Shop
My
Custom
My Crispiest, Juiciest Baked Chicken Legs Recipe
Everyone needs a reliable baked chicken legs recipe to turn to, and this one is mine. It’s basically the opposite of fancy — just simple, flavorful, savory, and crispy chicken I want to make over and over again. Here’s why:
- Juicy with super crispy skin – Chicken leg recipes are harder to dry out than white meat, but these come out extra juicy with my tips. And if you’ve seen me rave about crispy skin in my chicken leg quarters, chicken wings, and chicken thighs, you know I wouldn’t have drumsticks any other way, either.
- Quick and easy – I love spices, but pared down to just the important ones here — 4 ingredients (plus salt and pepper), if you’re counting! And these oven baked chicken legs need just a few minutes of your time.
- Family friendly – They’re protein packed, simple, and a hit with kids and adults alike. It’s just all around a winner of a chicken dinner.
Clearly I’m not the only one that has those days I love this kind of easy, healthy dinner. It’s become one of my most popular chicken recipes here on Wholesome Yum. And after all these years, this method for how to bake chicken legs in the oven is still the one I use most often. Make them with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my baked chicken legs recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Drumsticks – Choose ones that are uniform in size, so they cook at the same rate. Some of you have asked if you can use chicken breast. You can, but you’re better off following my baked chicken breast recipe — some of my tips are different for that cut.
- Butter Or Oil – For flavor, locking in moisture, and crispy skin. Butter has a low smoke point, so I don’t usually use it for roasting, but I love the flavor that it gives this recipe and haven’t had issues. Feel free to use ghee, olive oil, or avocado oil instead. Cooking spray also works — I recommend an oil mister like this to avoid chemicals.
- Seasonings – My go-to blend is smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. I’ve also made these baked chicken legs with other spice blends, including Italian seasoning, lemon pepper seasoning, and Cajun seasoning. If your blend contains salt, reduce or omit the salt added separately. You can make complimentary additions to the above spices, too, such as oregano, onion powder, or cayenne pepper.
FREE 5-Ingredient Recipe EBook
How To Bake Chicken Legs
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Prep the oven and pan. Preheat the oven. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup, then place an oven-safe rack over the sheet pan. (I like this set — it’s non-stick, so easy to clean.) I prefer foil rather than parchment paper for lining underneath the rack, because it catches the juices more easily.
- Dry, oil, and season. Pat the drumsticks dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture, then brush with melted butter or oil. (I like this brush that cleans up easily.) Sprinkle spices all over.
- Bake chicken legs in the oven. Roasting at high heat, flipping halfway through. See my tips below to get them extra crispy!
- Let them rest. Remove from the oven and wait a few minutes before serving — this lets the juices settle, so your baked chicken legs stay juicy inside.
My Recipe Tips
- Why pat dry? I always pat steaks, poultry, and fish dry before cooking, as it helps them all stay more juicy. But for skin-on chicken in particular, this also helps the skin crisp up better.
- Do you have to use a rack? No, and I’ve tried this baked chicken legs recipe on a regular baking sheet, but this baking sheet with rack set makes it so much better. It allos hot air to circulate and extra grease drips down, so it cooks more evenly and crisps up better. And you won’t run out of ways to use it — I also use mine for bacon in the oven, lemon pepper wings, coconut shrimp, and spatchcock chicken!
- Season right on the pan to save on dishes. You can just toss the chicken drumsticks with everything in a bowl or on a cutting board too, but using the baking sheet means less dishes to wash.
- Want to use fresh garlic? I use garlic powder because garlic over the skin will burn. If you want to use fresh garlic, it’s best to put it in a compound butter underneath the skin instead, like I do with my air fryer chicken legs.
- For even crispier skin, sprinkle lightly with baking powder before baking. I do that for this crispy baked chicken and it’s pretty amazing.
- Start baking chicken legs skin side down first. Obviously all sides have skin, but one side has more. The side facing up last ends up a teeny-tiny bit more crispy than the bottom side, so I like to start with the best side down and end with it face up. And flipping is a must, even with the rack.
- Cook to 170 degrees F, not 165. Chicken needs to reach 165 degrees F to be safe (source), but I highly recommend cooking chicken legs in the oven to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F. That’s when the collagen breaks down (in other words, they become juicy and tender). Here’s the instant-read thermometer I use and recommend.
- Broil at the end if needed. If your baked chicken legs are not as crispy as you like, place them under the broiler for a couple minutes to crisp up more. Watch closely so that they don’t burn!
