Air Fryer Masala Chicken Drumsticks

If you want to try something new, tasty, and healthy for your family's dinner, try these Air Fryer Masala Chicken Drumsticks today. Made with yogurt, garlic, and masala spice, I love how they turn beautifully charred and crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside and full of flavor.

I love how chicken drumsticks are generally budget-friendly and can feed a crowd. With this recipe, you can make a savory and crispy chicken dinner that’s also easy to prepare. It is inspired by Indian cuisine, specifically the Masala spice blend that gives the aromatic flavor to the chicken. May I also recommend my other favorite Indian-infused dish, Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken?

What is Masala Spice?

Masala Spice mix is a delicious Indian 10-spice mix that consists of spices like Chili, Coriander, cumin, garlic, cardamom, turmeric, cinnamon, clove, pepper, and nutmeg. The directions are right on the box and you just need to add a couple of extra ingredients to create the marinade.

The overall taste of Masala spice is full-bodied and robust, with notes of sweet, spicy, bitter, and savory flavors. I recommend marinating the drumsticks in Masala sauce for 30-60 minutes. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful they will come out.

Ingredients

• 6 pc Chicken drumsticks, with or without skin. Or 1 pound fresh chicken wings, cut into wingettes and drumstick pieces. 
• 3 Tablespoons Masala Spice Mix.
• ½ onion, thinly sliced (optional)
• ½ cup Yogurt or sour cream
• 2 cloves freshly minced garlic (or 1 tablespoon Garlic paste or garlic powder)
• 1 tablespoon freshly ground ginger (or ginger paste, or ginger powder)
• 2 Tablespoons oil
• ¼ cup water

Instructions

Marinate. In the large bowl add all the ingredients together and mix well. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bowl and toss them until they're fully coated with the spice mixture. Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to 4 hours. Or best overnight.

Cook. Preheat your air fryer to 390 degrees F (200° C) for five minutes. Add the chicken drumsticks to the air fryer basket, making sure not to overcrowd the basket. Cook for 24 to 26 minutes, flipping the drumsticks halfway through the cooking time, until the chicken is golden brown and the internal temperature is 165 degrees F.

How to Serve

You can serve masala chicken with different salads, mint yogurt, or air-fried veggies such as fried crispy potatoes, broccoli, or carrots. I also love it with the green sauce on the side, made of avocado and cilantro.

Also, you can serve it with Chipotle mayo garlic sauce, tamarind sauce, or mint sauce (recipe below).

Tip: Cut some salad veggies as a side dish with masala chicken. I love how this creamy and refreshing Cucumber Radish salad balances out the heat from Chicken Masala.

Seasoning Variation

If you do not have the complete spice mix that I mentioned above don’t worry. I am providing some variations for this recipe you can follow them too.

Seasoning # 1: Combine half a teaspoon of each: Salt, green chili paste, ginger and garlic powder, black pepper, vinegar, and red chili flakes.

Seasoning #2:  Combine half a teaspoon of each: Red chili powder, Salt, Cinnamon powder, roasted cumin powder, Ginger and garlic powder or paste, and lemon juice.

Mint Yogurt Dip Recipe for Masala Chicken

Simply mix together a cup of Greek plain yogurt, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, one tablespoon of chopped fresh mint, 1 teaspoon of lime juice, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of green chili paste, and a pinch of salt and black pepper. Adjust the seasonings to your taste and serve chilled.

Tips for the Best Chicken Drumsticks in the Air Fryer

• Use thawed and fresh chicken. This recipe will work with chicken breast, chicken thighs, or chicken wings.
• Pat dry the drumsticks before applying the masala mix. It helps to achieve your desired crisp on top of the chicken drumsticks.
• Always preheat the air fryer before putting the marinated drumsticks in it. It will affect its crispiness.
• Do not overcook the chicken because it may lose its juiciness.
• Coat each drumstick evenly with masala mix. 
• Give the chicken pieces some space - do not overcrowd the air fryer basket because you will not get uniform crispiness. Cook in batches if needed. My Ninja XL 6-in-1 comfortably fits 6-7 chicken drumsticks at once.
• If you are a beginner, you can use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature of drumsticks in the air fryer.

Leftovers

Yes, you can store these masala drumsticks in the refrigerator, just put them in an air-tight container and store them for up to 5 days. Reheat them in the air fryer for two minutes per side, and they are ready to eat.

Other Air fryer Chicken Recipes you'll Love

• Tandoori Chicken
• Lemon Pepper Chicken Wings
• Air fryer fried Chicken Drumsticks
• Pickle Juice Drumsticks