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.

plated Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

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 to make Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

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.

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks in the air fryer before cooking

How to Make Air Fryer Drumsticks

Air fryer chicken drumsticks are super easy to make in 1, 2, 3!

  1. Combine oil and dry seasonings in a bowl, coat drumsticks.
  2. Fry in a preheated air fryer, removing to baste with sauce once.
  3. Remove drumsticks from air fryer and brush on another coating of sauce (optional).

brushing sauce on Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

cooked Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks in the air fryer

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

Did you make this Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text
plated Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
5 from 19 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Make juicy, delicious Air Fryer Drumsticks from fresh or frozen, in less than half the time it takes using the oven.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Holly Nilsson

Equipment

a black air fryer
Air Fryer
Instant Read Thermometer on white background
Instant Read Thermometer
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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 

  • Preheat air fryer to 400°F.
  • In a bowl combine the drumsticks, olive oil, and dry seasonings, mix until fully coated.
  • Place the drumsticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
  • Remove from the air fryer and flip the drumsticks, basting them with the barbeque sauce.
  • 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.
  • Remove from the basket and serve, adding one more coating of barbeque sauce if desired.

Notes

No Air Fryer? No Problem! We use this drumsticks recipe in the oven.
5 from 19 votes

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2drumsticks | Calories: 428 | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 1038mg | Potassium: 512mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 231IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

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
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks in the air fryer with writing
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks with a title

 

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks in the air fryer with a title

 

Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks in the air fryer and plated with a title

 

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. 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.

  2. 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?

  3. 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!5 stars

  4. Made this for my family Saturday evening and they all loved it! They requested that it must be made again soon!5 stars

    1. I am so happy to hear that, Narina! You will definitely have to add it to your menu rotation!

  5. 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!