Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks

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!

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.

Are you ready to make this easy air fryer chicken drumsticks recipe?

How to make air-fried drumsticks:

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 here.  If you can't find it, you can use another mushroom powder or omit it.

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

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 400F degrees for 10 minutes, then flip the chicken drumsticks over. Cook on the other side 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 400F degrees, then added my chicken.

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!!

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

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 ahead of time and freeze it then 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.

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 a minimum of 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 they are stored properly.

Looking for some more gluten free chicken recipe ideas? 

• I love these Air Fryer Gluten Free Ground Chicken Meatballs! Dip them in any sauce.
• The best soup ever, my Grandma's Homemade Chicken Soup from Scratch recipe.
• Gluten free comfort food at its finest...you will love this Creamy Gluten Free Chicken Pot Pie recipe.
• Crispy Proposition Chicken’s Gluten Free Fried Chicken Recipe is crazy good!
• These Air Fryer Chicken Leg Quarters are a great family-friendly recipe.

📖 Recipe

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

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Meal Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 4

Calories 153 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 4 chicken drumsticks
• ▢ 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil

For the Spice Mix

• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon umami powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ⅛ 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 9x13 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.