These BBQ chicken legs in air fryer come out smoky, juicy, and coated in enough barbecue sauce to leave your fingers a little sticky. You can make them right in the kitchen without pulling out the grill.
There's not much to get ready, either. Season the chicken, put it in the basket, and brush on the sauce later. That gives you time to figure out what's going beside it.
Corn and slaw keep dinner simple, or you can add potatoes and a vegetable. The chicken takes about 35 minutes, so you don't need to save this one for the weekend.
Quick Success Tips
- Use fully thawed, bone-in, skin-on drumsticks of similar size.
- Pat the chicken dry before adding the oil and seasonings.
- Keep the legs in a single layer with space around them.
- Turn halfway through the first 20 minutes, then add the sauce for the final cooking stage.
- Check for 165°F in the thickest part without touching the bone.
Why This Recipe Works
The BBQ rub seasons the chicken on the outside and under the skin, while the sauce gives it a sticky finish.
Cooking the seasoned drumsticks first lets the skin brown before the wet sauce goes on. The sauce then has its own shorter stage to thicken and cling to the chicken.
Ingredients you'll need
Find the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Chicken drumsticks: Use bone-in, skin-on drumsticks. Chicken leg quarters include the thigh and need a different cooking method, so they aren't a direct swap here.
Olive oil: Helps the dry rub coat the chicken.
Salt-free BBQ rub: A salt-free blend lets you control the salt separately. Rubs vary in sweetness and heat, so use one you enjoy.
Salt and pepper: Season to taste. Check the salt in your rub and sauce before adding extra.
BBQ sauce: Use your favorite bottled sauce or a homemade one. The flavor of the sauce comes through in the finished chicken, so choose a smoky, sweet, tangy, or spicy version you like.
Tools Used
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- Pastry brush: This kind of brush is perfect for basting sauce on meat and oil if you don't have a sprayer bottle.
- Instant-read thermometer: Highly recommended to use one when cooking meat in the air fryer.
- Kitchen tongs: Help to protect the coating of the air fryer basket.
How to cook BBQ chicken legs in air fryer
1. Season the drumsticks
Place the chicken legs in a large bowl or on a baking sheet and pat them dry with paper towels.
Rub the olive oil over the chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then rub the BBQ seasoning over all sides and underneath the skin.
2. Air fry
Arrange the drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
Cook at 390°F for 20 minutes, turning halfway through.
3. Brush with sauce and finish cooking
Use a silicone brush to coat the drumsticks with BBQ sauce on all sides.
Air fry at 390°F for an additional 10 minutes, until the sauce is sticky with some charred edges.
Before serving, check each drumstick with an instant-read thermometer. The thickest part must reach 165°F without the probe touching the bone. Continue cooking as needed until it does.
Recipe tips
- Using dry BBQ rub won't tenderize the meat, so it's OK to add the rub any length of time before cooking your air fryer BBQ chicken. For example, I like to get the chicken ready the night before so that when it comes to cooking, I can throw the chicken legs straight in the air fryer without any hassle.
- Always lay the BBQ chicken legs in a single layer in the basket - this allows the hot air to be passed around them more effectively. The hot air is what will give you crispy skin, and that's the best part!
How Long to Cook BBQ Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer
The cooking time is about 30 minutes at 390°F: 20 minutes before saucing and another 10 minutes with the sauce.
The size of the drumsticks and your air fryer can affect the timing. A dark sauce coating doesn't tell you whether the chicken is cooked through, so use a thermometer rather than sauce color alone.
Make It a Meal
Easy barbecue plate: Serve with corn on the cob and slaw. Cook the corn on the stovetop while the chicken is in the air fryer.
Warm chicken dinner: Add baby potatoes and green beans. Cook air fryer sides separately from the drumsticks so the basket stays uncrowded.
Minimal-prep dinner: Add microwave rice and a bagged salad. There's no need to start another full recipe to finish the plate.
How to Store BBQ Chicken Legs
Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours of cooking, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. For longer storage, freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months.
How to Reheat BBQ Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer
Thaw frozen leftovers in the refrigerator before following these reheating directions.
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Arrange the chicken legs in a single layer and reheat for about 6-8 minutes, continuing as needed until the thickest part reaches 165°F.
Brush with a little fresh BBQ sauce after reheating.
FAQs
Yes. Rub the chicken with the oil and seasonings, then cover and refrigerate overnight. Keep the BBQ sauce separate and brush it on during the cooking stage in the recipe.
Pull the cooked meat from the bones and use it in a wrap with slaw or in a rice bowl with vegetables. Keep the chicken refrigerated and reheat it to 165°F when serving it hot.
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BBQ Chicken Legs in Air Fryer (Sticky & Juicy)
These BBQ chicken legs in the air fryer are seasoned with a smoky dry rub and finished with a sticky coating of barbecue sauce. An easy chicken dinner without firing up the grill.
Ingredients
- 5-6 Chicken drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon olive oil,
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tablespoons salt-free BBQ rub
- ½ cup BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a large bowl or baking sheet; pat dry chicken legs with a paper towel, rub oil all over the chicken legs, season with salt and pepper to taste; rub the bbq seasoning all around the drumsticks including underneath the skin.
- Place the chicken legs in the air fryer basket and cook to 390ºF for 20 minutes turning halfway through.
- Using a silicone brush; brush the chicken legs with BBQ sauce all over the legs. Air fry for an additional 10 minutes or until the sauce is charred and sticky. Serve. Enjoy!
Before serving, check that the thickest part of each drumstick reaches 165°F without touching the bone.
Notes
- Using dry BBQ rub won't tenderize the meat, so it’s OK to add the rub any length of time before cooking your air fryer BBQ chicken. For example, I like to get the chicken ready the night before so that when it comes to cooking, I can throw the chicken legs straight in the air fryer without any hassle.
- Always lay the BBQ chicken legs in a single layer in the basket - this allows the hot air to be passed around them more effectively. The hot air is what will give you crispy skin, and that’s the best part!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 427Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 4157mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 41g
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used. When the recipe list salt to taste the amount of salt is not calculated, only the sodium in the other ingredients is calculated.
