5 ranch chicken drumsticks sprinkled with parsley on a long white platter with a white towel behind all on a wooden surface (with logo overlay)

Crispy Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Drumsticks

Try making ranch chicken drumsticks in the air fryer for a quick and easy meal without all the added oil from regular frying.

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During the Amazon Prime Days this year, I was able to get a combo Air Fryer and Dehydrator. I was so excited! I’ve been wanting an air fryer for a long time and jumped on this deal the moment I saw it. It’s perfect to make quick meals on busy weeknights!

Here’s the exact one I purchased:

The first thing I made was some cheesy bread. Yes, I could have used the toaster to toast my bread, but I wanted to test out the air fryer with a very easy recipe. The next thing I made was ranch chicken drumsticks. We bought a large package of chicken drumsticks recently to make Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Drumsticks and had extra. 

Since we needed to test out the air fryer on a real recipe, we made something simple. It was easy, with simple ingredients, but it was delicious! When the boys ate all of theirs and asked for more, we knew we had a winner for the whole family.

A couple of years ago we made a meal with ranch pork chops. I took the same idea but switched it to ranch chicken drumsticks. 

Why the Air Fryer?

One of my favorite things about using the air fryer is that you only use a little oil. These were barely coated with oil, just enough to make the ranch powder stick to the chicken. And also enough so they don’t stick to the tray or air fryer basket. 

I also like that you can cook tender meat in less time and at a lower temperature in the air fryer than in the oven. It also doesn’t heat up the rest of the house like using the oven does. 

With the air fryer, you get crispy skin on your meat because of the hot air moving around similar to a convection oven. All this is done without needing hot oil on the stove that will pop and make a mess when deep frying.

​Other Seasonings

If you don’t care for ranch flavor, you can season your air fryer drumsticks with other seasonings. I also like to add garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper, cayenne pepper, or Everglades chicken seasoning. 

Dipping Sauce

​There are a few options for a delicious sauce to dip your air fryer chicken legs in when they are done. I like to add a bit more ranch dressing to mine. The boys like to dip it in ketchup but that’s not my favorite with ranch. Another great option is bbq sauce or buffalo sauce. 

Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Drumsticks Step by Step

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken drumsticks
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pkg ranch powder
Ingredients for ranch chicken drumsticks in stainless steel bowls on a wooden surface: chicken drumsticks, ranch powder, olive oil

Preparation

Brush drumsticks with olive oil.

Chicken drumsticks covered with olive oil in a stainless steel bowl next to a small bowl of ranch powder all on a wooden surface

Coat the drumsticks with the ranch powder in the same way you would a dry rub on any meat. The best way to do this is to place them in a large bowl and add the oil and ranch dressing powder. 

Chicken drumsticks covered with oil and ranch powder on a round white plate on a wooden surface

Place the ranch chicken legs in a single layer in the air fryer at 380F for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove and flip the drumsticks. Depending on the size of your air fryer, this may need to be done in multiple batches. 

Ranch chicken drumsticks in a metal air fryer basket

Cook another 10 minutes or until they are done and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 170 degrees F on a meat thermometer. Let them sit on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil or excess moisture. 

5 ranch chicken drumsticks sprinkled with parsley on a long white platter with a white towel behind all on a wooden surface

Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Drumsticks Leftovers

Storage: Place in a sealed airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Reheating: For best results, reheat in the oven or toaster oven for a few minutes, just until warm, at most 5-10 minutes. If you put them in the air fryer again, they may start to burn. We also like cooked chicken cold the next day so it doesn’t have to be reheated. 

Recipe

Originally Published On: December 21, 2020

Last Updated On: July 23, 2023

5 ranch chicken drumsticks sprinkled with parsley on a long white platter with a white towel behind all on a wooden surface

Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Drumsticks

Try making ranch chicken drumsticks in the air fryer for a quick and easy meal without all the added oil from regular frying.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course:
Main Dish
Cuisine:
American
Keyword:
air fryer
|
chicken drumsticks
|
ranch powder
Dietary Needs:
Egg-Free
|
Gluten-Free
|
Keto
|
Nut-Free
Meat:
Chicken/Turkey
Cooking Method:
Air Fryer
Servings: 4
5 from 17 votes

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken drumsticks
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 pkg ranch powder

Recommended Equipment

Instructions

  • Brush drumsticks with olive oil
  • Coat the drumsticks with the ranch powder
  • Place in the air fryer at 380F for 20 minutes
  • Remove and flip the drumsticks
  • Cook another 10 minutes or until they are done
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Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Drumsticks
Amount Per Serving (1 g)
Calories 335 Calories from Fat 225
% Daily Value*
Fat 25g38%
Saturated Fat 5g25%
Cholesterol 140mg47%
Sodium 177mg7%
Potassium 339mg10%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Protein 27g54%
Vitamin A 70IU1%
Calcium 15mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutrition content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

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26 thoughts on “Crispy Air Fryer Ranch Chicken Drumsticks”

  1. 5 stars
    This recipe couldn’t be any easier and it always turns out perfectly! I love the flavor, and your instructions are on point!

  2. 5 stars
    These drumsticks look absolutely fantastic, what a clever idea to use the ranch powder. SO easy and flavorful, definitely going to give them a try!

  3. 5 stars
    Wow! Another amazing recipe to add to our air fryer. The finished product looks so delicious and enticing. I’ll definitely make this for the whole family.

  4. 5 stars
    Oh my goodness these look so delicious. I love that they are cooked in an air fryer. We use our air fryer at least 4-5 times a week and I will definitely be trying this recipe.

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