Easy Baked Chicken Leg Drumsticks

baked chicken legs and lemon wedges on blue enameled plate on grey background

Easy Baked Chicken Leg Drumsticks

This Baked Chicken Legs recipe makes crispy chicken drumsticks with tender, juicy meat in 30 minutes. 5-minute prep and hands-free baking make it perfect for any cooking skill level, even on busy weeknights. Includes instructions on how long to bake chicken legs at various oven temperatures.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Servings legs

Calories 301kcal

Author Traci The Kitchen Girl

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
½ teaspoon Paprika
¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder
¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
⅛ teaspoon Black Pepper
6 Chicken Leg Drumsticks patted dry with a paper towel
1 Lemon (cut into wedges) for garnish

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together OLIVE OIL, PAPRIKA, GARLIC POWDER, SALT, and PEPPER. Pour over CHICKEN LEGS and toss until they are well-coated.
Place chicken legs on a coated baking sheet with space between each.
Bake 20-25 minutes. Insert an instant-read thermometer next to the bone to confirm a 165° F minimum internal temperature. Transfer chicken legs to a serving platter and allow a 5-minute rest before serving.
Serve warm, garnished with LEMON WEDGES.
Allow chicken drumsticks to cool and store in an airtight container up to 5 days.

Video

Notes

Chicken Drumstick Recipe FAQ

Can I use frozen chicken legs for this chicken drumstick recipe?

Baking frozen chicken legs are not recommended for this recipe unless they are completely thawed before baking.

Should I rinse chicken legs before baking?

I do not recommend rinsing uncooked chicken. They reason for this is that it actually creates more work. Raw chicken contaminates kitchen surfaces and your hands, which must be disinfected to avoid risk of food born illness from. So, skip the extra chores and just get that chicken seasoned and into the oven.

Do I need to cover my chicken legs when baking?

No. It's not necessary to cover the pan for this chicken leg recipe. In fact, leaving the legs uncovered results in crispier skin.

How long to bake chicken legs

The golden rule is ... 165°F minimum internal temp of chicken drumsticks will be your ultimate guide, but you can use these times/temps as a starting point:

425°F or 400°F for 20-25 minutes
350°F or 375°F for 25-30 minutes
300°F or 325°F for 30-40 minutes

What if my chicken drumsticks didn’t reach 165°F on the meat thermometer after following the suggested time?

Sometimes, this happens and it's easy to remedy by simply baking the chicken drumsticks in (additional) 5 minutes intervals to reach the 165°F minimum temperature.

Nutrition