An explosion of flavors packed with nutrition and lesser fats is always a yes when it comes to food. Chicken legs, simply called drumsticks, is a perfectly delicious and healthy meal option that is fried in an air fryer, offering heavenly bliss. Cooking chicken legs in an air fryer not only reduces the cooking time but also retains the juicy and tender texture with a crisp outer layer. We can also say that an air fryer is a cooking option that creates no mess and promotes a cleaner cooking procedure. In this article guide, we’re eager to provide you with the easiest 20-minute recipe for cooking everyone’s favorite: “The Chicken Legs or Drumsticks.” So, buddies gear up to try out the scrumptious meal, tantalizing the taste buds by following our instructions.
Chicken Legs in Air Fryer: Crispy Perfection in Every Bite
Air fryer is known for revolutionizing culinary practices with its healthy cooking options and reduced cooking time. It is popular because every meal cooked in an air fryer requires less oil and makes a healthy meal with less fat. So, keto followers and carbs-concerned buddies should try out this fantastic chicken legs recipe using an air fryer. Now, you might be thinking about how long it takes to cook chicken legs using an air fryer, which is around 20-25 minutes. However, the cooking time can vary depending on the brand of air fryer you are using.
If we talk about the cooking procedure of an air fryer, it frees you from the oven and baking hassles. The air inside the fryer makes the chicken legs- be they quarters, legs, or bone-in pieces so crunchy on the outside that the crispy skin makes you go nuts. The chicken pieces remain juicy, tender, and succulent from the inside, making it a mouth-watering and appetizing dinner option served with side dishes. Chicken legs in air fryers save you time and effort.
Let’s get to the recipe for cooked chicken legs with crispy skin; follow our guide below:
The Simple Ingredients for Perfect Chicken Legs
You just need a handful of ingredients when it comes to preparing chicken legs. Most of the households have those ingredients readily at home.
Below is the ingredients list for creating the magic of cooked chicken drumsticks:
Chicken Legs: Fresh or, if frozen, defrosted chicken legs. You can choose bone-in chicken legs or quarters of chicken legs as you like. It is worth mentioning that chicken legs mostly have dark meat rich in nutrients like iron and zinc, so it is a healthier option.
Cooking oil: You can use olive oil or any other type of cooking oil.
Dressings: Add your favorite blend of seasonings, such as salt, pepper, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
Optional: For extra taste, add some lemon juice and herbs like rosemary or thyme. You can add sweetness with some brown sugar. It gives an enhanced taste to your taste buds.
You can make tasty and crispy chicken legs in your air fryer with these simple ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your own tastes for a unique twist!
Mastering Chicken Legs in an Air Fryer Following a Few Simple Steps
Why do we keep emphasizing that the air-frying recipe for chicken legs is the easiest because it takes a maximum of 25 minutes with one-time flipping, and you’ll have your dinner ready on your table in no time? Moreover, if you are a busy mom or a chef with a hectic schedule, it is a life-saving recipe for you to try out.
Without a further ado, let’s get it into the recipe:
Get The Chicken Legs Ready: Take the frozen chicken drumsticks and defrost them. It’s even perfect if you are using fresh chicken bone-in or quarter legs. Start by patting the chicken legs dry with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.
Level up with spices: Sprinkle your preferred herbs and spices, such as garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and paprika, as mentioned in the ingredient sections, to season the chicken. This seasoning blend works great for enhanced flavor. Take a bowl and add the chicken legs and the seasonings, along with a drizzle of olive oil, and mix them.
Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheat your air fryer for three to five minutes to 375°F – 400 F (190°C). By doing this, the chicken legs will cook through and get crispy skin side.
Place The Seasoned Bone-In or Quarter Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer: After preheating, place the seasoned chicken legs in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Steer clear of overcrowding to promote even cooking and good air movement. The air fryer will work best for the frozen chicken if you have defrosted it.
Let The Chicken Legs Cook: The next step in the air fryer chicken legs recipe is letting the fryer do its magic. After placing the fryer basket into the fryer, cook the chicken legs for 25 to 30 minutes, turning and tossing them halfway through. This guarantees crispy and evenly cooked skin side on both sides. The air inside the fryer works magically and fuses with every bit of drumsticks, making it a fire combination of taste, flavor, and tenderness.
However, cooking time may vary depending on the size of your chicken legs and the brand of your air fryer. For example, the bone-in chicken legs might take a different frying time from that of chicken legs quarter. Make sure the internal temperature of the meat reaches 165°F (74°C) by using an instant read thermometer. This shows that your meat is cooked perfectly and evenly from all sides.
Check If It’s Done: Once the cooking time is up, take one chicken leg out of the air fryer with care, then cut into it to make sure that it has been perfectly cooked with a crisp skin side and tender inside.
If needed, cook them for a few more minutes.
Presenting and Snacking: After the chicken legs are perfectly cooked, take them out of the air fryer and let them rest for a short while before serving.
Serve your crispy chicken legs with your preferred sides, like roasted veggies, mashed potatoes, or a crisp salad.
Take pleasure in the savory and succulent chicken legs straight out of the air fryer. Every bite is a heavenly bliss when it’s tender and juicy. This will definitely be the kids’ and adults’ favorite likewise, and you’ll have to plan to cook some extra to satisfy your hunger.
I hope that our guide has helped you with your question on how to make a chicken fryer in an air fryer.
As we’ve discussed how perfectly an air fryer brings heavenly deliciousness to the chicken legs, here is another recipe for preparing chicken sausages using several cooking methods including an air fryer to make you go nuts.
As this guide has been completed, now let’s answer some of the questions related to the cooking time of chicken legs that might be swirling up in your mind.
How long it takes to cook frozen chicken legs: An air fryer usually takes 30-35 minutes to cook perfectly crisp legs.
How long does it take to cook bone-in chicken legs in the air fryer? It usually takes 25-30 minutes. People usually prefer bone-in chicken legs as their choice of meal.
How long it takes to cook chicken legs quarter in the air fryer: Based on the meat proportion, 30-35 minutes are enough to cook perfectly crisp chicken legs in an air fryer.
You can enjoy it as a whole meal or pair it up with your favorite dip or side dish for a fulfilling experience.
Just like flavorful chicken legs, you can also try out the irresistible crack chicken recipe for a perfect dinner.
I hope that everything related to frying chicken legs is clear now. Grab your drumsticks packet now and try out this fantastic air fryer chicken legs recipe.
To sum up, air fryer chicken legs provide a tasty, fast, and crispy dinner alternative that’s ideal for hectic days or anytime you’re craving comfort food. You just need a few basic ingredients and a little work to make every bite perfectly crispy. The meat from bone-in chicken legs or quarter pieces cooked in an air fryer comes out moist and tender with a delightfully crispy skin. Moreover, it is a time-saving option for any lunchtime hurry, with cooking durations as low as 20 to 30 minutes. Now light up your air fryer and feel the delicious satisfaction of perfectly cooked chicken legs.
Feel the delight in every bite of crispy chicken legs!