Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Juicy chicken drumsticks are seasoned, air-fried until the skin is crisp, then brushed with smoky barbecue sauce for a glossy, flavorful family dinner with minimal cleanup.
Prep: 10 min · Cook: 25 min · Yield: 4 · Method: Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 0.75 cup barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 0.5 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels. (about 3 min) — 400°F
- In a large bowl, toss the drumsticks with olive oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until evenly coated. (about 2 min)
- Arrange the drumsticks in a single layer in the air-fryer basket, leaving space between them. Cook for 20 minutes, turning halfway through. (about 20 min) — 400°F
- Brush the drumsticks generously with barbecue sauce. Return them to the air fryer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce is sticky and the thickest part of each drumstick reaches at least 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. (about 5 min) — 400°F
- Rest the drumsticks for 5 minutes before serving. Discard any sauce that touched raw chicken. (about 5 min)