Learn how to make bacon wrapped chicken legs in air fryer cos these Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Drumsticks are the best way to combine bacon and chicken! Not only does the bacon crisp up perfectly when cooked, but the bacon flavor pairs perfectly with the flavor of the cooked chicken.
This is a great weeknight dinner recipe that can be served with your favorite side dish from potatoes to rice to veggies! You can’t go wrong with these! Let’s show you how to wrap bacon rashers around drumsticks and then air fry to perfection.
Table of Contents
- 1 Air fryer bacon wrapped drumsticks recipe
- 2 Join our Air fryer recipes group on Facebook
- 3 Why you’ll love this recipe
- 4 Ingredients
- 5 How to make air fryer bacon wrapped chicken legs
- 6 How to wrap bacon around chicken drumsticks
- 7 Can you add sauce to air fryer bacon drumsticks?
- 8 How to serve air fried bacon wrapped drumsticks
- 9 How to store and reheat
- 10 Air frying Tips
- 11 FAQs
- 12 More bacon wrapped air fryer recipes
- 13 Air fryer bacon wrapped chicken legs (drumsticks)
Air fryer bacon wrapped drumsticks recipe
Chicken wrapped in bacon? Yes, please! There are very few flavors that are quite as perfect as this delicious duo, so this recipe needs to be high on your list! Bacon-wrapped drumsticks are perfect for any time of year and are a great way to feed your belly fast!
Using the air fryer ensures that you are making crispy chicken AND crispy bacon with every single bite. Juicy chicken wrapped in salt bacon is literally what dreams are made of. You can totally make a side if you want to, but it may not be necessary with how much flavor this simple chicken recipe has!
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- Bacon wins! These are tasty and delicious, Flavorful and tender.
- The perfect “grab-and-eat” recipe. Can be served as an appetizer or snack. It’s versatility is amazing.
- This recipe is gluten free, low carb and perfect for the keto lifestyle.
Related: Air fryer butterfly chicken drumsticks, Crispy air fryer bacon, Air fryer bacon twists, Frozen bacon in air fryer.
Ingredients
- Chicken drumsticks
- Regular cut bacon
- Oil
- Paprika
- Salt
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Onion powder
Substitutions
Part of Chicken: You can use chicken wings, tenders or chicken breasts instead of drumsticks if you prefer. However You will need to adjust the No of bacon strips used.
Bacon: I prefer thin cut bacon for this recipe. If you decide to use thick cut bacon, you may need to add more time.
Chicken Seasoning: You can use your favorite chicken seasoning blend or other blends like Cajun, jerk seasoning, Suya spice or Garam masala
How to make air fryer bacon wrapped chicken legs
This is an overview of how to make air fryer bacon wrapped drumsticks with step by step photos. Scroll down to end of post for a printable recipe card with the amount of ingredients and full recipe instructions.
Pat chicken legs dry with paper towels. Add oil and seasoning blend. Massage seasoning into chicken till well coated
Wrap chicken legs with bacon. Transfer to air fryer basket and bake at 400°F / 200°C for 25 mins or until internal temp reaches 165°F / 74°C and bacon is crispy to your liking.
How to wrap bacon around chicken drumsticks
Hold the drumsticks with the bigger side up while you are holding the thinner end. Start wrapping the bacon around the fatter end slightly over lap the first line to secure the bacon then when you get to the thinner part tuck in the end of the bacon.
Can you add sauce to air fryer bacon drumsticks?
I like to have a dipping sauce waiting and ready. If you add a sauce to the air fryer bacon wrapped drumstick before cooking it in the air fryer, the sauce may burn before the chicken legs are cooked through. For best results, add the sauce in the last 3 mins of air frying
Alternatively air fry the bacon wrap drumsticks and then have some tasty dips and sauces ready for enjoyment once it’s done cooking.
How to serve air fried bacon wrapped drumsticks
These Air fryer bacon wrapped chicken legs are so simple to serve! You can enjoy them with your favorite dipping sauce or serve them with a side of mashed potatoes or even a simple side salad.
