Barbecue Air Fryer Chicken Legs

BBQ chicken legs in an air fryer basket.

4.75 from 4 votes

These Barbecue Air Fryer Chicken Legs are seriously finger-licking good. They get coated in a BBQ dry rub which acts as a brine to keep them moist and infuse flavor into every bite. At the end of the cooking time, coat them in BBQ sauce and cook them a little more to get the sauce thick and sticky. They are finger-licking good.

Prep Time10

Cook Time22

Total Time32

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

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Servings: chicken legs

Author: Joshua Boquist

Equipment

Ingredients

6 chicken legs drumsticks
1 tbsp olive oil
4 to 6 tbsp barbecue dry seasoning rub
½ cup barbecue sauce

Instructions

Place the chicken legs in a sealable plastic bag or large bowl. Add the olive oil and coat the chicken thoroughly in the oil.
Add the dry barbecue seasoning rub and toss the legs around until they are completely coated in the dry rub. If you have the time, let the chicken sit in the fridge for 8 hours (it acts as a dry brine and makes the chicken juicy and fully seasoned).
Place the chicken legs in your air fryer and cook at 370°F for 18 minutes (turn them halfway through the cooking time).
Brush some BBQ sauce over the tops of the drumsticks and cook at 390°F for 2 minutes. Turn them, coat the other side and cook them for another 2 to 4 minutes.

Notes

Choose Your Rub And Sauce

Any brand of BBQ dry rub and BBQ sauce will work. If you want to make your own seasoning and sauce, check the post for recipes.

Avoid Crowding

Don’t overcrowd the air fryer. Make sure the chicken legs get spaced out so heat can circulate around them. If you have a small air fryer you will need to cook the drumsticks in batches.

Add Sauce At The End

Don’t put the bbq sauce on the drumsticks until the end of the cooking time or it will burn on top of the chicken legs.

Chicken Temperature

The FDA recommends that you cook chicken to an internal temperature of 165°F. You can get away with cooking chicken legs a bit higher since they are higher in fat. The BBQ dry rub also acts as a brine and helps keep the chicken moist.

Dry Brine Ahead

For more seasoning throughout, refrigerate the rubbed drumsticks for up to 8 hours as directed before cooking.

Nutrition