Can you air fry frozen chicken legs? the simple answer is yes. today's blog post will show you how to cook air fry frozen chicken drumsticks. This chicken is tender, juicy to the bone, and flavorful; you wouldn't even know it wasn't cooked with fresh chicken. This recipe is perfect for those busy weeknights when you don't have time to thaw your meat.
Cooking frozen food in the air fryer
I already shared a post recently on how to cook chicken thighs in air fryer from frozen, however today I am doing things differently. I am using the method I use to cook frozen salmon, which is to air fry the chicken for a few minutes first without seasoning it beforehand in order to deglaze the ice. That way the seasoning would penetrate into the chicken and adhere to the surface better.
There is no hard or fast rule on how to cook or how long to cook frozen food in the air fryer. It really depends on the size and thickness of the food and if it is raw or precooked. Smaller or thinner pieces will cook faster than larger or thicker cuts. So do keep this in mind.
As a general rule of thumb, add 5 minutes or more (time) when cooking frozen food in the air fryer. Also, the food thermometer is your best friend when cooking frozen food in the air fryer.
Make sure the internal temperature of your food reaches the right temperature before consuming it. In this case 165F/73C!
how to season frozen chicken
Frozen chicken can be seasoned however you like as you would with a fresh one.
- rinse off any ice on the chicken if need be or thaw in the air fryer for about a minute or two at 180C/365F
- Rub some oil on the chicken then season with salt and pepper followed by any other dry seasoning or wet seasoning of choice. Reserve some of the seasonings so that you can sprinkle on the chicken when you check to flip it.
I like to season chicken with a blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin (optional). This combination gives the chicken a nice smoky flavor.
Tools needed
Air fryer: this recipe has been tested and cooked Cosori air fryer 5.5L 1700W and Instant Vortex air fryer 5.7L 1700W
Meat thermometer: this is the exact meat thermometer I use
What you'll need to cook frozen chicken drumsticks in air fryer
You will need the following 3 ingredients to season and cook your frozen chicken legs to perfection
Frozen chicken drumsticks: sub with chicken legs also known as quarters, and increase the cooking time accordingly.
Creole seasoning: sub with Cajun seasoning. I used Tony Thatcher's original creole seasoning and it is salty so if this is what you are using, you might not need additional salt and pepper on the meat.
Smoked paprika
Olive oil
Salt and black pepper: this is optional as store-bought creole contains enough salt to season this chicken
How to long to cook frozen chicken drumsticks in air fryer
Remove the frozen from its packaging and try to separate them if you could.
In a small bowl mix together smoked paprika and creole then set aside.
Arrange the chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fryer at 365F/180C for 1 minute
Remove the air fryer basket from the air fryer, brush the chicken with cooking oil, season with salt and pepper then sprinkle the creole and smoked paprika mixture over it. Flip the chicken drumsticks and repeat the seasoning process. Reserve some of the seasoning.
Return the air basket to the air fryer and continue to cook the frozen chicken drumsticks for 20-25 minutes flipping it halfway through the cooking time. When you flip the chicken, sprinkle the reserved seasoning on it.
To check if the chicken is cooked through, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken and it should read 165F/74C
Remove from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauce or sides. I served this air fryer frozen drumsticks with some roasted potatoes and salad on the side
Tips
- If the chicken is clumped together and crystallized you should rinse it under cold running water to separate them before arranging it in the air fryer basket. Skip the initial 1 minute cooking time to deglaze the outer ice in this case.
- Do not overcrowd your air fryer basket, cook in batches if need be.
- If you want crispy skin, you can increase the cooking temperature to 400F/200C 3-5 minutes toward the end of the cooking time.
- If coating the chicken with a sauce, add it 5 minutes towards the end of the cooking time
- To get evenly cooked chicken, make sure to flip it over halfway through the cooking time.
More simple and delicious air fryer recipes
Air fryer mushrooms and onions
Frozen roast potatoes in air fryer
How to cook frozen chicken breast in air fryer
Air fryer frozen sirloin steak
Air fryer boneless chicken thighs
Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 lb frozen chicken drumsticks
- ½ Tablespoon Creole seasoning sub with Cajun or other seasonings of choice
- ½ Tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Remove the frozen from its packaging and try to separate them if you could.
- In a small bowl mix together smoked paprika and creole then set aside.
- Arrange the chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fryer at 365F/180C for 1 minute
- Remove the air fryer basket from the air fryer, brush the chicken with cooking oil, season with salt and pepper then sprinkle the creole and smoked paprika mixture over it. Flip the chicken drumsticks and repeat the seasoning process. Reserve some of the seasoning.
- Return the air basket to the air fryer and continue to cook the frozen chicken drumsticks for 25-30 minutes flipping it halfway through the cooking time. When you flip the chicken, sprinkle the reserved seasoning on it.To check if the chicken is cooked through, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken and it should read 165F/73C. Remove from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauce or sides.
Notes
- If the chicken is clumped together and crystallized you should rinse it under cold running water to separate them before arranging it in the air fryer basket. Skip the initial 1 minute cooking time to deglaze the outer ice in this case.
- Do not overcrowd your air fryer basket, cook in batches if need be.
- If you want crispy skin, you can increase the cooking temperature to 400F/200C 3-5 minutes toward the end of the cooking time.
- If coating the chicken with a sauce, add it 5 minutes towards the end of the cooking time
- To get evenly cooked chicken, make sure to flip it over halfway through the cooking time.
Nutrition
Nutritional data: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It will vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Under no circumstances will thedinnerbite.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on nutritional information.
And there you have it, a simple and delicious air fryer frozen chicken drumsticks recipe that you can make at home in 15 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
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