I was born and raised in Manhattan, specifically Two Bridges, a neighborhood that borders Chinatown and nestles in the Lower East Side. Singe a young age, I was spoiled by all the good food surrounding me, especially Asian food. You want Chinese baked goods, dim sum, wonton noodle soup, congee, soy sauce chicken, roast pork or pho?? Well, all I had to do was walk a few blocks to gain access. Admittedly, living so close to Chinatown was awesome, but the one thing we didn’t have much of was fried chicken. Mind you, I am referring to the late 90’s and 2000’s, when I was still residing with my parents! When a Popeye’s opened up on Bowery Street, my younger brother and I were ecstatic! On my way back from school, I’d order some fried drumsticks with their to-die-for mashed potatoes and seasoned fries to share with my bro. Good times!
We weren’t exactly the healthiest eaters when we were teenagers. I mean, who was? We had fast food whenever we wanted to and didn’t realize the impact it would have on our gut. Nor did we care. Anyone had a tummy jiggle fest with their siblings?? I did! 😂. Now that I am hitting my mid-30’s and feeling pain on my right knee, I’m being more cautious about what I intake. But do I occasionally still crave fried chicken? Heck yeah! That’s why you buy an Air Fryer, and this is what I do to create some crispy, healthier fried chicken in my Gourmia Air Fryer.
STEP 1: Dry your chicken drumsticks or other cut of choice, skin on.
STEP 2: Thoroughly coat your chicken with corn starch (and other dry seasoning you prefer – salt, pepper, etc.). Make sure you coat each piece all around.
STEP 3: Spray the chicken pieces with a generous amount of cooking oil and gently place them into the air fryer basket. Do not overcrowd. Leave about 2 inches apart. I typically air fry 5 large drumsticks at the same time.
STEP 4: Air fry at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, flipping half-way. My drumsticks are usually rather large so I do 13-15 minutes each side, but if you have smaller pieces, I would start with 10 minutes each side, or until done (when inserted meat thermometer measures 165°F). I also cut slivers in larger drumsticks to avoid undercooking them.
Don’t they look amazing? And healthier? I love brushing my favorite sauces on these drumsticks or simply dip them into ketchup, like I did with my Popeye’s chicken in the good ol’ days. Mmm.
