Tillie Doyle
Air fryer chicken legs are a quick, easy, and healthy way to cook chicken. The air fryer is perfect for cooking juicy chicken legs with a crispy skin. The circulating hot air in the fryer gives the chicken legs their crispy texture and ensures the meat remains juicy. The key to achieving this texture is to ensure the chicken is not overlapping or stacked in the air fryer. You can season the chicken legs with a variety of spices and herbs, such as paprika, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and brown sugar.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Chicken legs, brown sugar, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder, ground mustard, cayenne, vegetable oil |
| Equipment | Air fryer, instant-read kitchen thermometer, large zip-top bag, tongs |
| Preparation | Pat chicken legs dry with a paper towel, mix dry ingredients in a bag, add chicken and oil to the bag and shake until coated, preheat air fryer |
| Cooking | Use the "air fry" setting at 380°F-400°F for 18-22 minutes, turning the chicken legs halfway through the cooking time. For smaller chicken legs, cook for 18 minutes, and for larger chicken legs, cook for 22 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165°F-185°F. |
| Serving | Serve with roasted vegetables, rice, peas, and carrots |
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What You'll Learn
Seasoning and marinating
Next, you can mix your seasoning. A blend of brown sugar, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, ground mustard, and a pinch of cayenne pepper is a great option for a sweet and smoky flavour profile. You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to your taste, adding more for a spicier kick, or reducing or omitting it for a milder flavour. Alternatively, a simple blend of salt, black pepper, and garlic powder will also work well. You can also add olive oil to your seasoning blend to help it stick to the chicken.
Once you have prepared your seasoning, you can add the chicken legs to a large zip-top bag and shake to coat the meat evenly. You can also drizzle oil over the chicken legs and use your hands to ensure an even coating before applying the seasoning. After marinating, the chicken should be left to sit for around 20 minutes to remove the chill and allow the flavours to develop.
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Preheat and prep
To cook juicy and crispy chicken legs in an air fryer, you'll want to start by removing any excess moisture from the chicken legs. Use a paper towel to pat the chicken legs dry. This helps to prevent the chicken from steaming in the air fryer and promotes the crisping of the skin.
Next, you'll want to coat the chicken legs in oil. You can use a variety of oils for this step, such as vegetable oil or olive oil. You can also use an oil sprayer to coat the chicken legs evenly.
After the chicken legs are coated in oil, it's time to season them. You can use a variety of seasonings, but some common options include salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, brown sugar, ground mustard, and cayenne pepper. You can mix the seasonings together in a small bowl and then sprinkle them over the chicken legs, or you can place the chicken legs in a large zip-top bag with the seasonings and shake to coat.
Once the chicken legs are seasoned, it's time to preheat your air fryer. Most recipes recommend preheating your air fryer to 380-400 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to check your air fryer's specific instructions, as temperatures may vary slightly.
While the air fryer is preheating, you can prepare the chicken legs by placing them in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a minimum of 1/4 inch of space between each leg. This ensures that the hot air can circulate properly and cook the chicken legs evenly.
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Cooking times and temperatures
When cooking chicken legs in an air fryer, it is important to preheat the air fryer. The ideal temperature for cooking chicken legs is between 380°F and 400°F. At this temperature, the chicken legs will cook in about 20 minutes. However, the size of the chicken legs and the brand of the air fryer may affect the cooking time. For smaller chicken legs, 18 minutes should be enough, while larger chicken legs may need up to 22 minutes.
To ensure even cooking and a crispy skin, it is important to leave space between each chicken leg in the air fryer basket. A minimum of 1/4-inch gap is recommended. Additionally, flipping the chicken legs halfway through the cooking time will ensure that all sides are evenly browned.
The internal temperature of the chicken legs should reach a minimum of 165°F to be safe to eat. An instant-read thermometer can be used to check this. For crispier skin, the chicken can be cooked until the internal temperature reaches 185°F or 190°F.
When reheating leftover chicken legs in the air fryer, preheat the air fryer to 350°F and cook for 5-8 minutes until heated through.
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Flipping and serving
Flipping the chicken legs halfway through the cooking process is a crucial step in achieving that perfect, crispy skin. Use tongs or silicone-coated tongs to flip the legs, being careful not to scratch the air fryer's surface. This ensures even cooking and browning on all sides of the chicken.
For smaller chicken legs, set the air fryer to 380°F for 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. For larger legs, 22 minutes at the same temperature is recommended, again, flipping halfway. Always check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken is cooked to at least 165°F. For extra crispy skin, you can continue air frying and flipping until the internal temperature reaches 190°F.
Some recipes suggest cooking the chicken legs at 400°F for 10 minutes, flipping them over, and then cooking for an additional 8 to 10 minutes. This method also recommends letting the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
No matter the size of the chicken legs or the temperature and timing you choose, flipping the legs halfway through the cooking process is essential to achieving that crispy skin and juicy meat that air-fried chicken legs are known for.
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Sides and sauces
There are many different sauces and sides that go well with air fryer chicken legs.
For sauces, you can opt for a simple glaze by brushing on some BBQ sauce or honey mustard in the last few minutes of cooking. You can also make a creamy sauce with heavy cream, chicken stock, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, red pepper flakes, and browned chicken. Bring the sauce to a simmer, add the cream, and then simmer for another 5 minutes. You can also add some cayenne pepper to your sauce for an extra kick.
For sides, you can serve the chicken legs with roasted vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, or asparagus. You can also serve them with rice, such as garlic herb rice or plain steamed rice. Alternatively, you can serve them with pasta, like cooked pasta or mac and cheese. Other sides include mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, green beans, biscuits, or cornbread.
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Frequently asked questions
It takes between 15 to 22 minutes to cook chicken legs in an air fryer.
The air fryer should be preheated to between 380°F and 400°F.
The internal temperature of the chicken legs should be at least 165°F. This can be checked with an instant-read thermometer.
Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Then, coat the chicken legs with oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Yes, you can add sauce to the chicken legs. It is recommended to add the sauce in the last 5 minutes of cooking.
