If you have an Air Fryer sitting at home, you’ve probably wondered at some point: »What else can I make in this little machine besides French fries?« Well, there are plenty of options! Delicious Air Fryer Buffalo-Style Drumsticks, for instance. An Air Fryer is simply perfect for crispy chicken pieces. Minimal effort, maximum impact. And our version here adds a bit of heat to the mix, thanks to Buffalo sauce. So tasty!
Anyone who enjoys the occasional (deep) fried treat is likely familiar with (and probably fond of) chicken wings and drumsticks. Paired with some crispy fries, these little bites make a fantastic snack/meal. However, deep-frying isn’t always the best cooking method – we all know that by now. It’s not just about acrylamide (you can read more about it here), which can form at high temperatures – especially, when frying potatoes. There’s also all the fat that clings to the food after frying… not exactly ideal.
With air frying, you’re definitely on the safe side when it comes to fat. Since the process relies on hot air (similar to the convection setting of modern ovens), fat doesn’t simply cling to the food because you don’t need fat for cooking. Any fat you do consume is used intentionally and is usually just a fraction of the amount required for deep-frying.
That doesn’t mean you can be careless when using an Air Fryer, though. If you set the temperature too high for fries, for example, you still run the risk of creating compounds you wouldn’t necessarily want in your food.
Well. The same applies to these drumsticks. The Buffalo sauce contains honey, so it doesn’t handle high heat quite as well. That’s why the recipe calls for short intervals once the sauce is added. I wasn’t entirely successful with that tbh, as you can see in the photos… but usually, I’m careful about it. Reducing the Air Fryer temperature slightly at the end of the cooking time, as noted in the recipe tips, definitely helps here.
For the Buffalo sauce, I used Homemade Hot Sauce. Of course, a store-bought hot sauce works just fine, too. In the US, where this drumstick recipe originated, you’d typically use Frank’s Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce*. However, I think a good fermented chili sauce (with a mix of chili peppers and bell peppers like ours) does the job just as well. If the heat from the hot sauce you have isn’t enough for you, you can always add a little extra cayenne pepper or chili powder to the Buffalo sauce. It certainly wouldn’t hurt, right?
American bars serving Buffalo wings and the like often serve the chicken with a side of blue cheese sauce and celery sticks. At least from my experience. You can see the sauce in the photos, too, since I like to serve it that way. Both, sauce and celery sticks help cool things down if the chicken turns out a bit too spicy. That’s not really the case with this recipe, though… but you never know. The blue cheese sauce isn’t included in the recipe, but it’s quick and easy to make. Simply mix a very soft blue cheese of your choice with some sour cream or crème fraîche, season with a little salt and pepper, and you’ve got a tasty dip.
Speaking of »hot« and »Air Fryers« – we have plenty more on the blog, of course. How about Chicken Fajitas made with the help of an Air Fryer, for instance? You prepare the filling in the Air Fryer and then assemble everything at the table just the way you like it. So good!
If you prefer something less spicy but still want to use your Air Fryer, you should definitely check out our Roasted Eggplant with Hummus & Matbucha. Baked eggplant is simply perfect as part of a light dinner, as an appetizer, or as a side dish for a barbecue.
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(6 chicken drumsticks)
For the drumsticks:
6 small chicken drumsticks (about 21 oz./600g)
some olive oil to spray or for brushing
For the spice rub:
1 tsp. smoked paprika powder*
1 tsp. cayenne pepper*
1 tsp. onion powder*
1 tsp. garlic powder*
1/4 tsp. ground ginger*
For the Buffalo sauce:
1 tbsp. hot sauce
1 tbsp. honey (from local sources)
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar*
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
(6 Hähnchenkeulchen)
Für die Keulchen:
6 kleine Hähnchenunterkeulen (etwa 600g)
etwas Olivenöl zum Besprühen oder Einstreichen
Für den Spice Rub:
1 TL Smoked Paprika Pulver*
1 TL Cayennepfeffer*
1 TL Zwiebelpulver*
1 TL Knoblauchpulver*
1/4 TL Ingwer*, gemahlen
Für die Buffalo Sauce:
1 EL Hot Sauce
1 EL Honig (aus lokalen Quellen)
1 EL Apfelessig*
1 TL Worcestershire Sauce*
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. First, clean chicken drumsticks and pat them dry. Place them in a bowl and lightly spray or brush them with olive oil.
2. Mix the spices for the rub and sprinkle it all over the chicken or rub it onto the drumsticks with your fingers. Make sure they are evenly coated on all sides.
3. Arrange the drumsticks in the air fryer basket so that they are not touching – this allows the hot air to circulate freely. Set the temperature of the Air Fryer to 200°C (390°F) and roast the chicken for about 25–28 minutes. Flip the drumsticks halfway through the cooking time to ensure they become crispy all over.
