Ranch chicken legs in the air fryer are a delicious, fun, and budget-friendly dish the whole family will love! In this quick and easy recipe we coat chicken drumsticks with ranch seasoning mix and air fry for less than 20 minutes, just until the skin is crispy with fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy meat.
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Chicken drumsticks are always a household favorite! We love that they are super flavorful, versatile and simple to prepare - and happen to be economical, too. These ranch chicken legs are quick and easy to make in an air fryer but taste like a restaurant-quality main dish!
Air fryers are wonders at cooking bone-in and skin-on chicken to golden brown and tender perfection. In this recipe we use only a few pantry staples like ranch seasoning mix and oil to coat the drumsticks. The convenient seasoning blend gives the chicken an irresistibly tangy, savory, earthy and lightly sweet flavor.
Related: Lemon pepper drumsticks in air fryer
Then pop the legs into the basket and let the fryer work its magic! There is no breading or dredging, no marinating, and basically no effort to get that crispy chicken skin you crave. So from start to finish the melt-in-your-mouth chicken legs are ready to serve in only about 20 minutes.
They are great to pair with your favorite comfort foods, fresh veggies, or any casual side dishes. Pro tip: Stick with finger food sides, and you can totally skip silverware... Kids (and the young at heart!) especially enjoy picking up the chicken legs and eating with their hands!
Recipe ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks: These handy pieces of chicken are cut from the very bottom of the leg, right below the thigh. They are packaged with the bone in and skin on, making them easy to cook and convenient to pick up and eat with your hands. Air fryer BBQ chicken drumsticks is another great recipe.
- Ranch Seasoning Mix: Exact ingredients will vary from brand-to-brand. But most packages of ranch seasoning include dry buttermilk powder and a few simple spices, like garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper, plus dried dill and parsley.
- Spices: We add a bit more salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to the dry chicken rub. This really makes the drumsticks POP with delicious savory flavor!
- Cooking Oil: Use your choice of olive oil or avocado oil to coat the legs. Either lets the chicken drumstick seasoning shine, but olive oil has a more rich and fatty flavor.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can! Air frying is a great method for cooking raw chicken perfectly every time. But to cut down on mess and cleanup I recommend lining the basket with a square of parchment paper or liner specially made for the air fryer.
Be sure to add the parchment only after the air fryer has preheat, right when you are ready to place the chicken legs in the basket.
A typical air fryer can fit 5 to 6 chicken drumsticks. This recipe calls for 1 pound of chicken, which should be about 3 to 4 legs.
No, do not stack the chicken legs. Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket without the drumsticks touching as little as possible. You might want to work in batches if you choose to cook more than 1 pound of chicken.
I do suggest flipping the ranch chicken legs in the air fryer one time. While it is not necessary for them to thoroughly cook all the way, it does help cook the meat more evenly and get a nice crispy skin on all sides.
Yes, you can line the basket of the air fryer with a layer of aluminum foil. But to keep the drumsticks from sticking and easiest cleanup I suggest using parchment paper instead.
Storage instructions
Store leftovers in the air tight glass or plastic container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or air fryer until heated through.
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Hope you will like this air fryer ranch chicken legs recipe as much as we do. Rate the recipe if you made it leave a comment below if you have any questions or suggestions.
Recipe
Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken drumsticks
- 2 teaspoon ranch seasoning mix
- salt, pepper, garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil
Instructions
- Mix drumsticks with oil and seasonings.
- Place them in to the air fryer basket leaving some space in between. Cook at 375 degrees for 15-17 minutes. Flip once during cooking.
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