Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks – Kalyn’s Kitchen
5 min read
Anyone who loves extra-easy chicken dinners will love this new Air Fryer Chicken Drumstick recipe! And this chicken is probably going to be popular with kids, but it’s also perfect for carb-conscious adults with just one carb per drumstick!
PIN Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks to try the recipe later!
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks are a delicious kid-friendly main course that will make you love the Air Fryer! These flavorful drumsticks are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and they’re also quick and easy to make and use ingredients you probably have on hand. And if you keep an eye out for chicken thighs on sale, it can also be a very economical meal.
If you’re cooking for the kids, they’ll love this easy-to-eat Air Fryer Chicken that they can eat with their hands. And adults who love drumsticks will love how low carb they are! This recipe is so easy you might want to double it and make a few extra drumsticks to keep in the fridge for family members to snack on later or for a second meal later in the week.
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
Can you make chicken drumsticks spicy?
We’ve used relatively mild seasonings for these Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks so they’re kid-friendly. But if you prefer a bit spicier flavor I would add a small amount of something like Cayenne pepper (affiliate link), Old Bay Seasoning (affiliate link), or Buffalo Chicken Seasoning (affiliate link) to the seasoning mix.
What is sweet paprika?
The name “sweet paprika” simply means paprika that is not spicy. (If you want it spicy, you can use hot paprika or hot paprika for this recipe if you prefer.)
Do you need to cut chicken drumsticks?
Cutting the skin off the drumsticks is probably somewhat optional, but most drumstick packets I found had excess skin on them. We cut that to make them a bit more appealing.
What air fryer did I use?
I’m a big fan of the Cuisinart Air Fryer Convection Toaster Oven (affiliate link) which is the one I use all the time. This air fryer has a large basket, which had room for 8 drumsticks for this recipe. And I find this model very easy to use. I also like the convenience of having an air fryer that sits on the counter.
Want more low carb air fryer recipes?
If you’re an Air Fryer fan, check out my huge roundup of Low Carb and Keto Air Fryer Recipes for many tasty ideas from web bloggers. You can also use Air Fryer Recipes to see all the Air Fryer recipes on this site.
How to make Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks:
(Scroll down for a printable recipe complete with nutritional information.)
- I cut the loose pieces of skin with kitchen scissors (affiliate link).
- Put the drumsticks in a Ziploc bag in a single layer.
- Combine dry seasonings in a small mixing bowl.
- Preheat the air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 F/205 C. (If your Air Fryer doesn’t go that high, use the highest temperature.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mix into the Ziploc bag, putting some on both sides of the chicken. Then squeeze the bag so that all the drumsticks are coated in the spices.
- Then add the olive oil and squeeze the bag again until the chicken pieces are lightly coated in the oil.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in the Air Fryer Basket in a single layer.
- Cook the drumsticks for 8 minutes without opening the Air Fryer.
- Then remove the basket and use tongs to carefully flip each drumstick.
- Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for about 8 minutes more, or until a Instant Read Meat Thermometer (affiliate link) records 165F or 75C.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
- Extra drumsticks can be refrigerated and reheated.
Make it a low carb meal:
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks would be amazing for a low carb meal. You could serve it with Twice-cooked cauliflower, Lemon Green Beans, Cauliflower Salad Topped with Mock Potatoes, Easy Cheesy Baked Keto Caulifloweror Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Pecorino-Romano Cheese.
Want more Air Fryer Chicken Ideas?
Herb marinated chicken thighs ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
All Bagel Deep-Fried Chicken Cutlets ~ Healthy seasonal recipes
Air Fryer Marinated Chicken Breasts ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Ingredients
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8 chicken drumsticks with skin on
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1 C. spicy seasoning
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1 C. Poultry seasoning
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1/2 tsp. sweet paprika (see notes)
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1/2 tsp. salt
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1/2 tsp. garlic powder
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1/2 tsp. onion powder
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1/4 tsp. black pepper
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2 t olive oil
Instructions
- Most chicken drumsticks will have loose skin sticking up; I cut that with kitchen scissors (affiliate link).
- Put the drumsticks in a Ziploc bag, arranging them as much as possible in a single layer.
- Combine Spike Seasoning, Poultry Seasoning, paprika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper in a small mixing bowl. Mix so that all the seasonings are well combined.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mix into the Ziploc bag, putting some seasoning on both sides of the chicken. Then squeeze the bag so that all the chicken drumsticks are well coated in the spices.
- Then add the olive oil and squeeze the bag again until the chicken pieces are all lightly coated in the oil.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in the Air Fryer Basket in a single layer. (If your Air Fryer model can’t hold that many chicken pieces, cook in two batches.)
- Cook the drumsticks for 8 minutes without opening the Air Fryer.
- Then remove the basket and use tongs to gently flip each drumstick. (Note that the bottom side is also partially cooked at this point.)
- Return the basket to the air fryer and cook for about 8 minutes more, or until a Instant Read Meat Thermometer (affiliate link) records 165F or 75C.
- Serve hot and enjoy.
- Extra drumsticks can be refrigerated and reheated later for a few minutes in the air fryer.
Preheat the air fryer for about 5 minutes at 400 F/205 C. (If you have an air fryer that doesn’t heat up that much, just use the highest temperature.)
Remarks
Sweet Paprika simply means the paprika is not spicy, and it may just be called Paprika for some brands.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8
Portion:
1
Amount per serving:
calories: 200Total fat: 12gSaturated fat: 3gTrans fat: 0gUnsaturated fat: 8gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 425mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 22g
The nutritional information is automatically calculated by the recipe plugin I use. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy as many variables affect these calculations.
Low Carb Diet / Low Glycemic Index Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks are a great main dish for any low carb or low glycemic diet, including Keto. Drumsticks are not recommended for the original South Beach diet, due to the oiliness of the skin.
Find more recipes like this:
Utilize Air Fryer Recipes to see more recipes like this. Use the Diet type index to find more recipes suitable for a specific diet. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on InstagramOr on Youtube to see all the great recipes I share there.
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