Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
This Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks recipe gives you reliably crispy skin, juicy meat, and bold flavor in under 30 minutes. It’s easy to scale, simple to customize, and perfect for weeknights, parties, or meal prep. Follow the steps above, use an instant-read thermometer, and you’ll have drumsticks that disappear fast.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks skin-on, bone-in — about 1.2 kg / 2.6 lb total
- 2 tbsp 30 g olive oil
- 1 ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp dried thyme or oregano
- ½ tsp cayenne optional
- 2 tbsp 30 g melted butter for finishing (optional)
- 1 tbsp chopped parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Pat dry: Thoroughly dry 8 drumsticks with paper towels.
- Make rub & toss: Combine 1 ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp onion powder, ½ tsp thyme, ½ tsp cayenne. Toss drumsticks with 2 tbsp olive oil and rub mixture over each piece.
- Preheat: Preheat air fryer to 200°C / 392°F for 3–5 minutes.
- Cook: Place drumsticks skin-side up in a single layer. Air fry at 200°C / 392°F for 25–28 minutes, flipping once at 12–14 minutes.
- Finish (optional): For extra crisp, increase to 205°C / 400°F for 1–3 minutes.
- Check temp: Verify internal temp reaches 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part (not touching bone).
- Rest & serve: Let rest 3–5 minutes. Brush with melted butter and garnish with parsley. Serve hot.