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This recipe for Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks transforms humble drumsticks into fabulously tender chicken with a good sweet, savory, and smoky marinade. It’s going to be a favorite!
While I’m never opposed to a good chicken breast recipe (case in point: these no breading air fryer chicken tenders), using other parts of the bird is more economical and more delicious.
Even better, this recipe uses our dead-simple go-to easy chicken marinade. What’s not to love?
A quick note – this recipe uses an air fryer, but if you prefer a traditional oven, check out our oven baked drumsticks recipe.
Ingredients
- Low-sodium soy sauce – Tamari, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos also work. Using regular soy sauce? Skip the added salt.
- Kosher salt – I used Diamond Crystal
- Brown sugar – Enough to add some sweetness without making the marinade cloying. You can use either light brown sugar or dark brown. See my tutorial on how to make brown sugar if you’re out.
Step By Step Instructions
*I’ll walk you through it here with some photos and tips, and you’ll also find a printable recipe card at the bottom of the post with exact measurements, etc. You can also click “jump to recipe” to skip down.
Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel.
Whisk the olive oil, soy sauce, and dry seasonings in a medium mixing bowl. Add the drumsticks to the bowl and toss to coat. Marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 36 hours.
Preheat your air fryer to 350˚F for 5 minutes and then lightly brush the basket with oil. You can also use air fryer parchment.
Arrange the drumsticks in the air fryer basket and cook at 350˚F for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken and brush them with any marinade remaining in the bowl.
Cook for an additional 8-14 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 170-175˚F. Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
PRO TIPS/RECIPE NOTES
- Don’t over-marinate the chicken. You might think that letting the chicken sit in the marinade for an extended amount of time will make it extra juicy and flavorful, but after 36 hours, the protein will begin to break down and your chicken will have an off-putting, mushy texture.
- Use a meat thermometer! It’s hard to over-cook dark meat like white meat, but you don’t want to eat under-cooked chicken. An instant-read thermometer is the best way to know when your chicken is safe to eat.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before you cut or eat it. This resting period allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat so it’s tender and juicy.
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken drumsticks, bone-in, skin on {~5-6 drumsticks}
- 2 tbsp olive oil {plus more for the air fryer basket}
- 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt {I used Diamond Crystal}
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/8 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Pat chicken drumsticks with a paper towel.1.5 lbs chicken drumsticks, bone-in, skin on
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk to combine olive oil, soy sauce, and the dry seasonings.2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/8 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp brown sugar
- Add drumsticks and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 36 hours.
- Preheat the air fryer at 350˚F for 5 minutes.
- Lightly brush the air fryer basket with olive oil.
- Place drumsticks in the air fryer basket and cook at 350˚F for 10 minutes.
- Carefully flip the chicken and brush on any marinade remaining in the bowl.
- Cook for an additional 8-14 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 170-175˚F.
- Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Use an instant-read thermometer to test each drumstick. The internal temp can vary depending on the thickness of the chicken.
- If you like extra crispy skin, cook the drumsticks at 400˚F for the last 1-3 minutes.
- This recipe will serve 2-3 people.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before you cut or eat it. This resting period allows the juices to reabsorb back into the meat so it’s tender and juicy.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love these drumsticks. They have so much flavour and are really simple to make. Family loved them.
So glad to hear it, Marie! I always appreciate hearing your reviews, because I know you’re such an amazing cook.