These air fryer chicken legs are seasoned with a simple blend of ingredients and cooked to absolute perfection. They are so juicy and have a crispy skin that’s out of this world addicting! I get excited when I have a recipes come out as good as this one. The seasoning, the timing, the temperature, everything comes together and makes a meal that is so unbelievably good! My air fryer has been one of my most used kitchen appliances ever and recipes like this are the reason why.
Start With Simple Ingredients
I love making recipes that use everyday ingredients which you probably already have in your pantry. For this recipe we use brown sugar, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder, ground mustard and a pinch of cayenne. We mix all the ingredients together in a large zip top bag, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and 6 chicken legs. Shake it all up real well and let it marinate in the refrigerator. How long? If you can let it marinate for at least an hour, you’ll be glad you did. If you can let it marinate overnight, oh wow!
Chicken Legs Are Easy to Make in the Air Fryer
Chicken legs are a rather forgiving meat when it comes to making in an air fryer. We want to be sure to cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees (F). If you don’t have a quick read kitchen thermometer, I highly recommend one. Not just for this dish, but it will make cooking everything that much better. The air fryer is perfect for quickly cooking the chicken legs so that they are juicy on the inside, with an unbelievably perfect crispy skin. That’s the key! We don’t have to broil or grill, just let the air fryer and the ingredients from this recipe do all the work.
How Long to Cook Air Fryer Chicken Legs?
Start with a preheated air fryer. Then use the “air fry” setting at 380 degrees (F) for 18-20 minutes, turning the chicken legs halfway through the cooking time. For smaller chicken legs it will be closer to 18 minutes. For larger chicken legs it will be closer to 20 minutes. But always take a look and use that quick read thermometer to make sure it’s an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees (F).
Don’t Need to Use Sauce
For his recipe we do not use sauce during the cooking. The ingredients are going to give you a nice barbecue flavor, while still letting the flavors of the chicken shine through. If you want to add sauce, you certainly can. Just add your favorite BBQ sauce in the last 5 minutes of the cooking time. But trust me, I don’t think you’ll need it.
Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 20 min
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 chicken legs
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Description
Tender and delicious chicken legs cooked to perfection in an air fryer.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs
- 3 tbs brown sugar
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
Instructions
- Add all dry ingredients to a large zip top bag and shake to mix well. Add chicken to bag with vegetable oil and shake until all the chicken in coated.
- Let chicken marinate in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. The longer the better. Overnight is best!
- Preheat air fryer for 5 minutes at 380 degrees (F). Add chicken to air fryer and use “air fry” setting at 380 degrees (F) for 18-20 minutes, turning chicken halfway through. Internal temperature of chicken should be at least 165 degrees (F).
Cam
Found this site by accident but, it is now bookmarked for future use. I made this recipe and actually almost followed the recipe to a “T” which is very unusual for me. I couldn’t use the cayenne due to ulcer and didn’t have brown sugar available so I used a bit of dark karo syrup. I let it marinate for about 2 1/2 hrs then cooked it for 20 minutes. DELICIOUS!!! The legs were really much larger than normal and the 4 I had filled the basket of a 5.8 qt fryer. At 12 minutes, I turned them and when the beeper sounded, I checked the internal temperature on all of them. 165 to 169 degrees. Beautiful color and easy for my husband and I to eat since we have dentures we seldom wear. Thank you for the great recipe!!! Pork chops are next on the list.
★★★★★
James
This seriously the best recipe I’ve ever gotten online. There isn’t much you can do with drumsticks, but this is now one of my go-to meals! 20 minutes in the Instant Pot Air Fryer is spot on!
★★★★★
RecipeTeacher
Dude, that’s some seriously high praise! Thank you so much!
Crystal Zoblisien
Wow!! This recipe is phenomenal!! Husband loved it, and it turned out tasting like something you’d pay good money in a restaurant for! Found a candied carrot recipe to pair it with. Thank you!
★★★★★
Mona W
I’ve made this several times using 4 thighs. 2 with skin on and 2 with skin off. (my husband won’t eat chicken skin) Turns out great every time and it’s so fast to put together! I throw in about a teaspoon of delicious Mexican Oregano. Love your Best Damn recipes! Please keep them coming!! 🙂
★★★★★
RecipeTeacher
Thanks so much, Mona! More best damn recipes on the way! 🙂
Stefanie
Do you leave the skin on the chicken leg or remove?
RecipeTeacher
Skin on. Crisps up so nicely with the seasoning and air fryer.
LynnC
Omg! Amazing recipe! We loved it. Easy to make and the flavor waswonderful. Wouldn’t change a thing.
