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These air fryer chicken legs are rubbed with spices and olive oil, and cooked up easily in the air fryer! Super crispy and packed full of flavor!

If you ask me, the chicken leg is totally underrated.

It’s both juicy and meaty, packed full of protein and flavor, and not only super easy to cook but oftentimes a very economical part of the chicken. 

These air fryer chicken legs are rubbed with a flavorful blend of spices like cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, turmeric, kosher salt, black pepper, and a little olive oil. Using the air fryer gives them a crispy exterior and a juicy meaty interior, without adding tons of extra fat!

These air fryer chicken legs come together quickly, so even on busy nights, you’ll always have time to put together a filling meal.

Trust me, you’re going to love these crispy air fryer chicken drumsticks!

Ingredients for air fryer chicken legs

• Chicken legs with skin – Chicken legs with skin on them will ensure they stay juicy and develop crispy skin in the air fryer!
• Olive oil – This will help our chicken legs brown nicely and also help the spice blend to adhere to the chicken legs. 
• Spice blend – I’ve used a combination of cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, coriander, and turmeric for a bold and vibrant mix of flavors. 
• Kosher salt and black pepper – Salt and pepper are necessary for enhancing all of the flavors of the spice blend and the chicken legs. 

Serving suggestions

So you’ve got your main course, now what?

Here are my favorite sides to serve with these juicy air fryer chicken legs:

• A beautifully big Baked Sweet Potato
• Some sweet and earthy Simple Roasted Cabbage
• Tasty and flavorful Grilled Mexican Corn
• A hearty side of Instant Pot Baked Beans

Making crispy chicken legs in the oven

Instead of cooking your chicken legs in the air fryer you can easily cook them in the oven and get crispy results!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper.

Bake for 20 minutes, flip, and bake for another 20 minutes until crispy and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees F.

What is an air fryer?

An air fryer is basically a tabletop convection oven.

It mimics the outcome of a deep fat fryer but without the use of oil. Hot hair is moved around via a fan that quickly and crisply cooks up the food.

The 2 most common air fryers you’ll see are basket style (that is what I have) or convection/toaster oven style.

There are pluses to both but I personally prefer my basket style.

What is the best air fryer to buy?

I prefer the basket-style air fryer as it’s a bit smaller and takes up less room than the toaster oven-style air fryer.

My biggest tip when it comes to air fryers is to make sure you pick a style that will work the most for your family and the amount of food you will be cooking.

My large basket-style air fryer can cook up to 12 wings, 2-4 servings of french fries, etc. which works well for my household.

Storage and leftovers

Any leftover air fryer chicken legs can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, simply place on a microwave-safe dish covered loosely with a damp paper towel, and heat for 2-3 minutes until heated thoroughly. 

More chicken recipes

• Looking for something hearty and warming? Try my Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Want something spicy and delicious? Try my Buffalo Chicken Wrap
• Love using your air fryer? Try my Air Fryer Chicken Meatballs
• Need a hearty and filling dinner? Try my Creamy Tuscan Chicken