Are you looking for a super quick weeknight dinner? You can make delicious frozen chicken drumsticks in air fryer in half an hour, using only three ingredients.
No need to defrost them; put your simply seasoned frozen chicken drumsticks in air fryer, and in under twenty minutes, you’ll have the most succulent chicken with crunchy golden skin. You’ll never use the pressure cooker to make frozen chicken again!
When you air fry frozen chicken drumsticks, the hot air heats them evenly while gently crisping up the outside. As a result, you can have beautifully soft and succulent chicken straight from the freezer!
Using just a tiny amount of Montreal chicken seasoning to complement the meat, these air fryer frozen chicken drumsticks are simple to make yet so tasty! They’re guaranteed to become a family favorite.
Ingredients you’ll need to air fry frozen drumsticks?
**Find the full list of ingredients along with the recipe instructions at the end of this post**
Frozen chicken drumsticks. You can buy these in any grocery store; they’re a great option because they’re much easier to keep fresh for longer. You can make this recipe using refrigerated chicken, but you’ll need to reduce the cooking time slightly.
Montreal chicken seasoning. Warming, earthy, and with a hint of spice, Montreal chicken seasoning is the perfect flavoring for frozen chicken legs in air fryer. It’s available in most grocery stores, but if you can’t find it, you can make your own by combining garlic, onion, salt, black pepper, parsley, paprika, and orange peel. A mixture of dried sage and marjoram also works well.
Olive oil. Just a tiny amount of olive oil helps prevent the chicken from sticking to the basket and ensures the seasoning permeates the meat.
Tools used to make the recipe.
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How to cook frozen chicken legs in air fryer
Seasoning the chicken pieces: Place the frozen chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket, season with half of the seasoning, and spritz with olive oil. Set the air fryer to 380ºF for 15 minutes and cook on one side.
Air Frying: Turn the drumsticks, sprinkle the sides you didn’t season with the remaining seasoning, and spritz with oil. Set the air fryer at 380ºF for 12 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165ºF in the thickest part of the chicken legs. Remove from the air fryer and serve.
Recipe tips
- When using a meat thermometer to check your chicken, insert it into the thickest part of the meat and be careful not to touch the bone.
- Feel free to use any other seasoning mix you like.
- You can season the chicken drumsticks in advance simply season on all sides, place in a sheet pan, freeze them for up to 6 hours and then transfer them to a Ziploc bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. For cooking, follow the temperature and time mentioned above.
- Air frying frozen chicken legs will give you much better results than using a pressure cooker because the convection method used by the air fryer will slowly and evenly defrost and cook the meat so that it stays tender at the same time crisping the skin.
How long to cook frozen drumsticks in air fryer
Cook frozen drumsticks in air fryer for roughly 16 minutes per side at a temperature of 380°F.
Your make of air fryer and the drumstick size will influence the timings, so always use a meat thermometer to check for a safe internal temperature of 165°F in the thickest part of the leg (being careful not to touch the bone).
What goes well with drumsticks
- Cauliflower tots
- Air fryer baby potatoes
- Crispy air fryer broccoli bites
- Air fryer broccoli rabe
- Green beans and bacon air fryer
- Air fryer smashed potatoes
How to store and reheat leftover drumsticks
If you have leftovers, you can store them in the fridge for 3-4 days and in the freezer for 2 to 6 months - the USDA advises that it is safe to freeze cooked foods that were frozen.
To store your drumsticks, seal them in an airtight container or Zip Top bag, and move them into the fridge or freezer within 2 hours of cooking to prevent bacterial growth.
To reheat frozen chicken drumsticks, preheat the air fryer to 375°F and lay the chicken out in a single layer in the basket. Air fry for 2 minutes on each side until a meat thermometer reads 165°F. If you are reheating from frozen, allow an additional 4-5 minutes per side.
FAQ’S
Can you cook raw chicken legs in the air fryer?
Yes! You can cook fresh or frozen raw chicken leg in the air fryer and get beautiful results. This recipe shows you how to air fry frozen chicken legs, and there’s also a great recipe for fresh air fryer chicken legs for you to try.
Can you air fry frozen chicken legs?
Absolutely. Follow this recipe to make succulent air fryer frozen drumsticks every time. One of the benefits of air frying is that you can cook food directly from frozen and get great results.
More air fryer chicken recipes you’ll love
- Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer Cajun Chicken Drumsticks
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Frozen Chicken Drumsticks In Air Fryer
Yield: 3
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
No need to defrost them; put your simply seasoned frozen chicken drumsticks in air fryer, and in under twenty minutes, you’ll have the most succulent chicken with crunchy golden skin. You’ll never use the pressure cooker to make frozen chicken again!a
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoon Montreal chicken seasoning, divided
- 5-6 Frozen chicken drumsticks
- Olive oil in an oil sprayer bottle
Tools
Instructions
- Place the frozen chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket and season with half of the seasoning, and spritz with olive oil. Set the air fryer to 380ºF for 15 minutes and cook on one side.
- Turn the drumsticks and sprinkle the sides you didn’t season with the remaining seasoning, and spritz with oil. Set the air fryer to 380ºF for 12 minutes or until an internal temperature reaches 165ºF in the thickest part of the chicken legs. Remove from the air fryer basket and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Feel free to use any other seasoning mix you like.
- You can season the chicken drumsticks in advance simply season on all sides, place in a sheet pan, freeze them for up to 6 hours and then transfer them to a Ziploc bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. For cooking, follow the temperature and time mentioned above.
- When using a meat thermometer to check your chicken, insert it into the thickest part of the meat and be careful not to touch the bone.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3Serving Size: 2
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 452Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 24gCholesterol: 166mgSodium: 206mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 54g
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.
