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–+ servings
Plate of crispy roasted chicken drumsticks with mixed vegetables on an orange napkin, offering a delightful hint of how long to cook chicken legs in the air fryer for that perfect crunch.
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5 from 1 vote

How Long to Cook Chicken Legs in Air Fryer

How long to cook chicken legs in air fryer or Ninja Foodi whether raw or frozen drumsticks you can get them tender and juicy every time.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Course: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer, chicken drumsticks, chicken legs, ninja foodi
Servings: 4
Author: Justine

Equipment

  • 1 air fryer
  • 1 Bowl

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs. chicken legs
  • 1/2 c barbecue sauce not honey style, that has a lot of sugar and will make them quite brown + more for the end
  • 1 pinch salt and pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat machine at 380 F for 5 minutes. Rinse chicken legs and dry with paper towels. Put in a deep bowl. Add salt, pepper, and barbecue sauce. Gently mix everything so that each leg is covered.
  • Spray inside of basket with oil. Transfer the legs to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry for 15 minutes. Turn the legs over, increase temperature to 400 (brush on sauce now for best results) and bake for another 10 minutes if they are medium sized.
  • Bake larger legs for another 12-15 minutes instead or until they reach 165 F in thickest part and juices run clear.
  • Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve with additional bbq sauce brushed over the outsides.

Nutrition

Serving: 2oz | Calories: 547kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 37g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 211mg | Sodium: 568mg | Potassium: 543mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 289IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg