Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

5 from 4 votes

These juicy Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are a quick and easy way to get great barbecue flavor without firing up your grill! The homemade BBQ sauce is so simple while being perfectly sweet and tangy. You’ll want to use it on everything!

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 385

Author Jessica Kwon

Equipment

Air fryer

Ingredients

¾ cup ketchup
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoon honey
½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
2-3 lbs chicken drumsticks about 6-8 large drumsticks
Salt and pepper to taste

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

BBQ Sauce

In a pot, combine ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, ground mustard, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then simmer over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until thickened and darkened slightly, whisking often. Then remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Season to taste.
Then remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Season to taste.

Air Fryer Chicken

Preheat air fryer to 350°F. If your air fryer doesn't have a preheating function, turn on and let warm up for 3-4 minutes.
Pat chicken drumsticks dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Once the air fryer is preheated, option to line with foil or parchment paper for easier clean up. Place chicken drumsticks in a single layer with space between each one. You may need to cook in batches.
Air fry for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature is 160°F, flipping halfway. The time will vary depending on your air fryer and the size of your drumsticks. If you don't have a thermometer, check doneness by cutting deep into one of the drumsticks. If the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked.
Set about ¼ cup of the BBQ side aside for dipping. Then use a brush to generously glaze the chicken with BBQ sauce on all sides. Air fry for an additional 3-5 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes, then serve warm.

Notes

I use the 6-Quart Instant Vortex Air Fryer. Each air fryer is different so I recommend testing with a single drumstick first to determine the best temperature and cook time.
For easy clean-up, I recommend lining your air fryer with foil or paper liners. Just make sure to carefully line it after it's preheated so the weightless foil isn't flying around.
Use a meat thermometer for best results. Chicken drumsticks come in all different sizes so the cooking time will vary. You want to cook it to 155-160°F at the thickest part of the drumstick, avoiding the bone, before covering it in sauce. The additional 5 minutes of cooking and resting will bring it up to the desired 165°F. If you don't want to see any blood spots, you can even cook it up to 180-190ºF.
To bake: preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place seasoned drumsticks on foil about 1" apart. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until internal temperature is 160°F, flipping halfway. Then brush with BBQ sauce and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Substitutions:
- Feel free to use any cut of chicken you'd like! Split (party) chicken wings will cook the fastest, about 10-15 minutes. Bone-in chicken legs or breasts will take the longest, about 25-30 minutes in the air fryer. Meanwhile, bone-in chicken thighs will cook in 15-20 minutes.
- Substitute apple cider vinegar with another mild vinegar like rice wine, raspberry, white wine, or red wine vinegar.
- If you're missing brown sugar or honey, you can replace it for the other. For example, use ¼ cup + 2 tablespoon brown sugar if you don't have any honey on hand.
- If you have a BBQ seasoning or rub, feel free to use it in place of the spices. You can also season the chicken with it in addition to the salt and pepper.
- To make things even faster, you can use your favorite pre-made or store-bought BBQ sauce.
- To make this gluten-free, use gluten-free Worcestershire sauce. Double check the remaining ingredients to make sure it's safe.

Nutrition