These chicken legs are golden on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside and unbelievably savory with every bite. With just a few simple ingredients, we turn ordinary chicken drumsticks into extraordinary.
This is one of those recipes that I get excited about. It’s so easy to make and the results are always awesome. It’s easily adjustable too – you can double or triple the recipe for a crowd, or even add a bit of kick of heat and serve on game day. I think you’re really gonna love this recipe!
Ingredients
Chicken drumsticks are the star of his show, and I love that they’re still very affordable. You can usually find packages of drumsticks that are much lower in price than any other part of the chicken. That’s fine with me! Even if it’s a large package i’ll use what I need now and freeze the rest for later.
We’ll use a simple seasoning blend of dry herbs and spices: paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary, parsley, ground mustard, salt and pepper. Then we’ll use a tablespoon of olive oil to hold all the seasonings to the chicken and help get that golden crisp skin we love to much.
Preparation
This recipe is SO easy. We simply mix herbs and spices in a small dish. Add the chicken legs to a large, gallon-sized ziptop bag and add the olive oil. Seal the bag and roll those legs around for a minute to distribute the oil evenly on all the chicken. Then, open the bag, pour in the seasonings, close the bag and do the shake thing. Take a minute or so to do this and massage the chicken to really get that seasoning well distributed.
Set aside for a minute and preheat your oven to 425°(F) and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Give the foil a good spray with non-stick cooking spray. This is important as the chicken will stick without it.
Now take the chicken out of the bag and place on the foil lined sheet. Then into the oven it goes for 40 minutes.
After 40 minutes the chicken will be a beautiful golden color and the inside will be at least 165°(F) when checked with an instant read thermometer. In fact, it will probably be closer to 185-195°(F) which is exactly what we want!
Pro Tip: Chicken Legs are Better at 185-195°(F)!
The rule of cooking chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F has been well-established for quite some time. However, when it comes to darker meat portions such as chicken legs, thighs, or the entire leg quarter, exceeding this temperature is often encouraged for optimal results! When heated to around 185°F, the collagens within the meat begin to break down, contributing to the juiciness and “fall-off-the-bone” tenderness that we cherish so much in dark poultry meat.
Check out this great article by America’s Test Kitchen regarding “overcooking” chicken drumsticks and thighs.
Let Rest and Serve
Carefully remove the chicken to a plate or platter and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Can this recipe be doubled?
It sure can. You can even triple or quadruple this recipe! Simply adjust the ingredients accordingly. The cook time will still be 40 minutes, just be sure to not crowd the chicken too much on the pan. Keep the legs from touching and always keep in a single layer.
Give it a kick
Want to give the chicken legs a little heat? Add a ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and even a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes. You can also deepen the flavor by using smoked paprika instead of regular paprika.
Recipe
Best Damn Oven Baked Chicken Legs
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings
Description
Expertly seasoned and oven roasted to perfection, these chicken drumsticks are so delicious, so juicy, so tender, you will not believe you made them with this simple recipe.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken legs
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp rosemary, dried
- 1 tsp parsley flakes
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp ground mustard
- 1 tbs olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°(F)
- Pat chicken legs dry with a paper towel and trim any excess skin
- Place chicken legs in a large ziptop bag and add olive oil. Close bag and shake to coat chicken well with the oil.
- Add seasoning mix to bag, close and shake to get chicken well coated with seasoning.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- Place chicken legs on baking sheet and place on middle rack of oven for 40 minutes, turning halfway.
- Chicken must have internal temperature of at least 165°(F), but 185-195°(F) is ideal for best results.
- Let rest for several minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Evelyn Anderson says
THE TITLE OF THIS RECIPE SAYS IT ALL.!
I USED THIS RECIPE FOR CHICKEN WINGS AS WELL. IT WAS A TOTAL HIT!
Allison Cooper says
Also, forgot to mention they were delicious I didn’t have any rosemary so I left that out. I will be using this recipe again
Thanks
Allison Cooper says
Just wondering how long would you cook chicken wings using same recipe and also how do you reheat the chicken legs the day after?
RecipeTeacher says
So the time would be about the same, just keep an eye on the temperature burning the sugar. If you see it’s getting too burnt, tune the heat down 20 degrees.
Dēborah M says
This recipe is 1000% ????????????????????
Best Damn Oven Baked Chicken ????
OMG this recipe was very delicious!
I added both paprika and smoked paprika, plus I topped chicken with honey ???? and Sriracha ???? My husband loved it, the chicken legs were so tender and juicy.
Mary Hoff says
These were so good…crispy skin and moist inside. I was amazed. I added the red pepper for the extra kick… so good!
Diane K says
These literally are the Best Damn Oven Baked Chicken Legs ever! They are tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. So easy to make and they taste like they were made by a pro! I made one small addition to the seasoning, and that is 1 tsp of baking powder to crisp up the skin. Magnificent! I’ll be making these again.
Hannah says
This was simple and spot on. Great taste, texture, etc. YUM.
Thank you!
Amber Scott says
This recipe looks so delicious and I am eager to make it but I don’t have ground mustard. Can I somehow substitute it with stone ground, Dijon, or regular yellow mustard?
RecipeTeacher says
My best advice is just leave it out. You’ll still have delicious chicken.
Lillian D'Eramo says
Very delicious chicken!! I love the taste, flavor, and how easy it is to make. I put thick sliced potatoes around the chicken and they turned out fantastic! Definitely making this often!!!
Nancy Valencia says
Excellent recipe and I will share with family and friends. Chicken legs were juicy and very tasty.
Janina Castiglione says
I made these and I was so surprised by how delicious they were. The recipe is so easy. I will be making them again.
Diane says
I’ve made this like 6 times now. Sent my whole family this link. So freaking good. You are correct on the cooking time and temp. The seasoning is so good I use it on chicken breasts too. I like how this makes one of the cheapest cuts of meat taste so good and special.