Name: Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 8 Chicken drumsticks; 1 cup Buttermilk; 1 cup Breadcrumbs; 2 tbsp Olive oil; 1 tsp Salt; 1/2 tsp Black pepper; 1 tsp Garlic powder; 1 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika; 1/4 tsp Chili powder; 1 tsp Onion powder

Last Updated on September 27, 2022 by Ashley Ward

Do you enjoy eating Crispy Fried Chicken Drumsticks from the official KFC menu but worry about putting on weight? These air fried chicken drumsticks will be a good substitute for you. My husband loves fried chicken, but we were trying to eat healthier; hence I decided to try to cook the drumsticks in the air fryer. With all the craze about the air fryer and how the food tastes as good as oil-fried chicken, I decided to try these air fried chicken drumsticks once I bought the air fryer.

These air fryer fried chicken drumsticks are crispy on the outside and so juicy and tender on the inside! They taste like real fried chicken but are healthier as they are cooked using a healthier method using less oil. These are the perfect treat for every fried chicken lover who whats to eat a bit healthier without losing flavor!

If you’ve never had air fried chicken, it might sound a bit funny – because the food in an air fryer isn’t fried – it is more like ultra-convection broiled. You just need a little bit of oil to make them crispy!

What is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is a small kitchen appliance that makes use of hot air circulation technology to give the food a crispy texture similar to conventional deep frying. The air fryer cooks food more healthily as it does not use oil or just very little oil. The air fryer is great for cooking frozen breaded fish fillet, chicken nuggets, chicken wings, and many more different types of food. You may be surprised that you can also make a dessert with the air fryer.

WHAT IS NEEDED TO COOK AIR FRIED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS?

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks
Buttermilk
Breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Garlic powder
Smoked paprika
Chili powder
Onion powder
Salt
Pepper

How to make breaded chicken legs in air fryer?

These air fried chicken drumsticks are made with buttermilk and have a crispy and slightly spicy breadcrumb crust. They are juicy and delicious that make great dinner or party snacks.

Cooking the drumsticks in an air fryer is super easy and fast. Place chicken drumsticks in a bowl, add buttermilk, and mix well. Let it marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

In a shallow bowl, combine the spices and breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken pieces in the breadcrumb mixture. Coat the chicken evenly.

Preheat the air fryer to 400F. Lightly oil the air fryer basket. Place the chicken legs into the air fryer basket on a single layer. Remember not to overcrowd the basket. Use an oil mister or brush, to coat the chicken very lightly (all over) with olive oil.

Cook for 25 minutes and give the air fryer basket a shake halfway through the cooking. Once 25 minutes is up, check the doneness to see if it is cooked.

You can serve them with your favorite side dishes or as a snack.

This is how I cook drumsticks in the air fryer. I’m sure this will surely become one of your very favorite dishes to make. You can use this air fryer recipe for other chicken dishes like air fried chicken tenders, air fried chicken wings, etc.

It tastes so good you won’t believe I cooked it with very little oil!

Tips on Cooking Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks in the Air Fryer

ALWAYS lightly coat chicken with olive oil or butter. The olive oil will help the breading crisp up and come to that beautiful, crunchy golden brown color. If you don’t use enough oil, the breading will have a slightly powdery texture.
Go easy on the breading. The thin breading works better in the air fryer. It gets crisp up better.
To prevent getting soggy fried chicken, do not use too much egg, and make sure you cook at the right temperature. My air fryer cooks the chicken best at 400F. You may have to try it out a few times before you can get it right as different air fryer cook differently.
To make sure the flour is fully cooked, lightly coat the chicken drumsticks before you place them in the fryer and midway through, this should get rid of all the flour.

Drumsticks are a great way to cook up a quick and easy meal. And with an air fryer, they can be cooked up healthy too! I hope you enjoyed this recipe for Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks. Be sure to check out my other recipes, and as always, happy cooking!

Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Total Time 35

Course Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 4 persons

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

8 Chicken drumsticks
1 cup Buttermilk
1 cup Breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black pepper
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
1/4 tsp Chili powder
1 tsp Onion powder

Instructions

Put chicken legs in a bowl, add buttermilk, and mix well.
Marinate for at least 30 minutes in the fridge.
Combine the spices and breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl.
Dip chicken pieces in the breadcrumb mixture.
Preheat at the air fryer at 400°F for 3 minutes.
Lightly oil the air fryer basket.
Put the chicken drumsticks in a single layer in the basket (don’t overcrowd the basket)
Use an oil mister or brush, to coat the chicken very lightly (all over) with olive oil.
Cook the chicken for 25 minutes.
Shake the basket halfway through. Apply some oil onto the chicken if necessary.
Check for doneness and serve.

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