★★★★★
Gina W
i love to cook and always try new recipes and this it getting moved to the front of the line as far as sauce to marinate chicken legs/ any part of the chicken!! I raise my Air Fryer Mitts to it. I made air fryer baked potatoe and sliced canned carrots in a brown sugar and cinnamon sauce to go along with the legs… yummm yummmm
★★★★★
Marcy L
This was only the 2nd time using my air fryer and my husband and I joked about the title being the Best Damn Air Fryer Chicken legs (like in the movie Elf). BUT I am here to confirm these are THE BEST DAMN CHICKEN LEGS PERIOD! I have never had juicier, more tender chicken EVER! They do have a little chick at the end but they are amazing! I would eat them every day if I could! I a, going back in to try some of the other Best Damn recipes!!!!!
★★★★★
Gina
Real talk, I have had this several times and it is the moistest, really flavorful chicken. My husband and two young kids all love this and one of the kids doesn’t even typically like chicken. I don’t ever write reviews but this is one you should try if you haven’t.
★★★★★
RecipeTeacher
Thanks for writing this one, Gina! I’m so glad the family liked it!
Debbie
These are the “best damn chicken legs” just make them!
Geno
Made this recipe using the measurements posted.
Since I had 14 drumsticks, I put the dry rub in two separate bags (2x amount, split to match the recipe – but with 7 drums).
Not sure if my meat thermometer is the best/accurate; but, for 14 drumsticks, it did take about 50 mins. The last 5 mins, since our guests arrived, I kicked up the air fryer to 400 deg, to get the internal past 165.
Very good taste and color. It didn’t hit me that I would crave this recipe or have to share/save; thus the 4-stars.
But, thank you for the general idea of amount, temp and time. I may try this with a Chinese 5-spice or a Korean Fried. Just got my air fryer for Xmas so trying out a lot. Thank you for this!
★★★★
KDrop
Best damn chicken I’ve ever made!!! I can never cook and even my husband loved these!!! I’ll be looking for more air fryer recipes!!
★★★★★
Jenny
This recipe was amazing. I marinated overnight and it tasted better than BBQ chicken from a restaurant. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Such an inexpensive but impressive meal, yummmm.
★★★★★
ML Burke
Made these tonight (in our Omni Plus) and didn’t have time to marinade. Didn’t matter: they were FANTASTIC!! I had a 3rd helping; we have zero leftovers! I’ll be heading to the grocery store tomorrow to get more drumsticks and let them marinade overnight for our next try. Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!!
★★★★★
Gary
Turned out Awesome!! This is my new go to recipe for drumsticks! Almost tasted like they were grilled.
★★★★★
Bri
Can I use olive oil instead of vegetable oil?
RecipeTeacher
Absolutely you can.
JP
how critical is the brown sugar? Trying to stay away from carbs and that’s the one ingredient getting in the way!
RecipeTeacher
The brown sugar is indeed one of the prominent ingredients in this recipe. Others have use brown sugar substitute such as Swerve with great success.
Dawn Darling
I use Swerve brown sugar. I also have Lakanto brown sugar but I like Swerve better for this recipe. I use it for all the recipes that require brown sugar and no one can even tell the difference!
Gary
Hey…Use the Splenda Brown Sugar to replace. That’s what I did!
Bianca
You did not lie. This is the best damn air fryer chicken legs. I made this kind and another for dinner tonight and this was my favorite! Ty!
shirley
Is it ok if you don’t have dry mustard on hand?
RecipeTeacher
Hi Shirley, you can certainly make it without the dry mustard. While it’s not a huge component of the flavor profile, it’s still part of what makes the flavors as savory as it is. But I think you’ll still like it without the dry mustard. 🙂
Ania
I have made this recipe so many times already, it is a must once a week at my house. So easy, fast and so flavorful, the best!! I use boneless chicken thights insted chicken drums and marinade them overnight. They always come out perfectly ☺️ Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe 😊
★★★★★
Barb
Yes it’s the best damn recipe!! I’m getting used to my new air fryer so cooked at 375 for 21 minutes but would have been done sooner. I’ve discovered mine cooks hot so I keep watching. Excellent recipe though it’s a keeper!!
★★★★★
Jonas
Just made these last night and my wife and I really enjoy them! Sadly, I only had time to marinate the chicken for around 30 mins, but the recipe still turned out great! My wife’s still talking about how good the drumsticks were! Thanks for sharing this!
★★★★★
Sara
I made these last night marinated for 2 1/2 hours. They were damn delicious. I could tell if they went for 24 hours they would be even tastier! I made these for my family and a neighbor and everyone agreed. YUMMMMMM!
★★★★★
Jill
So easy and absolutely DELICIOUS!! I only air fried half my drumsticks the first night. Leg the other marinate for 24 hrs. The 2nd batch was DAMN DELICIOUS!! 😁
★★★★★
Eleni
This was so easy and delicious!! Thank you!
★★★★★
RossC
I find most all your temp/time suggestions to be spot on. I’ve had a Vortex Pro for 2 months and I enjoy the recipes/tips you offer.. Thank you.. :O)
★★★★★