Name: Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 chicken legs; 2 Tbsp olive oil (or vegetable oil); 1 ½ tsp paprika; 1 tsp onion powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp ground black pepper

Air fryer chicken legs are one of the easiest ways to cook chicken. They come out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside and are totally delicious.

Be sure to try my 6 best air fryer chicken legs recipes next!

A plate of crispy air fryer chicken drumsticks.

Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs

I love chicken legs because they're cheaper than other chicken cuts, easy to cook and the family loves them. This air fryer chicken recipe uses a bit of olive oil, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. You can prep and cook them in under 30 minutes!

Serve these crispy chicken legs with one of my 6 air fryer side dishes for a delicious easy meal!

If you like this easy recipe then you will also love my air fryer chicken thighs, easy air fryer chicken wings, breaded air fryer chicken tenders, how to cook a whole chicken in an air fryer, and the juciest air fryer chicken breast recipe.

A plate of raw chicken drumsticks, bowl of olive oil, and small bowl with various spices.

Recipe Ingredients

6 chicken legs
2 Tbsp olive oil - or vegetable oil
1 ½ tsp paprika
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper

Four images, first two are a bowl with oil and spices, first unmixed then mixed. Second two images are raw chicken legs dumped into that bowl, first unmixed and then mixed.

How To Make Air Fryer Chicken Legs

Full ingredients and instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this blog post.

STEP 1: Add 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 ½ tsp paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground black pepper to a large bowl. Mix everything together.

STEP 2: Add the chicken legs to the bowl and mix with the sauce so that all the chicken is evenly coated.

Three images of chicken legs in an air fryer basket covered in sauce in various cooking stages.

STEP 3: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 2 minutes.

STEP 4: Place the chicken legs in a single layer in the preheated air fryer. Cook for 22-24 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through using tongs. Cooked chicken will look crispy and will reach 165℉ when poked with a meat thermometer.

Crispy seasoned chicken legs in an air fryer basket.

Recipe Tips

Preheat your air fryer first. This will give you the best crispy chicken legs.
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before adding them to the bowl. This will remove any excess moisture and allow the sauce to stick better.
Always flip the chicken halfway through cooking to get an even crispiness.
Check the chicken in the last couple of minutes to make sure they’re not overcooking. Every air fryer is different when it comes to cooking time.
According to the USDA recommended cooking temperatures, the safest internal temperature for cooking all types of poultry products is 165°F. This is the interior temperature that the meat will read once removed from the air fryer. You can use a meat thermometer, which will be poked into the thickest part of the chicken to read the temperature.

How To Store Leftovers

Refrigerate – Once the chicken legs have cooled down, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container or in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
To Reheat – Add chicken back to the air fryer at 375°F and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until warmed through. Flip the chicken legs halfway through.

A pile of crispy chicken legs on a plate.

Tools For This Recipe

(Amazon affiliate links) - Check out all of my kitchen essentials here.

Vortex Plus 6 Qt Air Fryer – The air fryer that I used in the photos. It has a large basket for more food in larger batches. It automatically preheats before adding food and reminds you to flip halfway through.
Meat Thermometer - The best way to tell if your chicken is done is by using a digital meat thermometer!
Mixing Bowls – Stackable mixing bowls keep the cupboards more organized and make it easy to toss ingredients together quickly.
Magnetic Measuring Spoons – I love these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized together when storing them

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Have A Question?

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