 18 hours in advance. Keep them covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.
Check out my gas or charcoal grilled BBQ Chicken Drumsticks recipe!
To store leftovers, add the cooled chicken to an airtight container or bag and seal. Transfer to the refrigerator and store for 3-4 days, per USDA.
Serving Suggestions
Serve BBQ chicken legs with your favorite picnic or BBQ side dishes. Purple cabbage slaw, pickles, potato salad, deviled eggs or corn on the cob are all great options. Sides like broccoli bacon salad go really well with this easy chicken drumsticks recipe too!
After you make this recipe, please give it a star rating below and comment to let me know how it went!
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken legs about 4 pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons bbq seasoning *see Notes
- ¼ cup bbq sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (193°C). *If your air fryer doesn’t have a preheat setting, turn it on and wait about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, pat 1 lb. chicken legs dry with paper towels on all sides. Drizzle the chicken with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle on 2 teaspoons bbq seasoning, turning to coat the drumsticks on all sides.
- Spray or brush the air fryer basket or rack with oil. Place the chicken inside the air fryer, leaving room between each chicken leg to allow the air to flow.Close the basket and set the cook time for 18-22 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken and strength of your air fryer. *You will have to watch closely near the end of cooking and experiment a little.
- Halfway through cooking, open the air fryer basket. Use the tongs to turn the drumsticks, then brush each leg with of ¼ cup bbq sauce. Close the air fryer basket and continue cooking. After 18 minutes of cook time, open the air fryer basket. Use a meat thermometer to see if the internal temperature of the chicken legs has reached 165°F (74°C). *Important: When you insert the thermometer probe into the chicken leg, be sure it is not touching a bone.Continue cooking for another 1-4 minutes, if necessary, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Once cooked, use tongs to carefully transfer the bbq chicken from the air fryer to a plate or platter for serving.
Notes
- Preheat your air fryer before cooking.
- Spray the air fryer basket with oil before adding the chicken. This will help prevent the meat from sticking.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer! Leave a little room between each drumstick and cook in batches if necessary.
- To cook on the grill, check out my gas or charcoal grilled BBQ Chicken Drumsticks recipe!
Nutrition
2026 Update: This recipe is still a favorite of ours! It's been updated to simplify the cooking instructions and include extra cooking tips. We hope you love it as much as we do!
I haven’t tried this yet. But, I am new to the air fryer and I so appreciate you posting recipes that are easy to follow~ I will post after I’ve made these to let you know how I did. So far I used my air fryer once and I did learn not to put plastic in it lol what a mess