Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks are easy to make and so flavorful! All you need is chicken, dried rosemary, spices, lemon zest and oil.
Chicken drumsticks are underrated. I'll be the first to say it. I only created this recipe because chicken drumsticks were on sale at Whole Foods.
It was a blessing though. I'll be purchasing drumsticks much more often now. I have a feeling you will too after trying this recipe.
I think I shied away from drumsticks for a while because I couldn't get them crispy enough. I don't like when chicken isn't crispy. I grew up on chicken cutlets so maybe that's why.
The air fryer solves that problem. You know that everything comes out perfectly crispy in the air fryer. Well, as long as you don't stack your food on top of each other...
Working in batches is key if you have a smaller air fryer like me. After you make these drumsticks, check out more of my air fryer recipes below!
- Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes
- Air Fryer Egg Bites Recipe
- Air Fryer Lemon Parmesan Asparagus
- Air Fryer Greek Chicken Meatballs
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash Fries
Ingredients in this recipe
- chicken drumsticks
- paprika
- dried rosemary
- garlic powder
- salt and pepper
- fresh lemon zest
- avocado oil
Frequently Asked Questions
A chicken leg is the entire leg with the thigh. A chicken drumstick doesn't include the thigh.
I suggest cooking the drumsticks at 400 degrees F for the perfect crisp.
Chicken drumsticks take about 18-20 minutes in the air fryer, but always make sure the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
No! The chicken drumsticks will not get crispy if you stack them on top of one another. Complete the recipe in two batches if you have a smaller air fryer.
I suggest Japanese Sweet Potato Fries, White Bean Caprese Salad, Dairy Free Mac and Cheese or Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Carrots.
You can use your favorite dipping sauce or no sauce at all! They definitely don't need a sauce. I made a yogurt honey mustard sauce. I combined stone ground mustard, Greek yogurt, honey, avocado oil mayo, fresh dill, salt and pepper.
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Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks (No Breading)
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks (about 1 ½ lb)
- 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
- 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil
Instructions
- First, pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Next, place the drumsticks in a bowl with paprika, dried rosemary, garlic powder, salt, pepper, fresh lemon zest and avocado oil.
- Rub the spices into the chicken with your hands. Make sure each drumstick is coated well.
- Place the drumsticks into your air fryer to cook. Do not stack them on top of one another. Make this recipe in two batches if needed.
- Air fry the chicken at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve as is or with a dipping sauce!
This nutrition information is an estimate and should not be taken as fact. The owner of this website is not liable for this estimation.
Sam C.
Delicious! I’ve been looking for different no breading recipes and this was perfect! I really enjoyed this recipe! I used smoked paprika. I will definitely try this again. Thank you!❤️
I'm so happy to hear that! 🙂