Air fryer chicken legs is a gluten-free recipe that can be cooked in 15 minutes. Frying chicken legs in the air fryer requires only 8 ingredients.
What are the ingredients to cook chicken legs in the air fryer?
Ingredients required to cook chicken legs in the air fryer are:
- 4 chicken legs: Medium-sized bone-in 4 chicken legs cook well in the air fryer. Use equal-sized legs to ensure that you are cooking even. Fresh chicken legs should be preferred over frozen ones as they are more juicy and flavorful. To use frozen ones, thaw them before air frying.
- 1 whole red onion
- 3 garlic cloves
- ¼ cup chili sauce
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- A handful of fresh parsley
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- ¼ cup olive oil
Can you make keto air fryer chicken legs?
Yes, keto chicken legs can be made in the air fryer. Opt for a sugar-free chili sauce and low-carb or tamari soy sauce. Use red onions in moderation to ensure the recipe remains low-carb.
What cooking equipment is required to make chicken legs in the air fryer?
3-5 quarts Air fryer, food processor, large-sized bowl, meat thermometer, and parchment paper (optional) are required to make chicken legs in the air fryer. Use a 5-7 quarts or larger air fryer for cooking 4 or more chicken legs at once.
What is the best temperature and time to cook chicken legs in the air fryer?
The best time and temperature to cook 4 chicken legs in a preheated air fryer is 9-12 minutes at 392°F (200°C). For smaller chicken legs, air fry for 9 minutes, and for medium-sized legs at 12 minutes. Increase the cooking time for extra crispy texture.
5 steps to cook chicken legs in the air fryer
- Prepare the marinade. Take a food processor and blend 1 red onion, 3 garlic cloves, and 1 tsp grated ginger until smooth. Add ¼ soy sauce and olive oil, and mix again at high speed until the mixture is well combined. Transfer this marinade to a large bowl and stir in 1/4 cup of sweet chili sauce until evenly mixed.
- Coat the chicken. Place the chicken legs in the bowl to coat them with marinated and make sure each leg is thoroughly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes. It ensures the air fryer reaches the correct cooking temperature.
- Cook chicken legs. Place the marinated chicken legs in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes. With the help of a meat thermometer, check if the internal temperature reaches at least 75°C (165°F) to ensure they are fully cooked.
- Serve. Remove the chicken legs from the air fryer and let them rest for 4 minutes before serving.
Is cooking chicken legs in the air fryer healthy?
Air frying chicken legs requires 70-80% less oil than traditional deep frying, making the recipe healthy. Using less oil reduces the added fat and calories. More nutrients are preserved in the air-fried chicken legs than in the deep or pan-fried ones.
How can you store the cooked air fryer chicken legs?
To store cooked air-fried chicken legs:
- Cool them at room temperature.
- Refrigerate chicken legs in an airtight container for shorter storage (3-4 days).
- Place them in a freezer-safe container for longer storage (2-3 months) and store them in the freezer.
How do you reheat the air-fried chicken legs?
To reheat air chicken legs, preheat the air fryer to 350°F (175°C). Thaw the chicken legs (if frozen) and reheat for 8-10 minutes. For refrigerated legs, reheating for 5-8 minutes is enough.
FAQ’s
Why aren’t your chicken legs cooked in the air fryer crispy?
Reasons for non-crispy chicken legs are not pat drying chicken before cooking, overcrowded air fryer basket, and cooking at a lower temperature. Always cook them in the preheated air fryer and flip the legs halfway. Adding 1 tbsp baking powder can also help yield a crispy texture.
Why aren’t your air-fried chicken legs moist and juicy?
Overcooking causes less moist and juicy chicken legs. Marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes to enhance moisture retention and avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket and brine chicken legs.
How can grease be avoided in the air fryer chicken legs?
To avoid greasiness, trim any excess fat from chicken legs before marinating. Use a rack or perforated tray in the air fryer to drip away grease from the chicken. Also, parchment paper can minimize the cleanup of dripping grease.
Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe Video
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
Equipment
- 3-5 Quarts Air Fryer
- food processor
- 1 Large-size Bowl
- 1 Meat Thermometer
- 1 parchment paper
Ingredients
- 4 Chicken Legs Medium-sized bone-in
- 1 Whole red onion
- 3 Garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup Chilli sauce
- 1/4 cup Soy sauce
- 1 tsp Ginger grated
- 1/4 cup Olive oil
- A handful of Parsley
Instructions
- Prepare the Marinade: To prepare marinade, blend 1 red onion, 3 garlic cloves, and 1 tsp grated ginger in a food processor until it becomes smooth. Now, add 1/4 cup soy sauce and olive oil. Blend again at high speed until the mixture is well combined. Transfer the marinade to a large bowl. Then, stir in 1/4 cup of sweet chili sauce until evenly mixed.
- Coat the Chicken: Marinate the chicken legs in the bowl. Ensure each leg is thoroughly coated with the marinade.
- Preheat the Air Fryer: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
- Cook the Chicken Legs: Place the marinated chicken legs in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are not overcrowded. Cook at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check if the internal temperature reaches at least 75°C (165°F).
- Serve: Remove the chicken legs from the air fryer and let them rest for 4 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
