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We bought a grill with every intention of being outside grilling up chicken, vegetables, and basically anything our hearts desired. Unfortunately, my husband and I quickly learned that neither one of us particularly enjoys standing outside in 90-degree Florida weather sweating over a grill.

So we find ourselves gravitating toward indoor cooking methods most of the summer. And when it’s that hot outside, even with the AC running, the last thing I want to do is turn on the oven and heat up the entire kitchen.

This is where the air fryer really comes in clutch.

Specifically, our Emeril Lagasse 26QT French Door Air Fryer. When we first got it, we were actually shocked by how quickly it cooked everything. We burned food more than once before we figured out just how powerful it was and learned to adjust our cooking times accordingly.

But chicken is one of the things it does really well. The outside gets super crispy while the chicken stays juicy inside, and it cooks incredibly quickly. With this particular air fryer, I can also throw vegetables in the pan underneath and have most of dinner going at the same time.

And for what it’s worth, I don’t even really like dark meat. Drumsticks would normally be pretty low on my list of chicken cuts to choose, but I genuinely like them cooked this way.

These are our go-to air fryer drumsticks, but the seasoning mixture itself isn’t exclusive to the air fryer. You can use the same recipe and cook your chicken on the grill or in the oven, too. We just happen to reach for the air fryer most often — especially when Florida decides it’s going to be summer for nine months of the year.

Lamb Family Estate

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

Juicy chicken drumsticks coated in a smoky, garlicky seasoning paste and air fried until the outside is crispy and deeply seasoned. An easy, no-fuss dinner with just a handful of pantry staples.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 5
Course: Dinner

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • – 10 chicken drumsticks
  • – 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • – 1 tablespoon avocado oil
  • – 1 tablespoon minced garlic
Seasoning
  • – 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • – 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • – 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • – 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • – 1 teaspoon salt
  • – 1 teaspoon black pepper

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Instant-Read Thermometer

Method
 

  1. Season the chicken. Add the chicken drumsticks to a large bowl. Add the tomato paste, avocado oil, minced garlic, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss until the drumsticks are evenly and thoroughly coated.
  2. Air fry. Arrange the drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving a little room around each one for the air to circulate.
  3. Cook at 400°F for 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 180°F at the thickest part of the drumstick.
  4. Serve. Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Why 180°F? Chicken is safe to eat once it reaches 165°F, but drumsticks are dark meat and benefit from cooking longer. I prefer taking them to around 180°F for more tender meat and a better texture.
Air fryer timing: Air fryers vary, and larger drumsticks may need additional cooking time. Always use the internal temperature rather than the clock to determine when they’re done.