Baked Chicken Legs (Crispy, Easy Recipe)
By
This baked chicken legs recipe makes them so juicy with perfect crispy skin! You need just a few simple ingredients and easy 10-minute prep.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place an oven safe rack on top. (I use this set, which includes the baking sheet and rack that fits perfectly.)
-
Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels, which will help them get crispy. Arrange the chicken legs on the rack.
-
Brush the chicken drumsticks with melted butter. Season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
-
Bake the chicken legs in the oven for 25 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10-20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (77 degrees C).
-
Optional step: If the chicken drumsticks are not as crispy as you like, place under the broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp up the skin more.
-
Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 drumstick
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips to help you get the juiciest baked chicken legs with the crispiest skin.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. The skin does get soft, but you can crisp it up again.
- Reheat: For crispy skin and a juicy inside, I recommend reheating chicken legs in the oven again, this time at 350 degrees F. If the skin is still not crisp, you can place under the broiler for a minute or two. The microwave works in a pinch, but the skin will be soft.
- Freezer meal prep: My favorite meal prep hack with this recipe is to brush with butter and season the chicken, then freeze it raw. That way there is virtually no prep before baking later, and this actually makes them even more juicy!
- More freezing options: You can freeze raw chicken for up to 9-12 months, but already baked chicken legs taste best in the first 3-4 months. I lay them on a parchment lined sheet pan in a single layer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a zip lock bag for compact storage. This method prevents them from sticking together. For best results, thaw before you reheat.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Baked Chicken Legs Recipe
Serving Ideas
There isn’t much that doesn’t go with baked chicken legs. Here are some of my fave side dishes to go with them:
- Vegetables – If you have double ovens like I do, you can make my roasted green beans, loaded cauliflower casserole, or roasted eggplant at the same time as the chicken. Otherwise, I would cook fried cabbage, creamed spinach, sauteed broccoli with garlic, or sauteed zucchini on the stovetop while you bake chicken legs in the oven.
- Starches – Most often, I roasted potatoes, air fry sweet potatoes, or make lighter pasta swaps, like baked spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.
- Salads – Make it a light meal with my Caprese salad or cucumber tomato avocado salad in the warm months, and my kale salad or winter salad in the cool months.
- Sauces – I think these juicy baked chicken legs are plenty flavorful on their own! If you want a little something extra, serve them with my BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, or sugar-free honey mustard.
More Easy Chicken Leg Recipes
Looking for more chicken leg recipes? Here are some of my other favorite ways to cook them:
385 Comments
Scott Heller
0I made these chicken legs last night and they turned out fantastic. Great flavor and crispy skin! Only bad part is there wasn’t any leftovers for today!
Evelyn
0This was delicious! It was easy to make and it turned out great. My husband even liked it and he is not a chicken leg fan. I will definitely be making this again!
Dawn Maxwell
0These were so good. Easy prep, juicy and tasty and enjoyed by my whole family.
Melodie
0I love roasted chicken, the crush of the skin, the seasonings that make your mouth water, can’t find air to try this.
Doreen
0I will try it sounds awesome.
MARTHA L CRUTCHFIELD
0The flavor of this recipe is outstanding, and the exterior of the chicken was well browned and crisp. I used the olive oil, and flavor blended well with the ingredients.
Jerilynn Rhodes
0YUM! These drumsticks were super easy to make and tasted great! I made them as the recipe suggested and they were juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside.
Linda N.
0This was so easy to prepare and smells great. I used half my chicken legs with the paprika, garlic and pepper and the other half with garlic and Italian seasoning & avocado oil. Went together quick. Chicken was moist. This recipe is a keeper. I’m going to prepare some and freeze – will make meal prep even easier.
Lisa Ann Selfe
0These were absolutely delicious, there was no leftovers at all 🙂 Will definitely be making these a LOTS!!
Jessica Rose
0Tried this and the whole family loved it.
Lynn
0Crispy chicken legs!!! Yum!!! Never thought to crank it up to 425 but made a big difference in crispy juicy goodness! Will definately use this method going forward! Low careers need more Crispy in their lives!
Fatima De Jesus
0Excellent chicken!!! Will definitely be on our rotation!
Brittney Cicero
0My husband and I started a low carb diet at the beginning of the year and we bought your cookbook (which is fabulous)! This recipe is delicious, flavorful, and I love the crisp of the skin on chicken legs! It was easy to prepare and put together. Other recipes don’t have a “leg” to stand on compared to this! We will be making again!
