Air-frying chicken legs is an amazing cooking choice. It is easy to operate, healthy, and quick compared with traditional baking methods. You will not have to endure the smoky smell produced when cooking them on grills, or you will no longer make a mess in the kitchen due to cooking them in the baking pan. What you need to do is just sit and wait for the juicy and crispy chicken legs to come out of the air fryer.
But how long to cook chicken legs in air fryer? Well, you are in the right place. In this blog post, we will share with you the guide to cooking chicken legs in the air fryer at the proper time and temperature. Besides, we are about to provide some tips during the process of cooking delicious chicken legs. Let's get started and try out this delicious recipe!
Start with the Ingredients
To make a delicious meal, you need to prepare the ingredients. Here are the ingredients that we need for air fried chicken legs:
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons salt
- 1 tablespoons pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
- several chicken legs
How to Cook Chicken Legs in Air Fryer?
After all the ingredients are prepared, it's time to cook chicken legs in the air fryer. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to air fry chicken legs.
- Wash and dry the chicken legs in the bowl, and add a little bit of oil to them.
- Mix all the dry ingredients together and spread these seasonings evenly on the chicken legs. Then marinate the seasoned chicken legs in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
- Put the marinated chicken legs in the air fryer. Set the air fryer settings at 400 degrees F for 18–20 minutes. Flip the chicken legs halfway during the cooking process.
- Take a look at the chicken legs and check the temperature with the thermometer. If the internal temperature of chicken legs reaches 165 degrees F, they are considered safe for eating.
- Remove the chicken legs from the air fryer and rest them for a few minutes. Then you are able to eat them.
To enjoy a healthy meal, you can serve the air fried chicken legs with a salad, baked potatoes, roasted vegetables, coleslaw, and more. Of course, you can use this recipe to air fry chicken wings, air fry chicken thighs, air fry drumsticks, and more.
How Long to Cook Chicken Legs in the Air Fryer?
The cooking time will vary depending on factors like the specific brands of air fryer and the size of the chicken legs. Generally, it will take 18–20 minutes to cook the chicken legs in the air fryer. If the air fryer hasn’t been warmed up, you need to preheat it in advance. This will take 5 minutes. The flipping will also take some time, around 1 to 2 minutes.
Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe Tips
In this part, we will share some tips to help you make air fried chicken legs successfully during the cooking process.
- Preheat the air fryer. It is better to preheat the air fryer if you want to get extra crispy chicken legs.
- Pat the chicken legs dry. It is essential to dry the washed chicken legs with paper towels before putting them into the air fryer. It helps remove the water and stick the seasonings together.
- Do not overcrowd the air fryer. Leave some space between the bone-in chicken legs in the air fryer to avoid them being unevenly cooked.
- Flip the chicken legs. Flip the chicken legs halfway during the cooking process. This will help the air fryer cook bone-in chicken legs evenly.
- Check the temperature. Check if the chicken legs are done to avoid them being overcooked or undercooked.
Air Fried Chicken Legs Storage
Tips If there are leftovers, it is essential to store them well. Here are some storage tips for air-fried chicken legs.
- Seal the leftovers in the airtight storage container and refrigerate them for up to 3–4 days.
- Freeze the air-fried chicken legs in an airtight storage container for up to 3 months.
- You can reheat the leftovers at 350 degrees F in the oven or microwave for 5–10 minutes.
Chicken Legs with Different Flavors
Different flavors for chicken legs will give you exciting new taste experiences. So, you can try to season the chicken legs in different flavors, like sweet orange flavor, honey garlic flavor, or Cajun-style flavor.
- Sweet orange flavor: Mix the orange juice, orange marmalade, onion, ketchup, apple cider, vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, paprika, and black pepper. Try a different sweet orange chicken leg!
- Honey garlic flavor: Coat the chicken legs with garlic, honey, brown sugar, and soy sauce, which will bring you a sweet and savory taste.
- Cajun-style flavor: Just take the cajun seasoning, chicken legs, and butter together, and you will get a homemade cajun-style flavor.
Conclusion
All in all, it will never be wrong with chicken legs in the air fryer. A delicious recipe, healthier than ever! It is essential to know how long to cook chicken legs in air fryer. Only with that can you make a safe, quick, and yummy meal. It will never be a difficult meal to complete by following the guidelines, like preheating, air-frying at the right temperature, and having proper cooking time. With all the tips in mind, you are able to prepare and enjoy delicious air-fried chicken legs with family and friends.
