My air fryer is my favorite appliance, and these garlic parmesan chicken drumsticks are a testament to just how great it is. My air fryer chicken drumsticks are juicy, flavorful, and ridiculously crispy. Made with just 6 ingredients and minimal oil, they’re healthy, too! One word of warning: be sure to cook up a double batch because they will disappear quickly!
Cooking garlic parmesan chicken drumsticks in the air fryer takes so little time and effort. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it sooner! So quick and easy to prep and cook, these air fryer chicken drumsticks are perfect to serve as an appetizer or an easy weeknight meal– no messy frying required!
What’s in This Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe?
- Chicken: Drumsticks stay nice and juicy and get gorgeous crispy skin in the air fryer.
- Baking Powder: Absorbs excess moisture to create ultra-crispy skin.
- Parmesan Cheese: Adds a salty and umami flavor to the chicken. I prefer freshly grated, but pre-grated will also work.
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper are classic spices that enhance the flavor of the chicken.
Variations To Try
You can season these garlic parmesan chicken drumsticks with just about anything you can imagine, so grab your favorite spice blend (or make your own!) and get to cooking!
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How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover air fryer chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating in a 375°F air fryer for 4-5 minutes.
Notes and Tips
- Pat the skin dry before coating the drumsticks in the baking powder and seasonings. This helps to remove excess moisture and gets them super crispy.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. The drumsticks should be in a single layer otherwise they won’t cook evenly. Cook them in two batches if needed.
- Check that the chicken is cooked through by using an instant-read thermometer. It should register at 165°F.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving, this will help them to get nice and juicy.
Top Reader Review
“I loved this recipe easy easy! Thanks for the tips also. Made my Father’s Day dinner easy!” -Jenn Burdick
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Pat the chicken drumsticks dry. I prefer to remove the skin, but you can leave the skin as is for a crispier result.1½ pounds chicken drumsticks
- In a large bowl, combine chicken drumsticks and baking powder, fully coating the chicken. Set aside.1 teaspoon baking powder
- On a plate, combine parmesan cheese, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, and ground pepper.¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon chili powder, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Coat the chicken drumstick with the parmesan herb mix until it is well coated.
- Spray the Air Fryer basket with oil. Place the prepared chicken drumsticks in a single layer. Do not overlap. Cook in multiple batches if needed.
- Set Air Fryer and cook at 380℉ for 24 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Increase the temperature to 400℉ and fry for about 5-6 minutes more.
- Remove the air fried chicken drumsticks from air fryer basket and place on a plate.
- Serve the crispy garlic parmesan drumsticks with your favorite sauce.
Notes
- If you don’t have an air fryer (go and get one!) you can make this delicious chicken in the oven too. It won’t be quite as crispy, but it will still be super tasty! Coat the drumsticks as per the recipe, then cook them in an oven at 375°F for 30-40 minutes, or until cooked through.
Tried. Zero percent of the Parm mixture stuck to the drumsticks.
I am sorry it didn’t work out for you!
I loved this recipe easy easy ! Thanks for the tips also . Made my Father’s Day dinner easy !
We’re so glad to hear that, Jenn!
Great recipe, I used little drumlettes and they turned out amazing!! I just didn’t cook as long. SO good!
Please advise how 1 teaspoon of baking powder can fully cover 1 1/2 pounds of chicken drumsticks. What am is missing ?
Hi Michael, it’s not meant to create a thick coating, just a thin dusting!
This came out so good and tasty. Only change I made was the application of the spices & parm. I mixed everything that went on the chicken including the baking soda. Because I’ve never been a fan of dredging if I can avoid it, I used my default air fryer method and patted the legs dry, drizzled them with 1 Tbs of EVOO and sprinkled with the mixture. Everything sticks really good for me this way. Followed your cooking directions and they were crispy and garlicky and parmed perfectly. Thank you