Baked Chicken Legs

These baked chicken legs are tender, juicy, and perfectly crisp. They’re super easy to throw together and because they’re baked, it’s mostly hands-off dinner prep for you!

Easy Baked Chicken Legs Recipe

• The ingredient list is short and sweet! We’re talking chicken drumsticks, olive oil, and a seasoning blend. It is also SUPER easy to customize based on your family’s taste.
• The simple seasoning blend adds tons of flavor to these baked chicken legs. You can use any combination of spices but my favorite blend is Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
• It’s an easy protein to add to your weekly dinner rotation. If you’re looking for a fun way to add more protein to your dinner, this baked chicken legs recipe is perfect! Simple, delicious, and protein-packed!

Ingredients for Oven Baked Chicken Legs

• Chicken Drumsticks: I like to use skin-on, bone-on chicken legs for this recipe.
• Olive Oil: The olive oil adds flavor and helps the skin get extra crispy in the oven.
• Herbs & Spices: Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper are my staple herbs and spices that I keep stocked in my spice drawer. Feel free to use your favorite dried herbs and spices. The possibilities are endless! See below for more spice suggestions.

Spice Blends

• my homemade rib rub
• chicken taco seasoning
• beef taco seasoning
• cumin + curry powder + chili powder
• dried rosemary + lemon pepper seasoning
• chipotle powder + garlic powder
• Cajun seasoning
• Creole seasoning
• Ranch seasoning mix

How to Make Baked Chicken Legs

Pat chicken legs dry on all sides with a paper towel. Combine Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, Kosher salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Brush chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning mixture. 

Place chicken on the cooling rack and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the skin is golden brown and the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees. Let rest for 5 minutes, garnish with parsley if desired, and serve with air fryer green beans or air fryer asparagus!

Tips for Making Crispy Chicken Legs

• Don’t forget to pat the chicken legs dry. This will help the skin to crisp up more by removing the excess moisture.
• Be sure to season the chicken legs evenly so every bite has flavor. There’s nothing worse than plain chicken! So make sure you liberally and uniformly season the drumsticks.
• Allow the chicken to rest before serving. This will give it a more tender texture and allow the juices to redistribute keeping it moist and juicy.

Serve Chicken Legs with Your Favorite Dipping Sauce

• avocado lime ranch dressing
• honey Dijon sauce
• creamy avocado sauce
• chipotle sauce
• dill yogurt sauce
• creamy peanut sauce
• big mac sauce

Making Chicken Legs Ahead of Time

You can prep these chicken legs up to 24 hours in advance. Follow the prep instructions, cover and refrigerate the seasoned, uncooked drumsticks up to 24 hours before you’re ready to bake them.

Storing Leftover Baked Chicken Legs

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Reheating Chicken Legs

Reheat drumsticks in a 350-degree oven or 350-degree air fryer for about 5 minutes or until warmed through. Don’t cook for too long or they’ll dry out.

Try these easy chicken recipes next!

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