Crispy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
Description
Juicy, shatter-crisp buffalo chicken drumsticks made in the air fryer in 25 minutes — no marinating, no breading, no deep frying. The dry-rub-then-toss method gives you restaurant-quality crispy skin with a glossy, spicy-buttery glaze.
Ingredients
For the drumsticks:
- 8 chicken drumsticks, about 2 lbs, patted very dry
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
For the buffalo sauce:
- ½ cup Frank's RedHot Original sauce
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
To serve (optional): blue cheese or ranch dressing, celery sticks, carrot sticks
Instructions
- Dry thoroughly. Pat the drumsticks completely dry with paper towels. Letting them sit uncovered on a rack for 10 minutes helps even more.
- Mix the rub. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Coat the chicken. Place drumsticks in a large bowl, sprinkle the rub over the top, and toss until evenly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
- Air fry. Arrange drumsticks in a single layer in the basket with space between each. Cook at 400°F for 20–22 minutes, flipping at the 12-minute mark. Internal temperature should reach at least 165°F at the thickest part (175°F for fall-off-the-bone texture).
- Make the sauce. While the chicken cooks, melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the hot sauce, honey, grated garlic, and Worcestershire. Keep warm — do not boil.
- Toss and serve. Transfer cooked drumsticks to a large bowl, pour the warm sauce over, and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately with blue cheese, celery, and carrot sticks.
Equipment
- Air fryer (5-qt or larger recommended)
- Instant-read meat thermometer
- Small Saucepan
- Large Mixing Bowl
Notes
- Crispiness depends on dry skin. Don't skip the patting-dry step.
- Don't crowd the basket — cook in batches if needed.
- Adjust the heat by changing the hot sauce to butter ratio. More butter = milder; more hot sauce = spicier.
- Gluten-free? Replace flour with an extra teaspoon of cornstarch or rice flour. Confirm your hot sauce brand is GF.
- Storage: Up to 4 days refrigerated in an airtight container, or 3 months frozen (unsauced).
- Reheat at 350°F in the air fryer for 4–5 minutes for crispy skin.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 600kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 44gFat: 44gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 8gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 196mgSodium: 1258mgPotassium: 524mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 934IUVitamin C: 27mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 3mg