This air fryer chicken legs recipe gives crispy skin, moist and juicy inside. It's healthy fried chicken leg quarters packed full of flavor, tender, delicious and it's ready in less than 30 minutes. It's perfect with sides like vegetables or rice for a weeknight dinner. Let me show you how to air fry chicken legs.
Like I wrote in my air fryer fried chicken recipe, the air fryer is my new favorite kitchen gadget. I love the result it gives and how easy it is to use. It also cuts down on cooking time when compared to conventional or fan oven. For example, this chicken legs recipe takes less than 30 minutes in comparison to oven baked chicken legs which takes 50 minutes. So what's not to love?
I own a Probreeze XL 5.5 litre air fryer which is perfect for a family of 4-5 cooking. Other good brands out there include Phillips, Cosori, Power Xl, and more. They are similar in the way they look and work.
Air fryer chicken legs quarters is both chicken drumsticks and thighs in one piece and it's sometimes called chicken laps. It is a meaty and tasty part of the chicken.
These air fried chicken legs are flavourful, it has crispy skin just like frying but the good news is it's fewer calories as no oil required to cook this.
Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe
For this chicken legs recipe, you require just a few ingredients- chicken and few pantry ingredients.
I have listed the spices and herbs I use in marinating the chicken but you can use your favorite seasoning like this homemade chicken seasoning, jerk seasoning, Italian seasoning, Suya spice, and more.
You can make this air fried chicken legs with the skin on or take the skin off. You can take them off before or after cooking.
The chicken leg quarters are well seasoned and tasty right through to the bone. No bland chicken here, please!
With the air fryer, once you know the temperature and cooking time required to make a dish, you don't have to babysit while the food cooks. Note that timing is slightly different and varies with the brand of the air fryer but this one here takes just 20 minutes and you have the best air fried chicken legs.
I also love how easy it is to clean up after cooking. Want crispy chicken without the grease and mess? Let me show you how to make the best air fryer chicken legs.
Ingredients
The detailed ingredient list and directions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important information in the post body.
Chicken legs
Onion powder
Garlic granules
Paprika
Parsley
Black pepper
Salt
How to Cook Chicken Legs in Air fryer
Clean and pat chicken with a paper towel. Add the chicken in a bowl then add the paprika, parsley, black pepper, onion powder, garlic granules and salt. Mix and cover the bowl with clingfilm. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes or more.
Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil then arrange the marinated chicken in it. Put the basket in the air fryer and cook the chicken at a temperature of 180C for 20 minutes. Halfway through the time, turn the legs to the other side to ensure all sides are brown and crisp.
When the legs are air-fried and browned on both sides, switch off the air fryer and bring out the chicken.
If unsure chicken is cooked inside, use a meat thermometer to check. Insert the meat thermometer and if the temperature is at least 165F, the chicken is safe to eat.
Serve and enjoy with any side of your choice.
After air frying the chicken legs, you can toss in your favorite sauce like
Air fryer Buffalo chicken legs - After cooking, toss in buffalo sauce.
Toss in Bbq sauce to make bbq chicken legs or lemon pepper sauce or any sauce of your choice.
What to serve with
There are many options of what sides to serve with and below are some of the sides I like serving it with:
Potatoes sides like roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes, boiled potatoes, or chips.
Rice dishes like Jollof rice, spicy rice, curry rice
Vegetable sides like sauteed vegetables, steamed carrots.
Gravy or pepper sauce.
How to Store
Leave to completely cool before putting in a Ziploc bag or airtight container then store in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
You can reheat from frozen in the air fryer or oven. If reheating in the air fryer, spray the fryer basket with cooking oil or line with air fryer parchment paper then arrange the chicken in the basket. Air fry at a temperature of 180C for 5 minutes or until it’s heated through.
If reheating in the oven, put the legs on an oven tray and bake at a temperature of 350F for 10 minutes or till heated. Serve and enjoy.
Tips for Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- You can make my homemade chicken seasoning ahead and use it to marinate the chicken. This saves you time when making the recipe another time.
- If you have the time, leave the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
- Spray the basket with cooking spray or line with air fryer parchment paper (with holes). I find the cooking spray just adequate and don't use parchment paper.
- Don't crowd the air fryer basket.
- Don't open the air fryer too often as this makes heat escape when you do and thus affect the cooking time.
FAQ
Do I have to preheat air fryer?
Not a must but you can preheat for a few minutes between 2-5 minutes so it's hot and your food cook evenly. When air frying chicken, preheating makes the skin crisper.
What temperature and how long do you cook chicken in an air fryer?
This varies according to the brand of fryer used, the parts and sizes of the chicken being cooked in it.
Hope you like this recipe as much as I do. If you find this post helpful, rate it 5 stars and leave me a comment below. I love reading from you.
Other Easy Chicken Recipes you'll love
Instant pot chicken drumsticks
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
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Recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 500 g (1lb) Chicken Legs
- ½ teaspoon Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Parsley
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon Garlic granules
- 1 5g Bouillon
- Salt
Instructions
- Clean and pat chicken leg quarters with a paper towel. Add the chicken in a bowl then add the paprika, parsley, black pepper and salt. Mix and cover the bowl with clingfilm. Leave to marinate for 15 minutes or more.
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil then arrange the marinated chicken legs in it. Put the basket in the air fryer and cook the chicken at a temperature of 180C for 20 minutes. Halfway through the time, turn the legs to the other side to ensure all sides are brown and crisp.
- When the legs are air-fried and browned on both sides, switch off the air fryer and bring out the air fried chicken legs.
- Serve and enjoy perfect air fried chicken legs quarters with any side of your choice.
Notes
- You can make my homemade chicken seasoning ahead and use it to marinate the chicken. This saves you time when making the recipe another time.
- If you have the time, leave the chicken to marinate for 30 minutes or more.
- Don't crowd the air fryer basket.
- Don't open the air fryer too often as this makes heat escape when you do and thus affect the cooking time.
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