Step 1: Preheat Your Air Fryer

Set it to 180°C/360°F for a few minutes. Ever tried skipping this step? Yeah… don’t. Preheating makes sure your chicken starts crisping right away instead of steaming.

Step 2: Arrange the Frozen Drumsticks

Spread them out in a single layer. Don’t pile them like Jenga blocks unless you enjoy half-raw, half-burnt chicken.

Step 3: First Cook (to thaw & start cooking)

Air fry for 10 minutes. This helps defrost them just enough so you can add seasoning.

Step 4: Season

Open the air fryer, and yes, they’ll look sad and pale, don’t panic. Spray lightly with oil and sprinkle your seasonings.

Step 5: Final Cook

Pop them back in at 190°C/375°F for another 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway. I have the oven style air fryer which means they took about 40 minutes so adjust for the size of drumsticks and oven style.

By the end, you’ll have crispy skin, juicy meat, and zero stress.