Description
Crispy, juicy chicken drumsticks made in the air fryer in just 30 minutes! This foolproof recipe delivers restaurant-quality flavor with minimal oil, making it a healthy, family-friendly weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 chicken drumsticks (skin-on preferred)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3–5 minutes.
- In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and thyme.
- Pat chicken drumsticks dry, then toss in the spice mixture until evenly coated.
- Arrange drumsticks in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Cook for 12–15 minutes, then flip each drumstick.
- Continue cooking another 10–15 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Check internal temperature reaches 165–175°F (74–79°C).
- Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Pat drumsticks dry before seasoning to ensure crispiness. Avoid overcrowding the basket—cook in batches if needed. Always use a meat thermometer for best results.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 drumsticks
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 600mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 100mg
Keywords: air fryer chicken, chicken drumsticks, crispy chicken, air fryer recipe