Learn how to make perfectly crispy baked chicken legs with just a few ingredients and 5 minutes of prep. These oven roasted chicken drumsticks are incredibly tender, moist, and the skin is crispy and flavorful from the spice rub.
It’s the only way to bake chicken legs!
These chicken legs are easy to make with a basic spice blend that adds terrific flavor and color. The skin is extra crispy, and while the chicken legs are baking, make your favorite side dish, and dinner is ready in just 30 minutes.
Along with instant pot chicken breast, baked chicken leg quarters, air fryer chicken thighs, air fryer whole chicken, and baked chicken wings, this is probably one of the best chicken recipes.
I’ve shared tons of chicken recipes on the blog, including oven baked chicken breast, stuffed chicken, chicken parmesan, or lemon garlic chicken.
These super crispy baked chicken legs recipe can’t get any easier, and it’s probably of the most delicious ways to cook chicken in the oven. You’ll find all the tips and tricks for baking chicken legs.
Why Are You Going To Love This Baked Chicken Legs Recipe
- Crispy and flavorful skin
- Tender, juicy, and loaded with flavor
- Only 5 minutes to prep the chicken
- Ready in just 30 minutes
- Budget friendly as chicken drumsticks are inexpensive
Ingredients For Baked Chicken Legs
You will need only a few easy ingredients to make crispy roasted chicken legs that are delicious and easy to make. I am sure that you already have most of these ingredients in your kitchen. Here is everything you will need:
- Chicken Legs – use bone in, skin on that are similar in size. You can also use chicken thighs.
- Butter – helps the seasonings stick to the chicken and makes the skin super crispy while adding delicious flavor.
- Seasoning mix – I used a combination of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. This spice mix can be substituted with my chicken seasoning.
- Salt&Pepper – to taste.
How To Bake Chicken Legs
I love how easy it is to make these delicious baked chicken legs. Here is everything you have to do:
- Prepare the chicken legs: Pat dry the chicken legs using clean kitchen towels.
- Prepare the chicken seasoning: Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl.
- Season the chicken legs: Add the chicken legs to a large bowl, pour the melted butter or oil and sprinkle with the seasonings. Mix them well until each chicken leg is well covered.
- Bake: Place the chicken on an oven-safe rack fitted over a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven until the internal temperature reaches 165F for 35-45 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let the chicken legs rest for about 5 minutes before serving with your favorite side dish.
Tips For Making The BEST Baked Chicken Legs
- For extra flavor, prepare the chicken for an hour before baking.
- Use an instant meat thermometer to check for doneness while baking chicken legs.
- You can add some lemon juice to help tenderize the meat while adding delicious flavor.
- To ensure that the chicken legs crisp equally on both sides, flip them every 15 minutes.
- Spices that may burn during high-heat cooking should be avoided. You should avoid leafy herbs.
- For easier cleanup, line the baking sheet with foil and lightly spray the rack with cooking spray to prevent the drumsticks from baking.
Storing Ideas
- Fridge – leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
- Freezer – You can also freeze baked drumsticks for up to three months.
- Reheat the baked chicken legs in the oven at 350F until warmed through. The skins get nice and crispy, but you can also reheat them in the microwave.
How To Serve
These chicken legs are delicious, but you can serve them with your favorite side dish to make a complete dinner. Here are some fantastic suggestions:
- Make some cauliflower mashed potatoes.
- You can serve them with your favorite salad
- Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
- Sauteed Eggplant
- Roasted Vegetables
- Fried Cabbage or Coleslaw Salad
- Turnip au Gratin
- Zucchini Fries
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long To Bake Chicken Legs?
Bake regular-sized drumsticks at 425F for 35-45 minutes. You can flip them halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. The time may vary depending on the chicken leg size.
How Long to Bake Chicken Legs at 350F?
While 425F is the best temperature for baking chicken legs, you can cook at 350F for 45-50 minutes.
Can I Make This Recipe In An Air Fryer?
Sure, prepare the chicken legs just as instructed, then place the chicken legs in an air fryer in a single layer. Preheat the air fryer to 400F and cook for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Should I Cover My Chicken Legs With Foil While They Are Cooking?
This is not a necessary step; it is up to you whether to cover the chicken legs or not. However, you need to know that if you choose to cover them, you will end up with some juicier chicken legs, and if you don’t cover them, your chicken legs will have a crispier skin.
When Can You Tell That The Chicken Legs Are Cooked?
When the thickest part of a drumstick reaches 165 degrees on a digital thermometer, we can say that the chicken legs are completely cooked.
Baked Chicken Legs
Description
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks about 2 lbs
- 1/4 cup melted butter or oil
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C and line a baking sheet with foil. Place an oven safe rack on top.
- In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings.
- Pat dry chicken legs with paper towels. This helps them get crispy. Brush the chicken drumsticks with melted butter or oil.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mix and use your hands to distribute on both sides evenly.
- Place the chicken legs on the prepared rack and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the skin looks crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165F/74C.
- Remove the chicken from the oven and rest for 5 minutes.
How do we calculate the nutrition info?
These nutrition facts listed are determined using nutrition information from the USDA Food Database. Our nutrition facts are accurate, but if you are using different products, please make your calculations. Net carb count is calculated by subtracting both fiber and sugar alcohols because they don’t raise blood sugar.
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