Tips and tricks for cooking chicken legs in the air fryer

Program settings

• Chicken legs — 190 °C, 25–30 min.

Marinade = juiciness

• Marinate the legs for at least 1–2 hours (yogurt with garlic and spices, soy sauce with honey, or paprika + olive oil).
• The marinade tenderizes the meat and helps create a golden crust.

Dry skin before cooking

• After marinating, lightly pat the legs dry with a paper towel — moisture gets in the way of a crust.

Temperature and time

• Ideal: 190–200 °C, 25–30 minutes.
• Flip the legs halfway through for even cooking.

Two-stage cooking

• For juiciness, cook for the first 15 minutes at 180 °C, then another 10–12 minutes at 200 °C for a crispy crust.

Starch for crunch

• Lightly dust the legs with cornstarch or rice flour before cooking for a “fried” effect without oil.

Don't pack them tight

• Leave space between the legs so the hot air can circulate and the meat doesn't stew.

Finishing touch

• Right after cooking, brush the legs with BBQ, teriyaki or garlic-honey sauce and give them another 2–3 minutes at high temperature.