Air Fryer BBQ Drumsticks (Printable Version)

Chicken drumsticks with a sweet smoky glaze, air-fried till they're juicy, golden, and super simple to make.

# Everything You’ll Need:

→ BBQ Sauce

01 - 2 g onion powder
02 - 2 g garlic powder
03 - 5 g smoked paprika
04 - 5 g ground mustard
05 - 8 ml Worcestershire sauce
06 - 30 ml honey
07 - 55 g brown sugar
08 - 30 ml apple cider vinegar
09 - 180 ml ketchup
10 - 2 g black pepper, divided
11 - 5 g salt, divided

→ Chicken

12 - Salt to taste
13 - Black pepper to taste
14 - 1–1.4 kg chicken drumsticks (about 6–8 big ones)

# Steps to Cook:

01 - Give those drumsticks 5 to 10 minutes to chill out before you dig in. Serve 'em up hot with that saved bit of sauce.
02 - Keep around 60 ml of BBQ sauce for dipping later. Slather the rest of your sauce all over the drumsticks. Pop them back in the air fryer and let 'em go for 3 to 5 more minutes until they look sticky and hit 74°C.
03 - Put the drumsticks in the basket in a single layer so they're not crowded. Air fry them at 175°C for 10 to 15 minutes. Flip those over halfway through. Check the thickest part with a thermometer—it should get up to at least 71°C. If they're really thick, leave them in a bit longer.
04 - Dry off the chicken well with a paper towel. Sprinkle on as much salt and black pepper as you like on all sides. After you've preheated things, you can toss some foil or parchment under the chicken in the basket if you'd rather have less mess after.
05 - Turn your air fryer on and set it to 175°C. No preheat button? Just run it empty for a couple minutes.
06 - Grab a pan and dump in the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, both powders, 5 g of salt, and 2 g of pepper. Set it on medium, let it come to a simmer. Whisk pretty often as it cooks for around 4 or 5 minutes. The sauce should darken up and thicken. Pull it off the heat and let it cool about 10 minutes. Taste and see if it needs more salt or pepper.

# Extra Suggestions:

01 - Make sure drumsticks reach at least 71°C before brushing with BBQ sauce. The last blast and rest will bring them up to 74°C, so they're good and safe to eat.
02 - Stick your meat thermometer in the thickest part but not on the bone so you get the right temp.
03 - Line your air fryer after getting it hot—liners won't blow around if you do it after preheating and it'll save you a scrub later.
04 - Don't wanna make your own sauce? Grab a bottle from the store and use that instead.
05 - If you're avoiding gluten, double-check your Worcestershire and everything else for sneaky gluten.
06 - You can swap chicken drumsticks for wings, thighs, or breasts, just keep an eye on the time—they all cook a bit different.

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