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Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks are juicy, flavorful, and perfectly crispy on the outside. Made with simple pantry seasonings, this budget-friendly chicken dinner is the perfect choice for an easy family dinner.
For another easy family favorite chicken leg recipe – be sure and try these amazing Best BBQ Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks🍗 or for a slow cooker version try Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Legs (Chicken Drumsticks).
Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
These oven baked chicken drumsticks are an easy, budget-friendly dinner that the whole family will love. The chicken is seasoned with a simple blend of pantry spices and baked until perfectly crispy skin all while the meat stays juicy and tender.
All the ingredients mix together in one big mixing bowl and then a baking sheet and the oven do all the work. The best part is at the end when you broil the chicken to get that crispy chicken skin and slightly charred exterior. Only one mixing bowl + one baking sheet means easier cleanup after dinner.
So with just a few minutes of prep work needed, and then the oven does all the heavy lifting, these baked chicken drumsticks make an easy weeknight dinner.
Why You’ll Love These Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- 🍗 Easy To Make : Just season the chicken and let the oven do the work.
- 🍗 Budget-Friendly : Chicken drumsticks are an inexpensive cut of chicken.
- 🍗 Crispy and Juicy : Baking at a higher oven temperature helps create deliciously crispy skin.
- 🍗 Simple Ingredients : You probably have all the seasonings in your pantry already! The dried seasonings Called for are all pantry staples.
- 🍗 Perfect For Meal Prep or Leftovers : Leftover chicken can be used in salads, sandwiches, wraps, and more.
Simple Ingredients Needed
- Chicken Drumsticks : 4 pounds of fresh (not frozen) skin-on chicken drumsticks.
- Olive Oil : I prefer using extra-virgin ‘light tasting’ olive oil.
- Lemon Juice : Fresh or bottled lemon juice; for best results use fresh lemon juice which gives the best bright citrus flavor.
- Lemon Zest : Zest the lemon first and then squeeze it for the fresh lemon juice.
- Garlic Cloves : Minced or pressed, use chopped garlic from a jar, or garlic paste.
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Italian Seasoning
- Chicken Boullion Powder
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Seasoned Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks (Printable Recipe Card)
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan (13″x18″) with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix together really well (with clean hands or gloved hands works best) until all the chicken drumsticks are coated in the seasonings and olive oil.
Arrange the chicken drumsticks in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping the drumsticks halfway through, and until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175°F (or 185°F if you like your chicken leg very tender). After the cook time, place the sheet pan under the broiler for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the skin and until golden brown.
Remove the chicken drumsticks from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving warm. Enjoy!
How To Store, Freeze, and Reheat Leftover Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container, or Ziploc bag, for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can store the chicken drumsticks whole or take the meat off and store the shredded meat in the fridge for leftovers or another meal that calls for already cooked chicken.
To reheat, place the chicken drumsticks in the oven at 350°F for 10-15 minute or until the internal temperature returns to 165°F. Another option is to pop them in the microwave for 90 seconds at a time until the desired temperature is reached. Or the air fryer can be used if you want that crispy skin again.
To freeze, place the chicken drumsticks in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, before reheating.
Sides Dishes To Serve With Chicken Drumsticks
- Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes or these cheesy garlic Creamy Fluffy Boursin Mashed Potatoes
- Try Parmesan Roasted Potatoes, Garlic Parmesan Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, or Ranch Potatoes
- Queso Mac and Cheese or Copycat Chick-Fil-A Mac and Cheese
- Honey Butter Skillet Corn
- Pasta salad is a great side dish for chicken legs; try this Ranch Pasta Salad, Coleslaw Pasta Salad, or Deviled Egg Pasta Salad
Pro Tips From The Test Kitchen
- Using fresh lemon juice will provide the most favor, but bottled lemon is usable if that’s all you have.
- Avocado oil is another oil you can use instead of olive oil.
- To change up the flavor slightly; try using cajun or creole seasoning instead of the Italian seasoning.
- It is best to leave the skin on the chicken drumsticks for this recipe. It is what gives the crispy texture and helps the drumsticks retain their moisture during baking. Most my kids don’t eat the skin, which is fine, so you can easily not eat the skin if you prefer.
Recipe FAQs
Do I Leave The Skin On Or Take It Off?
Leave the skin on the chicken drumsticks.The skin is what gives the crispy texture on the outside and helps the chicken retain its moisture during the baking process. You don’t have to eat the skin, or you can eat the skin if you like, it’s just personal preference.
Could I Use Frozen Drumsticks?
I recommend using fresh chicken drumsticks for the best results. However, if you are using frozen chicken drumsticks, make sure they are completely thawed and patted dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture from the thawing process.
Do I Need To Marinate The Chicken?
It is not necessary to marinate the chicken. However, if you would like to season the chicken and place it in a Ziplock bag and store it in the refrigerator until ready to bake later that day, you can do that. I don’t love doing this option because I feel like some of the seasonings get stuck to the inside of the bag and it’s hard to get it all out, which means the chicken doesn’t have all the seasonings on it once you get them onto the baking sheet.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Pickle Chicken
- Oven Baked Barbecue Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Pineapple Chicken
- Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala
- Sheet Pan Cilantro Lime Chicken (Cilantro-Lime Marinade)
- Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
- Oven Baked Creamy Cheesy Ranch Dressing Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Skewers with Chimichurri Sauce
- Crockpot Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Sheet Pan Citrus Herb Chicken and Potatoes
Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken drumsticks
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic minced or pressed
- 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon chicken boullion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed sheet pan (13"x18") with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients and mix together really well (with clean hands or gloved hands works best) until all the chicken drumsticks are coated in the seasonings and olive oil.4 pounds chicken drumsticks, ¼ cup olive oil, 6 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice, fresh lemon zest, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon chicken boullion powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Arrange the chicken drumsticks in a single layer on the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, flipping the drumsticks halfway through, and until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 175°F (or 185°F if you like your chicken leg very tender).
- After the cook time, place the sheet pan under the broiler for an additional 5 minutes to crisp the skin and until golden brown.
- Remove the chicken drumsticks from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving warm. Enjoy!
Notes
- Using fresh lemon juice will provide the most favor, but bottled lemon is usable if that’s all you have.
- Avocado oil is another oil you can use instead of olive oil.
- To change up the flavor slightly; try using cajun or creole seasoning instead of the Italian seasoning.
- It is best to leave the skin on the chicken drumsticks for this recipe. It is what gives the crispy texture and helps the drumsticks retain their moisture during baking. Most my kids don’t eat the skin, which is fine, so you can easily not eat the skin if you prefer.
- I recommend broiling the chicken; watch it very carefully because it can burn pretty quickly. Even a few minutes will make the skin crispy, charred, and golden brown.
Nutrition
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