Air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks is our new favorite chicken recipe! Juicy, crispy bbq chicken legs made right in your air fryer.
I love that these are easy to make, beginner friendly and hassle free. This is works for family gatherings and a quick protein for an easy mid week dinner idea. Even if you have large cuts you can learn how to butterfly legs to save on cooking time.
After making this recipe, I think you should try these honey mustard chicken and lemon pepper drumsticks next.
This recipe post contains helpful tips, tricks and answers to FAQs. Please read through to ensure you get the recipe right when you try it.
Table of Contents
Easy air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks recipe
This easy recipe for air fried bbq chicken legs shows you how to make finger-lickin’ good chicken in your air fryer with your favorite bbq sauce.
Chicken drumsticks coated in sticky sweet barbecue sauce are a crowd-pleasing favorite. Making them in the air fryer cuts down on the mess and allows the chicken skin to get ultra crisp while keeping the meat moist and flavorful.
These air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks is sure to have everyone going back for seconds.
Why you’ll love this recipe
There are a few reasons why you'll love whipping up a batch of air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks.
- For starters, air frying makes the skin on the chicken extra crispy without needing to deep fry.
- Cooking in the air fryer also helps the barbecue chicken legs cook up faster than traditional oven baking.
- Additionally, making bbq chicken legs in the air fryer means less chance of burning and far less cleanup.
- Finally, the flavor from the barbecue sauce caramelizes onto the crispy chicken skin for finger-lickin’ deliciousness in every bite.
Ingredients
To make juicy air fried bbq chicken drumsticks, you just need a few simple ingredients:
- Chicken drumsticks
- your favorite store-bought or homemade barbecue sauce
- Oil
- Some basic drumstick seasonings: paprika, salt, oregano, black pepper, onion powder.
Tools used for this recipe
The list below may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate and affiliate to other merchants, this website may earn from qualifying purchases. Please read full disclosure here.
- Air fryer
- Perforated parchment paper (optional)
- Kitchen tongs
- Pastry brush
- Mixing bowl
How to make bbq chicken legs in the air fryer
See printable recipe card at the end of this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions!
Pat chicken dry with paper towels, transfer to a bowl, then season by adding oil and seasoning blend to the chicken. Toss to coat.
Transfer seasoned drumsticks to air fryer basket and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 25 mins flipping halfway through cooking time.
Pull out air fryer basket and brush the chicken with bbq sauce before continuing to cook for 2 more minutes until the sauce is caramelized. The end result is tender barbecue chicken drumsticks with crispy skin in way less time than the oven.
Variations
Feel free to get creative with your choice of barbecue sauce too.
Sweet and tangy flavors like honey barbecue or spicy chipotle work especially well. Or for a fruit-inspired twist, try using blueberry bbq sauce or peach barbecue sauce on your bbq chicken legs.
No matter what flavor you use, air frying locks in all that finger-lickin’ barbecue flavor.
You could also swap out the chicken legs and make air fryer bbq chicken thighs instead.
What to serve with bbq chicken
These easy air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks pair perfectly with classic barbecue sides.
Try serving them alongside baked beans, buttery cornbread, crispy fries like these ninja air fryer chips or tater tots, coleslaw, or a fresh green salad. The possibilities are endless
You can check out best sides for fried chicken article for more inspiration.
How to store and Reheat
Leftover air fried bbq chicken drumsticks can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheat them in the air fryer or oven until hot and crispy. The barbecue sauce might thicken up, but a quick brush or toss in extra sauce solves that.
Tips
- Pat the chicken dry before seasoning for crispiest skin and to ensure the seasoning won’t slide off.
- Oil also helps with crisping and helping the seasoning stick to the chicken.
- Air fry in a single layer, do not overcrowd the chicken. Cook in batches if needed
- Brush on sauce during last 5 minutes of cooking
- It’s ok to bbq sauce straight from the fridge it can even help with sticking to the chicken.
FAQs
Sweet tomato-based sauces work well. Bold flavors like honey or chipotle compliment crispy chicken or even fruity sauces would work for this recipe.
Depending on size of drumsticks and air fryer model, it typically takes 25 to 30 mins to cook. Then you brush with bbq sauce and cook for another couple of minutes to caramelize the sauce. Ensure that the internal temperature reads 165°F (74°C)
Yes, cold sauce adheres nicely to hot chicken straight from the air fryer.
For even cooking Flipping halfway through is recommended.
Air frying allows you to reduce the use of oil or skip it all together depending on the recipe you are making, these bbq chicken drumsticks are better for you than deep fried.
More air fryer chicken recipe
- Air fryer whole chicken
- Air fryer frozen chicken wings
- Air fryer chicken wings and fries
- Check out all our chicken recipes.
Now that you know just how easy making bbq chicken drumsticks in the air fryer is, give this recipe a try! Crispy, saucy, and full of barbecue flavor, this chicken recipe might just become your new go-to dinner. Say goodbye to boring baked chicken - air fried bbq chicken legs are where it’s at. Head to the kitchen and whip up a batch today. Your tastebuds will thank you!
Did you find this post helpful? Please leave a comment below and use the star rating to let us know how much you enjoyed it.
Have you shared this recipe yet? Feel free to use the share buttons and share this chicken recipe with your family and friends.
Thank you for stopping by. Hope to see you again soon! If you’d love more chicken recipes, sign up for our free newsletter and come hang out with us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tiktok and YouTube for updates.
For now…. Let’s cook chicken!
Love it? Pin it!
Air fryer bbq chicken drumsticks
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Parchment pepper (optional)
- Pastry Brush
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon oregano
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Pat chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels.
- Add chicken drumsticks to bowl add oil, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper and oregano.
- Toss chicken to coat evenly with seasoning mixture.
- Arrange seasoned drumsticks in a single layer in air fryer basket, without overcrowding.
- Cook at 400°F (200°C) for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through. Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- When cooked, pull out air fryer basket and brush the chicken legs evenly with barbecue sauce.
- Return basket with drumsticks to air fryer and cook for 2 additional minutes to caramelize sauce.
- Remove drumsticks from air fryer and serve immediately.
Notes
- Cooking time may vary based on size of drumsticks.
- Make sure chicken reaches safe minimum internal temp of 165°F.
So what do you think?