4. While the chicken is roasting in the Air Fryer, combine the Buffalo sauce ingredients in a small bowl. About 5–6 minutes before the cooking time ends, brush the drumsticks with the Buffalo sauce, return them to the air fryer, and cook them for another 1–2 minutes. Repeat this brushing and cooking process two more times – by then, most of the Buffalo sauce should be used up. Let the drumsticks finish cooking until the timer goes off, then remove them from the Air Fryer. Serve the Buffalo drumsticks hot. They pair well with some blue cheese dip and celery sticks.
Note: The Buffalo sauce is somewhat heat-sensitive due to the honey. To prevent anything from getting too dark, you can lower the Air Fryer temperature a bit once you brush the sauce onto the chicken.
1. Als Erstes die Hähnchenunterkeulen (Drumsticks) säubern und trocken tupfen, dann in eine Schüssel legen und mit etwas Olivenöl besprühen oder rundum mit Öl bepinseln..
2. Die Gewürze für den Spice Rub vermischen und die Keulchen damit bestreuen bzw. einreiben. Die Teilchen sollten rundum mit den Gewürzen bedeckt sein.
3. Die Keulchen so in den Korb eines AirFryers legen, dass sie sich möglichst nicht berühren – nur so kommt die heiße Luft überall ran. Die Temperatur auf 200°C (390°F) einstellen und die Teilchen für etwa 25-28 Minuten rösten. Nach etwa der Hälfte der Zeit sollte man die Keulchen einmal umdrehen, damit sie rundum gleichmäßig knusprig werden.
4. Während die Hähnchenteile im AirFryer rösten, die Zutaten für die Buffalo Sauce in einer kleinen Schüssel verrühren. Etwa 5-6 Minuten bevor die Zeit des AirFryers abläuft, die Teilchen einmal rundum mit der Buffalo Sauce bepinseln und dann wieder zurück in den AirFryer schieben und für etwa 1-2 Minuten weiter rösten lassen. Den Vorgang mit dem Bepinseln und weiter rösten lassen noch zweimal wiederholen – die Buffalo Sauce sollte jetzt weitestgehend aufgebraucht sein. Die Drumsticks bis zum Ende der Garzeit noch einmal brutzeln lassen und dann herausholen. Die Buffalo Drumsticks heiß servieren – dazu passen z.B. Blue Cheese Dip und etwas Stangensellerie.
Hinweis: Die Buffalo Sauce ist wegen des Honigs etwas hitzeempfindlich. Wer verhindern möchte, dass hier irgendwas zu dunkel wird, kann die Temperatur des AirFryers etwas reduzieren, sobald die Soße ins Spiel kommt.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
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Air Fryer Buffalo-Style Drumsticks
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:20
- Total Time: 00:40
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Chicken
- Method: -
- Cuisine: United States
Description
If you like chicken wings, you will love these Air Fryer Buffalo-Style Drumsticks. So easy to make and really delicious. We love them!
Ingredients
For the drumsticks:
6 small chicken drumsticks (about 21 oz./600g)
some olive oil to spray or for brushing
For the spice rub:
1 tsp. smoked paprika powder*
1 tsp. cayenne pepper*
1 tsp. onion powder*
1 tsp. garlic powder*
1/4 tsp. ground ginger*
For the Buffalo sauce:
1 tbsp. hot sauce
1 tbsp. honey (from local sources)
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar*
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce*
Instructions
1. First, clean chicken drumsticks and pat them dry. Place them in a bowl and lightly spray or brush them with olive oil.
2. Mix the spices for the rub and sprinkle it all over the chicken or rub it onto the drumsticks with your fingers. Make sure they are evenly coated on all sides.
3. Arrange the drumsticks in the air fryer basket so that they are not touching – this allows the hot air to circulate freely. Set the temperature of the Air Fryer to 200°C (390°F) and roast the chicken for about 25–28 minutes. Flip the drumsticks halfway through the cooking time to ensure they become crispy all over.
4. While the chicken is roasting in the Air Fryer, combine the Buffalo sauce ingredients in a small bowl. About 5–6 minutes before the cooking time ends, brush the drumsticks with the Buffalo sauce, return them to the air fryer, and cook them for another 1–2 minutes. Repeat this brushing and cooking process two more times – by then, most of the Buffalo sauce should be used up. Let the drumsticks finish cooking until the timer goes off, then remove them from the Air Fryer. Serve the Buffalo drumsticks hot. They pair well with some blue cheese dip and celery sticks.
Notes
The Buffalo sauce is somewhat heat-sensitive due to the honey. To prevent anything from getting too dark, you can lower the Air Fryer temperature a bit once you brush the sauce onto the chicken.
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