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    Home · Recipes · Chicken · Baked Chicken Legs Recipe

    December 26, 2019

    Baked Chicken Legs Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Crispy Baked Chicken Legs are a budget-friendly, family dinner idea made for feeding your crew any night of the week! Just drizzle the drumsticks with oil, add the seasoning, bake, turn, and bake a little more! No fussy cooking method and no marinade required. Just a straightforward, easy recipe that always results in flavorful, juicy chicken legs with crispy, golden-brown skin.

    Love chicken? Add Chicken Pot Pie, Chicken Noodle Soup, and Baked BBQ Chicken to this week's dinnertime lineup!

    Two rows of Baked Chicken Legs on a rimmed sheet pan.

    BAKED CHICKEN LEG INGREDIENTS

    • Chicken Legs - Drumsticks are always sold bone-in with the skin-on. This equals lots of flavor. And, (lucky for us) it also equals a budget-friendly dinner, weighing in at about $1.20 per pound.
    • Oil - You can use avocado oil, canola oil, or olive oil to coat your chicken. Whichever you have on hand will work fine!
    • Seasoning - The seasoning mix consists of Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
    • Parsley (optional) - Herbs add a nice touch to savory, baked dishes, as well as a pop of color and a little freshness. However, the parsley is completely optional, and if you'd like to leave it off the grocery list, feel free to do so.

    A close up shot of baked drumsticks on a white platter.

    HOW TO MAKE CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN LEGS

    Prep - The prep work for making crispy Baked Chicken Legs is extremely minimal. You'll start by patting the chicken legs dry with a paper towel. This removes the excess moisture from the chicken and ensures they bake up with nice crispy skin.  Then, transfer the drumsticks to a rimmed sheet pan. 

    Season the Chicken - It's best to combine the seasoning before you add it to the chicken, and allows for a more even distribution of the spices. Combine the Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl, then drizzle the drumsticks with oil and sprinkle the chicken with the seasoning. If you are using the parsley, add that as well and rub the mixture all over each chicken leg to adhere.

    Bake, Turn and Bake Some More - You could put your chicken in the oven and allow it to bake for a total of 35 minutes, undisturbed. However, if you want truly Crispy Chicken Legs all the way around, you'll need to turn them about halfway through the cooking process. The chicken legs will bake for a total of 35 minutes. So bake for 20 minutes, then turn each drumstick and continue baking for 15 minutes more.

    Baked chicken legs stacked on a white platter surrounded by parsley.

    BAKED CHICKEN LEGS TEMPERATURE

    The best temperature for making Crispy Baked Chicken legs is 375°F. This temperature is high enough to brown the meat, without having to leave it in the oven so long that the chicken overcooks and turns out tough.

    HOW LONG TO BAKE CHICKEN LEGS

    Drumsticks baked at 375°F will take a total of 35 minutes to cook through.

    Not sure if it's done? Dark meat chicken should reach an internal temperature at 180°F. This temperature is best determined via the use of an instant-read thermometer. If you do not have a thermometer, prick one of your baked chicken legs with the tip of a knife. If the juices run clear, the chicken is likely cooked to a safe temperature.

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH DRUMSTICKS

    You can serve a number of things alongside crispy Baked Drumsticks. Below are a few of our favorite quick-fix options that would pair well with chicken. All of which are easy to make and 100% kid-approved!

    • Veggie Bake

      Veggie Bake

    • Shells and Cheese

      Shells and Cheese

    • Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

      Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Recipe

    • Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

      Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

    • Steamed Broccoli

      Steamed Broccoli Recipe

    • Oven-Roasted Steak Fries

      The Best Steak Fries Recipe

    Baked drumsticks on a sheet pan.

    5 MORE CHICKEN RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

    • Baked Chicken Leg Quarters are juicy, flavorful, and tender, but let us not forget the best part — that beautiful, golden, crispy skin!
    • BBQ Baked Chicken Quarters are easy to make and perfectly cooked. Simple, baked leg quarters brushed with BBQ sauce!
    • Chicken and Dumplings come loaded with chicken, extra dumplings, carrots, and celery! Plus, a seriously easy method for whipping up dumplings in a flash.
    • Parmesan Crusted Chicken Tenders feature budget-friendly chicken strips coated in a crunchy Parmesan-Panko crust. Serve them with marinara for dipping as an extra special touch!
    • Oven-Fried Chicken Tenders bake up golden and crispy just like their fried counterparts, and you can rest assured — your family will never know the difference.
    5 from 7 votes
    Baked Chicken Legs stacked on top of one another and served on a platter.
    Print
    Baked Chicken Legs
    Prep Time
    5 mins
    Cook Time
    35 mins
    Total Time
    40 mins
     

    Easy Baked Chicken Legs with juicy, tender chicken and crispy, golden skin.

    Course: Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Baked Chicken Legs, Baked Drumsticks
    Servings: 6
    Calories: 366 kcal
    Author: Kelly Anthony
    Ingredients
    • 3 - 4 pounds chicken legs
    • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • 2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil
    • 2 teaspoons minced parsley (optional)
    Instructions
    1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel and transfer them to a rimmed sheet pan, preferably lined with aluminum foil.

    2. Combine Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl and stir to combine.

    3. Drizzle the drumsticks with oil and sprinkle over the seasoning and parsley. Rub all over each chicken leg to adhere.

    4. Bake for 20 minutes. Then, turn each drumstick and continue to bake for 15 minutes more.

    Nutrition Facts
    Baked Chicken Legs
    Amount Per Serving (2 chicken legs)
    Calories 366 Calories from Fat 261
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 29g45%
    Saturated Fat 7g44%
    Cholesterol 140mg47%
    Sodium 902mg39%
    Potassium 306mg9%
    Carbohydrates 1g0%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 1g1%
    Protein 25g50%
    Vitamin A 139IU3%
    Vitamin C 1mg1%
    Calcium 14mg1%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Legs
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy says

      February 18, 2020 at 10:48 pm

      This chicken looks perfectly cooked and so tasty, can't wait to try!

      Reply
    2. Krissy Allori says

      February 18, 2020 at 10:53 pm

      Great baked chicken. I loved it and so did my family. I prefer dark meat and my the kids love the chicken legs so it was a win win.

      Reply
    3. Andrea Metlika says

      February 18, 2020 at 11:39 pm

      These are perfect for a busy weeknight meal.

      Reply
    4. Patty at Spoonabilities says

      February 19, 2020 at 1:09 am

      I love roasting chicken legs. They really are a great, delicious and economical way to feed a crowd. This is a great, simple recipe -- love how the skin gets so with crispy and golden-brown.

      Reply
    5. SHANIKA says

      February 19, 2020 at 2:38 am

      I love baking my chicken! This recipe looks so flavorful and delicious!

      Reply

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    I’m Kelly Anthony — a baker, home chef, and mom with a passion for food and an adoration for entertaining.

    Comfort food is my specialty, and it is truly my pleasure to share these recipes with you. If you’d like to get to know me a little better, click here.

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