Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Legs
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Legs are the perfect simple recipe! Minimal prep time with maximum flavor. Perfect for busy weeknights and an excellent addition to any game day celebration.
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are one of the easiest and most delicious ways to cook chicken. With simple ingredients, quick cooking time, and juicy, flavorful results, there’s really no reason to go back to deep frying. You’ll save on calories while still getting that crispy skin and tender, fall-off-the-bone meat everyone loves.
What makes this recipe a favorite in our house is how fast it is, much quicker than baking in the oven. And the flavor is always spot on. The chicken legs come out perfectly cooked every time, with a nice caramelized BBQ glaze on the outside. Plus, you can easily switch up the flavor just by using a different BBQ sauce, making this a go-to for busy weeknights.
Air fryer recipes are always a hit in my kitchen, whether it’s for a main dish or even a hearty side. If you’re into easy chicken recipes like we are, be sure to check out our Air Fryer Chicken Tenders, Air Fryer Grilled Chicken, and our Air Fryer Stuffed Chicken Breasts.
Ingredients and Notes
*Full recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Chicken legs – I used 6 bone-in chicken legs with skin.
- BBQ sauce – About 1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce is enough to coat the chicken well. Choose one you love, sweet, smoky, or spicy-all work great!
- Spices – I used a simple spice mix for flavor, but feel free to swap in your favorite BBQ spice rub.
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Black pepper
- Red chili powder/Cayenne pepper – for heat.
- Salt
How To Cook Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Legs
⁕Scroll below for the printable recipe card and ingredient measurements.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Prep the chicken: Trim any excess fat and pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels. Dry skin helps them crisp up better.
- Season: In a large bowl, toss the chicken legs with olive oil. In a small bowl, mix together the spices, then sprinkle over the chicken and toss until evenly coated.
- Air fry: Arrange the chicken legs in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 10 minutes.
- Brush with BBQ sauce: After 10 minutes, brush the chicken legs with BBQ sauce and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Flip and sauce again: Use tongs to turn the chicken, brush the other side with more BBQ sauce, and air fry for an additional 5 minutes. The skin should be lightly charred and crispy, and the internal temperature should reach 170°F.
- Serve: Brush with a final layer of BBQ sauce and serve warm.
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Side Dishes For Air Fryer BBQ Chicken
Pairing foods with chicken is a breeze. Some of the best side dishes include:
- Air Fryer Baked Sweet Potato
- Mashed Potatoes
- Mashed Cauliflower
- French Fries
- Potato salad
- Simple side salad
How to Reheat Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks?
Reheating chicken in the microwave often makes it soggy, but the air fryer keeps the skin crispy and the meat juicy.
Preheat to 380°F, a lower temperature works best since the chicken is already cooked. Place the drumsticks in a single layer and heat for 4–5 minutes, or until warmed through.
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
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Recipe
Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Legs
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¾ tsp red chili powder/cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
Instructions
- Preheat Air fryer to 400 degrees F.
- Trim excess fat and pat chicken legs dry.
- In a large bowl add chicken legs and olive oil. Mix the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Add the spice mix to the chicken. Mix chicken legs with oil and spices until well coated.
- Place chicken legs in the air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes.
- Brush the chicken with plenty of barbecue sauce. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn or flip the chicken with tongs and brush it with more barbecue sauce. Air fry chicken legs for another 5 minutes until the skin is crispy and lightly charred. Or until the internal temperature is 170˚F.
- Brush with more barbecue sauce and serve warm.
Save This Recipe!
We’ll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!