Veggies go very well with chicken too. If you haven’t tried air fryer vegetables, green beans or broccoli then you are in for a pleasant surprise.
How to store and reheat
Eating leftover chicken wrapped in bacon is the best! All you need to do is let the chicken cool down all the way and then add the drumsticks to an airtight container or bag.
The chicken should last for up to 2 days in the fridge or up to 2 months in the freezer also. You can add it right back to the air fryer to reheat to get that crispiness.
Air frying Tips
- You can make these without the oil to cut down on the fat. The bacon grease helps with that.
- No need to preheat your air fryer.
- I do not use toothpicks when making these with pig bacon. However you would need to use toothpicks if using Turkey bacon because if the texture of the Turkey slices.
FAQs
How many pieces of bacon per chicken drumstick?
This can vary depending on the size of chicken legs. For regular sized drumsticks, I can easily wrap 1 piece of thin cut bacon around the chicken. For larger sized drumsticks, 1 ½ to 2 would be ideal.
Do I need to precook the bacon
No you do not need to precook the bacon. The length of time it takes to cook the chicken drumsticks is more than enough to deliver crispy bacon.
Will the bacon wrapped around the chicken legs get crispy?
Absolutely. The bacon is on the outer edge of the chicken and is the part of this chicken recipe that is going to get super-crispy. Keep a close eye on it but make sure that you test the internal temperature of the chicken to determine that it’s done and ready to enjoy.
Can I use Turkey bacon for this recipe?
Yes you can use Turkey bacon to wrap chicken legs. However you will need to secure the bacon with toothpicks because the texture is different from pig bacon.
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More bacon wrapped air fryer recipes
- Bacon wrapped air fryer shrimp
- Air fryer bacon wrapped pineapple
- Bacon wrapped Oreos in air fryer
- Air fryer bacon wrapped potatoes
- Radishes wrapped in bacon
- Air fried bacon wrapped breakfast sausages
- Bacon wrapped crackers in air fryer
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Air Fryer Yum’s Pro Tip! Air fryer temperatures may vary depending on size, make and model. When making a recipe for the first time, start with less time, check for doneness then add more time as needed.
Air fryer bacon wrapped chicken legs (drumsticks)
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks
- 6 Pieces bacon
- 1 tablespoon oil (optional)
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
Prepare chicken
- Pat chicken dry and transfer to a clean bowl
Season the chicken
- Mix seasoning and salt together.
- If using oil, add it to chicken legs then add chicken seasoning. Mix till seasoning blends in.
Wrap with bacon
- Hold the drumsticks with the bigger side up while you are holding the thinner end.
- Start wrapping the bacon around the fatter end slightly over lap the first line to secure the bacon then when you get to the thinner part tuck in the end of the bacon.
Air fry
- Transfer bacon wrapped chicken to air fryer basket. Cook at 400°F / 200°C for 25 mins flipping half way through cooking time.
- Cook till internal temp reaches at least 165°F / 74°C and bacon is crisped up to your liking. Smaller drumsticks will cook in less time.
- Enjoy as is or serve with your favorite side dish. See blog post for suggestions.
Oven instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C / Gas Mark 6
- Place chicken on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 mins or until cooked through and internal temperature reads 165°F / 74°C. Remember to flip chicken half way through cooking time.
Notes
- You can make these without the oil to cut down on the fat. The bacon grease helps with that.
- No need to preheat your air fryer.
- I do not use toothpicks when making these with pig bacon. However you would need to use toothpicks if using Turkey bacon because of the texture of the Turkey slices.
Nutrition
Did you make this air fryer recipe? Awesome! Please rate it by clicking the stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ when you leave a comment below. If you loved it please share the link to this recipe with family and friends and in you favorite Facebook group.
That looks delicious will have to try. Thanks for the recipe
Hey Teresa,
They are amazing! Hope you give it a go soon.