Robert Warren
0Made this recipe yesterday and it was DELICIOUS. But there are so many other reasons to like this recipe. First of all, whole chicken legs (and thighs) with the bones in and the skin on are super-cheap! If you are on a budget and want good nutrition, you just can’t beat whole, dark-meat chicken. Dark-meat chicken (like legs and thighs) are way more nutritious than chicken breasts because the dark meat has more fat (and if you are on keto or low carb, you know that more fat is not bad, but is actually good for you). Second, as stated above, these legs are really good for you. You get a lot of protein PLUS a lot of good, healthy fat (especially with the added butter, another great fat). Third, these are easy to make. A little prep work (very little) and then throw it in the oven: no messy frying in a pan. The final result is a perfect combination of crispy skins and moist chicken, loaded with yummy flavor (and go crazy putting your own flavors on them: add dill or parsley or some super-food turmeric or curry. Make sure to eat the skins too: they have so many great nutrients and will get your fat count up. Your kids will love these too because drumsticks are so fun to hold and eat. Cheap, yummy, tasty, easy: it’s the perfect quadfectra that Wholesome Yum is great for.
Kathyr
0I love this recipe bc it’s cheap, satisfying, and super simple. Since legs go on sale so often, I stock up. I use granulated garlic mixed in avocado oil, plus sprinkled regular (sweet) paprika. Drying off the legs well before adding the seasoned oil is essential to creating soy skin. I don’t have a full rack to put the legs on, so I use two and with the smaller racks I have. Thank you, Maya! Delicious as always!
Avor
0Sounds good, can’t wait to try.
Courtney
0Yum, yum, yum! I made a slight modification by adding some curry powder, which was delicious. I also used truffle oil instead of sesame. Will make them again!
Lindsay
0Hi. I am no baker or cook and I’m still learning. I never buy chicken legs unless they go on the grill because I don’t know what I’m doing. But money is really tight, and they were on sale. I don’t know that I will ever attempt fried chicken ever again after failing twice and I didn’t want to mess these up. I looked up oven-baked chicken legs and your recipe was one of the first to pop up. The pic and description looked the best so I clicked. It seemed different at first because I’ve never done it on a pan like this, or used foil but I had them and a small roasting holey type pan that I’ve used for veggies and I did what you said. I had bigger pieces so I thought I may need to go over 45 min but felt I would just check it at 45 min and see. 20 minutes into baking and it smelled like a freaking restaurant in my house. It smelled so amazing!! I read some of the reviews that said it was not crispy but I wasn’t worried about that. I didn’t think that we would mind if it wasn’t, Well, it turned out perfect. The thermometer said the internal temp was 175 degrees fh so I stopped there …. but honestly, I could have probably cooked 5 min longer to make it a lil crisper, but I thought it was perfect the way it was and my husband absolutely loved it as well he ate it downstairs in front of his TV and I just heard plate and fork noises lol… I am so proud of myself. It was delicious and I paired it with a fresh green bean side I like to make in a skillet with olive oil, onions, garlic and herb, and salt mix and I added sliced almonds roasting them with it. and for the first time added canned sliced new potatoes. I’ve never had those and knew how I wanted them to taste with it (crispy) but didn’t know how it would come our…but tried it and it was perfect too! I love that I was able to have a healthy, perfect dinner for my husband and me after a day of being exhausted and tired and not accomplishing anything lol. So thank you so much for a beginner trying to learn. 🙂 I appreciate you. (Sorry about the grammar. I’m on my phone doing this)
Ashley
0So these turned out really well really tasty, however, making them was not as fun. I set my oven to 425, basted these in olive oil and spice, and within like 20 min, my whole kitchen was full of smoke. I had placed them on the baking sheet with the tray, on the middle rack and everything. I ended up turning the oven off and leaving them in for about another 15 min, checked the internal temp, they were like 180, so i knew they were good. I dont know if 425 is just too hot for this recipe, but I really thought my smoke alarm was about to go off. So much oil splatter and smoke!
Jade
0I love the spices; it gave the chicken a nice flavor. The skin was nice and crispy; I pan seared it first, and then put it in the oven, along with thick cut potatoes. Loved it!
Hilary
0I dried them, sprayed it with avocado oil, added the spices and cooked as directed, on a rack in my sheet pan lined with foil, but the skin was not crispy at all. Skin was flabby and gross. Would not cook legs this way again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Hilary, If they weren’t crispy, they needed to be baked for longer.
Emmy Jarvis
0I love this recipe..I used chicken drumsticks..patted them dry, I used avocado oil, not butter, I rubbed the seasonings on all sides..I used paprika, onion powder, Sea salt. Oregano & lemon pepper seasonings..baked them at 425 for about 45 minutes because they were large pieces.. I will make these again!!
Kristen Moore
0This is such a delicious and quick recipe! Definitely recommend!