Easy Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks

This is a budget-friendly recipe that is sure to please! This recipe combines pantry spices and chicken drumsticks in the air fryer for a flavourful and juicy weeknight chicken dinner.

Keep reading for how to make this easy, gluten-free, dairy-free, no-sugar-added, PCOS-friendly chicken dinner recipe…

MAKING EATING FOR PCOS EASY AND DELICIOUS WITH AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS…

By far my new FAVOURITE way to cook chicken drumsticks – quick, easy, simple ingredients, super juicy chicken… what’s not to love about that! 

I knew I had to share this one here the second I bit into my first air fryer drumstick and since I’ve been testing and tweaking and making sure it’s just right. Because I know we can all use more easy, simple and delicious PCOS-friendly dinner recipes that we can rely on.

This recipe is all things juicy and flavourful, savoury, versatile and satisfying. 

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HOW TO MAKE THIS PCOS-FRIENDLY AIR FRYER CHICKEN LEGS RECIPE…

Here are some tips to help make great air fryer chicken legs…

For best results, choose chicken drumsticks that are all approximately the same size. This ensure more even cooking (both in terms of doneness and cooking time). I’ve found that 16-18 minutes yields some pretty juicy and delicious chicken but be sure to adjust cooking time according to the size of your chicken (less for smaller drumsticks, more for largers ones). 

I love that this dish comes together with a few spices from the cupboard. Talk about simple cooking! Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin and oregano are spices I always have on hand and I love that I can easily throw this dinner together knowing that I have almost everything I need for it in my spice cupboard. (If you want to make sure your spice cupboard is fully stocked and ready to go be sure to check out my PCOS-Friendly Foods Checklist.)

If smoked paprika, cumin or oregano aren’t your favourites, really any combination of dried herbs and spices would work here (even garlic powder + onion powder + Italian seasoning is fantastic!). You do you!

I turn my chicken drumsticks halfway through cooking to prevent burning and sticking and to ensure more even cooking and always cook chicken on the cooking tray. 

This recipe was created and tested with my Instant Vortex Plus 6-in-1 Air Fryer. Cooking time and method may vary with other air fryer models. This recipe has not been tested without an air fryer. 

EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS RECIPE FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How long to cook chicken drumsticks in the air fryer? What is the right temperature for air fryer chicken leg temperature? 

Cooking time really does depend on the size of your drumsticks. Smaller drumsticks are going to cook faster than larger ones but I’ve found for medium-sized drumsticks, 16 to 18 minutes results in chicken that is slightly crispy on the outside and super juicy on the inside. I like cooking drumsticks at 375ºF until they reach an internal temperature of at least 165ºF. 

Are Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks PCOS-Friendly? Are they healthy?

Yes and yes! This recipe uses simple pantry spices and avocado oil for an easy meals that’s definitely PCOS–friendly and because of the simple ingredient list I would definitely consider this a healthy chicken dinner option. 

Drumsticks are technically a ‘dark meat’ chicken which has kind of a bad reputation in the diet and wellness world. Sure, chicken thighs and drumsticks may have a higher fat content then chicken breast but that also means those cuts of meat tend to be juicier and more flavourful too. And because I really do believe that when you’re eating whole, real foods and prioritizing those in your diet, calories really don’t matter that much AND, I will add, dietary fats (ie. fats found in foods) are actually beneficial for hormones (don’t fear fats, my friends!). 

What to serve with air fryer chicken drumsticks?

This chicken goes with just about anything – rice, sweet potatoes, quinoa, roasted veggies, salad are all great choices. Take a peek at the PCOS-Friendly Foods Cheat Sheet and build a simple but balanced meal with your favourite veggie and complex carb. 

MORE ABOUT THIS RECIPE FOR EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS…

Chicken drumsticks have never really been a favourite of mine (until now, of course!!). Yes, they are always a super cheap (aka budget-friendly) piece of chicken and I love them for that reason but I had always found them to be a little… intimidating… to cook and hard to get just right. 

Enter the air fryer. The small kitchen appliance that has taken over the internet and social media. 

I am always so resistant to invest in yet another kitchen appliance or gadget… but the air fryer is so worth sacrificing the counter space it takes up in my kitchen. It was a birthday gift for me back in June and since then we’ve probably used it nearly every single day. It’s totally one of those where have you been all my life things. 

(We probably use it more than any other kitchen-y thing aside from the coffee maker!)

This isn’t a sponsored post but if you are on the fence about an air fryer – just get one. It makes dinner not only delicious but so easy too. Like these chicken drumsticks… I don’t think I’m cooking chicken legs any other way from now on! 

YUM!

I HOPE YOU LIKE THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO!

IF YOU GIVE THIS EASY AIR FRYER CHICKEN DRUMSTICK RECIPE A TRY LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW AND BE SURE TO SHARE A PICTURE ON INSTAGRAM USING THE TAG @ALWAYSNOURISHED. I LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU’RE COOKING!

This chicken drumstick recipe was originally published in November 2022. Thank you for supporting Always Nourished and making recipes like this one possible!