Go Back
+ servings
Barbecue Chicken drumsticks in an air fryer basket.

Super Easy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Grace Stewart
BBQ Chicken Drumsticks cooked in your air fryer is super easy and incredibly delicious! You only need 3 ingredients and less than 30 minutes for this finger licking good BBQ chicken!
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 680 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lb chicken drumsticks keep the skin on and try to select drumsticks that are roughly the same size
  • 2 tablespoon dry rub use your favorite dry rub for this dish; season the chicken very liberally with the dry rub; also see notes below for suggestions on seasonings to use if you don't have a dry rub available
  • ¾ cup barbecue sauce use your favorite bbq sauce for this dish; may need to adjust the quantity of sauce called for in this recipe to your needs

Instructions
 

  • Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Then liberally season the drumsticks with your favorite dry rub. Now place the drumsticks in a single layer in your air fryer basket. It's important that they are in a single layer and try not to crowd them. You will need to cook the chicken in batches if you have more chicken than will fit in a single layer in your air fryer. If you like, you can line your basket with parchment paper.
    Raw chicken drumsticks seasoned with a dry rub in an air fryer basket. One of the drumsticks has a MEATER + thermometer inserted in it.
  • If your air fryer requires preheating, then set it to 350F and let it preheat for a few minutes (without parchment paper) until you reach the desired temperature. Cook the drumsticks in your air fryer for around 20 minutes at 350F. (If you are using a MEATER thermometer then insert it prior to cooking and use it as a guideline to fine tune your cooking time). After 20 minutes, use an instant read meat thermometer to get the internal temperature of the chicken (if not using the MEATER).
    Seasoned chicken drumsticks which have been cooked in an air fryer in an air fryer basket. One of the drumsticks has a MEATER meat thermometer inserted.
  • Now baste the all sides of the drumsticks with your fave barbecue sauce. Most likely you will baste the chicken as you find it in the air fryer basket, then turn the drumsticks over with tongs and baste the other side. Leave it on the flip side to cook for somewhere up to 10 additional minutes to an internal temperature of 170F. (See notes below).
    BBQ chicken drumsticks in an air fryer basket some are not basted with barbecue sauce and some have been basted with a blue silicone baster.
  • Baste it once more when finished. Slather that sauce on your chicken to your heart's content!
    4 bbq chicken drumsticks in an air fryer basket with one being held by blue tongs in the foreground.

Notes

If you don't have a dry rub available, you can simply season with what you have on hand. Some suggestions are salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
Oil is not called for in this recipe. However, if you want you can rub a little olive oil onto the drumsticks prior to adding the dry rub. 
I mention cooking up to 10 additional minutes because there are variations amongst different air fryers so you may need to adjust your cooking time just a bit. Additionally your chicken pieces may be larger or smaller than the chicken pieces I used for this recipe. Feel free to open up your air fryer at any time to check on your chicken.
The most important thing is to be sure to cook until the internal temp reaches around 170F. If it hasn't reached this temperature, return the drumsticks to cook at 350F for a few more minutes.
You can use an instant read meat thermometer, or I recommend the MEATER + Wireless Meat Thermometer for best results. The MEATER + Thermometer can be used inside your air fryer and will stay inserted in your chicken during the cook time.
If you are using the MEATER, then insert it at the beginning of the 20 minute cooking time. Follow the MEATER guidelines to help you adjust the cooking time to get the best results for your bbq drumsticks.

Nutrition

Calories: 680kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 55gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 280mgSodium: 1422mgPotassium: 954mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 485IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 106mgIron: 4mg
Keyword air fryer, barbecue chicken, bbq, Chicken, chicken drumsticks
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!