Knowing how long to fry chicken legs in your kitchen is a great way to boost your cooking repertoire. I’m sure your family will thank you for the delicious and juicy fried chicken legs, any night of the week!
How long to fry chicken legs in a cast iron skillet
Short answer: 15 to 18 minutes!
Using a cast iron skillet to shallow fry chicken is one of the best ways to make sure that the crust of the chicken is as crispy and tasty as possible. Cast iron skillets have long been the tool of choice for Southern US cooks when they make fried chicken, and there’s a reason for that – they work incredibly well.
When using a cast iron skillet, I recommend using your preferred form of fat or shortening, and adding enough to the pan that it’s deep enough to get a few centimeters of chicken in.
Then, heat the fat to around 325˚F – make sure it’s preheated before adding the chicken, as that will ensure the best crust.
Add the breaded chicken legs to the pan, turning regularly to ensure even distribution of color across the chicken pieces. Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is around 165˚F, which should take 15 to 18 minutes in total.
How long to fry chicken legs in a pan
Short answer: 15 to 18 minutes!
Frying chicken legs in a pan takes just as long as it takes to fry chicken legs in cast iron. The difference is that cast iron cookware gathers and distributes heat better throughout the oil and the chicken itself.
In a pan, you need to be a little wary of where the flame touches the base of the pan.
So, ensure your fat is added and totally melted, as well as being totally preheated to at least 325. Then, you can add chicken legs to the pan gently, one at a time, turning regularly as they cook.
If you keep the chicken evenly spaced throughout the pan and no pieces are too close to the heat source, it should take fifteen to eighteen minutes for the chicken to reach 165˚F on the inside, and be fully cooked. If the chicken is close to the position of the base flame, it may take a few minutes fewer, though this is hard to say with any degree of certainty.
How long to fry chicken legs on a stove
Short answer: Around 15 minutes!
On your stove, you can certainly fry chicken legs. The great thing about cooking breaded chicken on the stove is that you’re able to shallow fry it quite well.
That will allow you to turn the chicken often, leading to the chicken itself regularly draining and dunking itself several times over as it sits in the pan. This even oil saturation leads to great texture!
To fry chicken legs on a stove, preheat oil in a frying pan to 325˚F before adding the chicken. Then, turn the chicken regularly as it cooks, before it reaches 165˚F and is done. That should take around 15 minutes.
How long to fry chicken legs in a deep fryer
Short answer: Around 10 minutes
When deep frying chicken, you can get a more succulent and flavorsome chicken, which can be truly delicious. Heat the oil in your fryer to around 350˚F, before adding the breaded chicken legs to the oil.
The legs will float in the hot oil and should be cooked for around ten minutes on each side. At that point, they’ll be cooked through and can be taken out, rested, and eaten.
How long to fry chicken legs in an air fryer
Short answer: Around 18 minutes
When frying in an air fryer, you need to raise the temperature a little. To that end, preheat your air fryer to 380˚F to ensure it will be hot enough for the chicken.
Add the breaded chicken to the air fryer, and air fry them for ten minutes on the first side. After those ten minutes have elapsed, they can be flipped and cooked for around 7-8 minutes. At this point, the chicken should be cooked – test that the internal temperature at the thickest part is at least 165˚F, and you’re good to start eating!
Pan-fried chicken drumsticks recipe
Making pan-fried chicken drumsticks isn’t as difficult as you think. Here’s a simple recipe that you can follow to make this yummy meal!
Ingredients you need
- 4 cups buttermilk
- ½ cup hot sauce
- Roughly 3.5 lbs of chicken legs
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup garlic powder
- 3 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Fat, for frying – I would recommend vegetable shortening or peanut oil
Step-by-step instructions
- Start by mixing the buttermilk and hot sauce. Add the chicken and submerge before marinating in the fridge for six hours or more.
- Line two baking sheets with wire cooking racks.
- Whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne, Old Bay, paprika, and onion powder. Transfer the powder mix to a large, strong bag.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, and allow it to drain a little. Place the chicken pieces into the bag with the powder mix. Grip the top of the bag tightly, and shake vigorously to evenly coat the chicken in the flour.
- Transfer the breaded chicken to the baking sheets, and let rest for fifteen minutes. Use this time to bring a level of fat up to one-third the height of the side in your cast iron skillet. Bring the fat to 325˚F, and add the chicken.
- Turn regularly, cooking until the internal temperature is at least 165˚F. This should take fifteen to eighteen minutes.
- When the chicken is done, let it rest for ten minutes, and then serve.
FAQ
How do you know when chicken legs are done frying?
You’ll know when chicken legs are done by taking their temperature. At the thickest part, the chicken should be at least 165˚F to be totally cooked and safe to eat. If it’s cooler than that, continue to cook it.
How long does it take to fry chicken legs at 350?
It takes 12 to 15 minutes for chicken legs to cook all the way through at that temperature – this is shorter than elsewhere in this article, as the temperature is higher.
How long does it take to deep fry chicken thighs at 375?
It’s rare to cook at this high temperature, so it’s quite hard to say. However, at that temperature, 10 minutes on either side should be more than enough cooking.
Pan Fried Chicken Drumsticks Recipe (How Long To Fry Chicken Legs)
Ingredients
- 4 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 3.5 lbs chicken legs
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup garlic powder
- 3 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tbsp sweet paprika
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- Oil for frying – I would recommend vegetable shortening or peanut oil
Instructions
- Start by mixing the buttermilk and hot sauce. Add the chicken and submerge before marinating in the fridge for six hours or more.
- Line two baking sheets with wire cooking racks.
- Whisk together the flour, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, cayenne, Old Bay, paprika, and onion powder. Transfer the powder mix to a large, strong bag.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, and allow it to drain a little. Place the chicken pieces into the bag with the powder mix. Grip the top of the bag tightly, and shake vigorously to evenly coat the chicken in the flour.
- Transfer the breaded chicken to the baking sheets, and let rest for fifteen minutes. Use this time to bring a level of fat up to one-third the height of the side in your cast iron skillet. Bring the fat to 325˚F, and add the chicken.
- Turn regularly, cooking until the internal temperature is at least 165˚F. This should take fifteen to eighteen minutes.
- When the chicken is done, let it rest for ten minutes, and then serve.
Wrapping it up!
I hope this article has demystified how long to fry chicken legs for you – it might seem scary, but it’s actually perfectly simple. Good luck with your chicken frying adventures!