Looking for the perfect game day or party appetizer? Take a peek at my finger-licking good gluten free air fried chicken drumsticks. These gluten free beauties taste just as amazing as they look.

We love to entertain friends and family. Especially, when it comes to FOOD! It’s like what is more fun than hanging out with friends, chomping on delicious food, and watching a game on the big screen? You don’t even have to be a huge football or other sports fan to enjoy your time either.

Juicy fried chicken that melts in your mouth is exactly what you get when you sink your teeth into this recipe. Easy, full of flavor, and perfectly seasoned. They are seriously so good. If you are looking for more delicious chicken recipes, I have a ton of gluten free chicken recipes you can try!

Just pull out your handy air fryer to make delicious foods super quickly! If you love turmeric, you can use the seasoning mix in this Turmeric Chicken Wings recipe too!

Air fried chicken drumsticks on a platter with cut lemons and fresh thyme.

These gluten free drumsticks are way better when made at home than anything you could get in a sports bar. I used to struggle a lot when it came to eating out once we became gluten free anyway. That’s the reason why I was inspired to make so many healthy gluten free recipes that my readers could easily replicate.

If you are still a little nervous about dining out, don’t worry! I have made a helpful guide for you: Safe Gluten Free Dining Tips And My Most Popular Recipes.

Top Pick
COSORI Pro II Air Fryer Oven Combo, 5.8QT Max Xl Large Cooker

I had a smaller 3.4-quart Corsori Air Fryer, but they no longer make the one I own. I am recommending the larger version of the air fryer I have. It frequently goes on sale so keep an eye out for sales!

Pros:
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  • 2. Clean-up is really easy.
  • 3. It cooks food really well.
Cons:
  • 1. The baskets are dishwasher safe, but tough to fit in our specific dishwasher model.
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How to make air-fried drumsticks:

A picture of the umami powder.

The first step is to make the rub for the chicken. I love umami…it is one of the most versatile seasonings. Grab it at Trader Joe’s or Amazon.  If you can’t find it, you can use or omit another mushroom powder.

Air fryer fried chicken drumsticks spice rub in a bowl.

Mix the umami, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and thyme. 

Chicken drumsticks rubbed with spice mix and olive oil in an air fryer.

Rub your chicken drumsticks with the spice rub and then rub in olive oil. Using olive oil on the chicken drumsticks will make the outside crisp up perfectly. I love that you don’t need to use a lot of oil so that this chicken drumstick recipe stays low-calorie and healthy!

Cook in your air fryer at 400º F for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken drumsticks over. Cook on the other side for an additional 10 minutes.

Do you need to preheat your air fryer?

I like to preheat my air fryer when I cook the chicken to help get the outside of the chicken crispy, which also locks in the juiciness. I preheated my air fryer for 5 minutes at 400º F, then added my chicken.

Cooked chicken drumsticks in the air fryer.

Your chicken is ready to eat!! did you know this recipe is naturally gluten free, paleo, Whole30, and Keto? Anyone on any diet can enjoy this air fried chicken drumsticks recipe!!

The top view of a plate of air fried chicken drumsticks.

I am sure you have questions, so I will do my best to answer as much as possible. If you love your air fryer as much as I do, check out this easy Air Fryer Gluten Free Chicken Cordon Bleu recipe.

Try these Air Fryer Gluten Free Latkes if you want a tasty latke recipe :-).

Can you put frozen food in the air fryer?

Yes, you can put frozen food in the air fryer. So, if you make up food and freeze it, you can toss it in the air fryer to cook it without any problems. It will take a few extra minutes to cook if the food is frozen, but that’s to be expected.

air fried drumsticks on a platter

How do you know when the drumsticks are cooked?

When your chicken drumsticks have an internal temperature of 165F degrees, your drumsticks are cooked.

How long do you cook air fry chicken legs for?

In this recipe, I fry the chicken legs for 20 minutes total. If the chicken legs are frozen, you will need to air fry them for at least 30 minutes until their internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

How to store drumsticks

Once you cook chicken drumsticks in the air fryer, let them cool completely. Then, put them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last 3-4 days in the fridge. You can also freeze them if you aren’t going to get them eaten in time. They will last 1-2 months in the freezer if stored properly.

Looking for some more gluten free chicken recipe ideas? 

Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks

Sandi Gaertner
A delicious air fryer chicken drumsticks recipe the whole family will love. Dinner is ready in just 20 minutes! It is also great if you are on a budget!
5 from 5 votes
dairy free allergen icon
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Gluten Free Dinner Recipes, Meal Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 153 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 chicken drumsticks
  • 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil

For the Spice Mix

  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon umami powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • â…› teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your air fryer at 400º F for 5 minutes.
  • Rub the spice mix over all of the drumsticks.
  • Pour the oil over the drumsticks and massage into each leg.
  • Bake in the air fryer for 10 minutes.
  • Remove the chicken and turn it over. Bake another 10 minutes.
  • Check the temperature of the drumsticks. You want the chicken to be 165F degrees internal temperature.

Notes

  1. You can also use this recipe for chicken wings or any cut of chicken!
  2. These chicken drumsticks will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
To bake in the oven: 
Season the chicken the same way as if it were going into the air fryer. Lay onto a parchment paper-lined 9×13 pan. Bake at 375º F for 20-25 minutes until done. You will know the chicken is done when it is 165º F with an internal thermometer.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 13gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 224mgPotassium: 169mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 35IUCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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Recipe Rating




20 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Delicious, kid friendly, economical, fast to make…what’s not to love! I will make it again and again.

  2. I am thrilled that you introduced me to umami powder! It is fabulous on the drummies and I have been adding it to everything! So fabulous!

  3. We love the simplicity of this recipe! When I made these my husband was skeptical thinking that they wouldn’t turn out well in the air fryer. Boy, he was wrong they were perfect! Thank you.

  4. My family loved this recipe for fried chicken, and they’d never guess it was gluten free. MMM. Will make again.

  5. Another great recipe for my air fryer! Can’t wait to make these for my kids tonight; they look amazing!