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Close up of seasoned and basted BBQ chicken legs in an Air Fryer.
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4.78 from 9 votes

Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Legs

Air Fryer BBQ chicken legs are deliciously saucy and sticky and perfectly cooked in under 25 minutes! These easy chicken drumsticks are great for parties, game day or an easy family dinner.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time23 minutes
Total Time28 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 chicken legs (aka drumsticks)
  • 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅓ cup prepared BBQ sauce

Instructions

  • Preheat the Air Fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, if yours requires preheating.
  • Combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper in a small bowl.
  • Drizzle the chicken legs on all sides with the olive oil then season on all sides with the seasoning mixture.
  • Place the chicken legs in an even layer in the Air Fryer tray. Cook at 400 for 10 minutes, then turn over and cook for 10 more minutes.
  • Baste all sides of the chicken legs with BBQ sauce. (I baste the tops and then turn them over one more time and baste the other side.) Cook at 400 for an additional 3 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  • Let sit for 5 minutes. (They are hot and can burn fingers if picked up right away.) Enjoy!

Notes

Chicken: You’ll need 8 chicken legs (aka chicken drumsticks) for this recipe. I recommend leaving the skin on because it gets a bit crispy in the Air Fryer before being slathered with the sauce and finishing. So tasty!
BBQ sauce: Use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce or make your own. You could even substitute a flavored BBQ sauce if you wanted to change the flavor here a bit.
Servings: The recipe makes enough for 4 people if everyone has 2 chicken legs. You can certainly double the recipe, but you’ll need to cook the chicken in batches. (It must be in an even layer in your Air Fryer tray to cook properly.)
Spicy: Want to make these a little spicy? Feel free to add some cayenne pepper to the seasoning blend. Or you could use a spicy BBQ sauce.
Leftovers: Leftover chicken legs, once cooled, can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
How to reheat: To reheat, place the drumsticks in an even layer in the Air Fryer tray and set to 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 3-4 minutes, until warmed through. Feel free to baste with extra BBQ sauce if you think it’s needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 485kcal | Protein: 56g | Fat: 11g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!