Cooking frozen food in the air fryer
I already shared a post recently on how to cook chicken thighs in air fryer from frozen, however today I am doing things differently. I am using the method I use to cook frozen salmon, which is to air fry the chicken for a few minutes first without seasoning it beforehand in order to deglaze the ice. That way the seasoning would penetrate into the chicken and adhere to the surface better. There is no hard or fast rule on how to cook or how long to cook frozen food in the air fryer. It really depends on the size and thickness of the food and if it is raw or precooked. Smaller or thinner pieces will cook faster than larger or thicker cuts. So do keep this in mind. As a general rule of thumb, add 5 minutes or more (time) when cooking frozen food in the air fryer. Also, the food thermometer is your best friend when cooking frozen food in the air fryer. Make sure the internal temperature of your food reaches the right temperature before consuming it. In this case 165F/73C!
how to season frozen chicken
Frozen chicken can be seasoned however you like as you would with a fresh one. I like to season chicken with a blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin (optional). This combination gives the chicken a nice smoky flavor.
Tools needed
Air fryer: this recipe has been tested and cooked Cosori air fryer 5.5L 1700W and Instant Vortex air fryer 5.7L 1700W Meat thermometer: this is the exact meat thermometer I use Kitchen tong
What you’ll need to cook frozen chicken drumsticks in air fryer
You will need the following 3 ingredients to season and cook your frozen chicken legs to perfection Frozen chicken drumsticks: sub with chicken legs also known as quarters, and increase the cooking time accordingly. Creole seasoning: sub with Cajun seasoning. I used Tony Thatcher’s original creole seasoning and it is salty so if this is what you are using, you might not need additional salt and pepper on the meat. Smoked paprika Olive oil Salt and black pepper: this is optional as store-bought creole contains enough salt to season this chicken
How to long to cook frozen chicken drumsticks in air fryer
Remove the frozen from its packaging and try to separate them if you could. In a small bowl mix together smoked paprika and creole then set aside. Arrange the chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer and air fryer at 365F/180C for 1 minute Remove the air fryer basket from the air fryer, brush the chicken with cooking oil, season with salt and pepper then sprinkle the creole and smoked paprika mixture over it. Flip the chicken drumsticks and repeat the seasoning process. Reserve some of the seasoning. Return the air basket to the air fryer and continue to cook the frozen chicken drumsticks for 20-25 minutes flipping it halfway through the cooking time. When you flip the chicken, sprinkle the reserved seasoning on it. To check if the chicken is cooked through, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken and it should read 165F/74C Remove from the air fryer and serve with your favorite dipping sauce or sides. I served this air fryer frozen drumsticks with some roasted potatoes and salad on the side
Tips
If the chicken is clumped together and crystallized you should rinse it under cold running water to separate them before arranging it in the air fryer basket. Skip the initial 1 minute cooking time to deglaze the outer ice in this case.
Do not overcrowd your air fryer basket, cook in batches if need be.
If you want crispy skin, you can increase the cooking temperature to 400F/200C 3-5 minutes toward the end of the cooking time.
If coating the chicken with a sauce, add it 5 minutes towards the end of the cooking time
To get evenly cooked chicken, make sure to flip it over halfway through the cooking time.
More simple and delicious air fryer recipes
Air fryer mushrooms and onions Frozen roast potatoes in air fryer Air fryer vegetable medley Frozen hamburger in air fryer How to cook frozen chicken breast in air fryer Air fryer frozen sirloin steak Air fryer boneless chicken thighs And there you have it, a simple and delicious air fryer frozen chicken drumsticks recipe that you can make at home in 15 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
