My easy-to-make Crispy Baked Chicken Legs recipe will change how your family views chicken. These chicken drumsticks are seasoned with simple pantry spices and oven baked to perfection, resulting in crispy, crunchy, and incredibly flavorful chicken drumsticks. I know this is going to be one of your favorite chicken recipes! With only 10 minutes of prep, my baked chicken legs recipe will let you spend time with your family instead of in the kitchen prepping ingredients. And they couldn’t be easier to make!
All you have to do is coat the chicken legs with the olive oil spice mixture and bake them for about 40 minutes. The secret is getting them extra crispy is high heat. If you love crispy baked chicken check out my recipe for chicken leg quarters. Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Baked Chicken Drumsticks. In Chef Speak this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”. Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to
make the dish. Yes, you can. I suggest using bone-in chicken thighs. I prefer skin-on chicken for this type of dish. The skin serves as a layer of protection to prevent the meat from drying out and creates a crispy exterior. That’s a win-win! You can also use whole chicken legs with the thigh attached (chicken quarters). If you love baked chicken try my Oven Roasted
Blackened Chicken. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and black pepper to
a small mixing bowl. Using a fork, blend the spices together. Add the olive oil to the spices and blend them together. *To get
really crispy skin you need to thoroughly dry the chicken before applying the oil and seasonings. Use paper towels to pat dry the chicken legs. Removing the excess moisture from the skin will allow you to get that perfectly crispy skin. *If you use an instant-read thermometer the internal temperature must be at least 165 degrees. At this temperature and time, they should be well above that internal temp. When it comes to chicken recipes, simple
ingredients tend to yield the best results, making these crispy chicken legs a dish the whole family will love! Absolutely! Use your favorite premade seasoning blends or create your own blend using the spices with the flavor profiles you enjoy eating. Some of my favorite spice blends for seasoning these crispy baked chicken drumsticks are Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, old bay, barbecue seasoning and jerk seasoning. Recipe FAQ’s:Should you cover drumsticks in the oven? No, you shouldn’t cover the chicken legs. The skin needs to brown and get crispy. Covering the chicken during the entire cooking process will steam the chicken instead of roasting it. Can you overcook chicken drumsticks? You sure can. Overcooking the chicken will dry it out and make it tough. Check on the chicken legs after 30 minutes since all ovens are different. How do I know when the chicken legs are fully cooked? Using a meat thermometer check the internal temperature of the chicken legs. The chicken needs to reach a minimum temperature of 165 degrees. Can I make crispy chicken drumsticks in my air fryer? Yes, you can. More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love!
My easy-to-make Crispy Baked Chicken Legs recipe will change how your family views chicken. These chicken drumsticks are seasoned with simply pantry spices and oven baked to perfection, resulting in crispy, crunchy, and incredibly flavorful chicken drumsticks. Prep Time10 mins Cook Time35 mins Course: Entree Cuisine: American Servings: 4 Calories: 311kcal
Yes, you can. I suggest using bone-in chicken thighs. I prefer skin-on chicken for this type of dish. The skin serves as a layer of protection to prevent the meat from drying out and creates a crispy exterior. That’s a win-win! You can also use whole chicken legs with the thigh attached (chicken quarters). *To get really crispy skin you need to thoroughly dry the chicken before applying the oil and seasonings. Use paper towels to pat dry the chicken legs. Removing the excess moisture from the skin will allow you to get that perfectly crispy skin. CAN I USE DIFFERENT SEASONINGS ON THE CHICKEN LEGS? Absolutely! Use your favorite premade seasoning blends or create your own blend using the spices with the flavor profiles you enjoy eating. Some of my favorite spice blends for seasoning these crispy baked chicken drumsticks are Cajun seasoning, lemon pepper, old bay, barbecue seasoning and jerk seasoning. CAN I MAKE THESE CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS IN AN AIR-FRYER? Yes, you can, the only real change is cutting back on the olive oil.
Recipe FAQ’s Should you cover drumsticks in the oven? No, you shouldn’t cover the chicken legs. The skin needs to brown and get crispy. Covering the chicken during the entire cooking process will steam the chicken instead of roasting it. Can you overcook chicken drumsticks? You sure can. Overcooking the chicken will dry it out and make it tough. Check on the chicken legs after 30 minutes since all ovens are different. How do I know when the chicken legs are fully cooked? Using a meat thermometer check the internal temperature of the chicken legs. The chicken needs to reach a minimum temperature of 165 degrees. Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 740mg | Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 317IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg About Chef DennisChef Dennis is a semi-retired Chef, writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of A Culinary Journey with Chef Dennis aka Ask Chef Dennis®. Chef Dennis worked professionally in White Table Cloth Restaurants for 40 years and has been developing easy to make, restaurant-style recipes since 2009. The second phase of his reinvention from chef to blogger has earned him a place at the Worlds Dinner Table. Join him on his Culinary Journey enjoying his easy to make Restaurant Style recipes and travel adventures. For more details, check out his About page. Reader Interactions |