Baked Crispy Chicken Legs – A few simple tricks deliver crispy baked chicken drumsticks with tender, juicy meat. Insanely flavorful chicken is quick, easy, paleo, and gluten-free with only 10 minutes of prep time! A win-win!
Inspired by the success of my crispy baked chicken wing recipe, I decided to give chicken legs a spin. They have the same flavorful bite and crispy, crunchy coating without breadcrumbs or flour. All you need are a few pantry staples to turn ordinary chicken legs into out-of-this-world delicious.
The crunchy skin and mouthwatering flavor make this recipe a crowd-pleaser for adults and kids alike. Not to mention how versatile it is! Feel free to experiment with your favorite herbs and spices to put a new spin on this dish every time you make it.
How to Bake Chicken Legs Crispy
Most importantly, ensure the drumsticks are dry before baking for super crispy skin. And since chicken legs are larger than wings, I increased the amount of onion and garlic powder for better flavor. You have nothing else to worry about because baking crispy chicken legs is waaay easier than you think.
- First, carefully wash the chicken with running tap water and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet pan. Let them dry in the fridge, uncovered, for a minimum of 3 hours for crispy chicken skin.
- Next, season the chicken when ready to bake.
- Then, arrange them on a wire rack in a single layer and pop them in the oven.
- Rotate the chicken legs halfway through to ensure they evenly cook on all sides.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Legs – Bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks result in tender, juicy meat with crispy skin. Look for chicken legs that are uniform in size to ensure even cooking.
- Seasonings – Layer on the flavors with a bold mix of Italian herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper. A dash of cayenne pepper provides just the right amount of heat, but feel free to adjust it to your family’s heat preference. Bouillon powder provides umami savoriness.
How to Bake Crispy Chicken Legs
- Prepare Chicken – Wash the chicken legs and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Then let them sit in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight to air-dry. (You can skip this part and proceed with the spices, but they won’t be quite as crispy).
- Preheat oven to 425°F (220℃).
- Season – Place the chicken in a large bowl, add the spices, and drizzle with oil. Mix well to coat the chicken.
- Prep the Baking Sheet by lining it with foil and putting a wire rack on top. Place the chicken legs in a single layer on the wire rack. While the chicken legs are baking, the oil will drip to the bottom of the pan.
- Bake chicken legs until cooked through and skin is crispy (45-50 minutes). Rotate chicken legs halfway through, at roughly 20 minutes. (Actual bake time depends on your oven and altitude, but a meat thermometer should read an internal temperature of 165℉/75℃).
- Serve – Take the crispy chicken legs out of the oven and serve with African pepper sauce.
Recipe Variations
- Seasoning swap. Replace the seasonings with your favorite premade seasoning blend. Try a zesty Cajun Creole seasoning or taco seasoning if you’re craving something with a Mexican flair!
- Seasoning add-ins. Add a dash of cumin to the seasoning mix for deep, slightly nutty notes. A touch of lemon pepper will add a fresh, citrusy punch to the mix. And smoked paprika adds an extra zing with delicious smokiness.
- Meat swap. You can replace the chicken legs with bone-in chicken thighs or cut up the whole chicken.
- Garnish. For additional flavor, sprinkle your crispy chicken legs with Parmesan, chopped parsley, or green onion. They also add a gorgeous pop of color.
- One-pot meal. Roast potato wedges and carrot chunks underneath the chicken legs to make a one-dish meal. Lightly coat the potatoes and carrots in olive oil and sprinkle with more seasonings before placing them on the baking sheet.
Tips and Tricks
- Taking the chicken legs out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before baking will help them cook more evenly.
- If you’d like even crispier skin on the chicken legs, turn the broiler on for a minute or to crisp them even more. Keep an eye on them, though, because the broiler cooks fast.
- Let the chicken rest 5-10 minutes after cooking for super juicy, tender meat.
- These golden beauties are delicious baked in an air fryer, as well. Air fry them at 400℉ (205℃) for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Enjoy!
Make-Ahead Instructions
Crispy baked chicken legs require just 10 minutes of prep time, so they’re perfect for busy weeknight meals! To get a jump on meal planning, you can season the chicken legs ahead of time.
Then, keep them in the fridge for a day or two or freeze them for 2-3 months. When you need a quick meal, simply leave them in the fridge overnight to defrost and pop them in the oven.
Serving and Storage Instructions
These guys are best hot from the oven (after resting for a few minutes). Add other fun flavors with African pepper sauce or homemade BBQ sauce.
Refrigerate leftover baked chicken legs in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze them for 4-6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
Reheat the chicken legs in the oven at 350℉ (180℃) until heated through. You could also reheat individual portions in the microwave, but they won’t crisp back up.
I love using leftover chicken for chicken salad for sandwiches or Caesar salad. Remove and discard the skin (no longer crispy and delicious) and bones, chop the chicken into chunks, and you’re good to go.
What Goes With Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Legs
Countless winning combinations go great with this tasty chicken recipe. Some delicious side dishes are scalloped potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes and Southern baked beans with bacon. Add a fresh tossed salad and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or bright Pinot Noir to complement the perfectly seasoned meat.
More Easy Baked Chicken Recipes to Try
- Baked BBQ Chicken
- Jerk Chicken Wings
- Baked Crispy Chicken Wings
- Oven Baked Chicken Breast
- Baked Chicken Spaghetti
Watch How to Make It
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”5X6eNFxT” upload-date=”Mon Aug 06 2018 19:45:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Baked Crispy Chicken Legs” description=”Baked Crispy Chicken Legs – A few simple tricks makes this chicken legs crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and ridiculously flavorful. It’s quick, easy, paleo, gluten-free and only requires 10 mins prep.”]
This blog post was originally published in November 2013 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video
Baked Crispy Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 3-3½ pounds (1.3-1.5k) chicken legs
- 1 tablespoon (6g) dried Italian herbs
- 1¼ teaspoons (7g) salt
- 1½ tablespoons (9g) onion powder
- 1½ tablespoons (8g) garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
- ½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon (3g) bouillon powder (or replace with salt)
Instructions
- Wash the chicken legs and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Then let them sit in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight to air-dry. (You can skip this part and proceed with the spices, but they won't be quite as crispy).
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°F (220℃).
- Place the chicken in a large bowl, add the spices, and drizzle with oil. Mix well to coat the chicken.
- Line a baking pan with foil, and top with a wire rack. Arrange chicken legs in a single layer. While the chicken legs are baking, the oil will slowly drip to the bottom of the baking pan.
- Bake chicken legs until cooked through and skin is crispy (45-50 minutes). Rotate chicken legs halfway through, at roughly 20 minutes. (Actual bake time depends on your oven and altitude, but a meat thermometer should read an internal temperature of 165℉/75℃).
- Take the crispy chicken legs out of the oven and serve with African pepper sauce.
Tips & Notes:
- Taking the chicken legs out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before baking will help them cook more evenly.
- If you’d like even crispier skin on the chicken legs, turn the broiler on for a minute or to crisp them even more. Keep an eye on them, though, because the broiler cooks fast.
- Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after cooking for super juicy, tender meat.
- These golden beauties are delicious baked in an air fryer, as well. Air fry them at 400℉ (205℃) for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Enjoy!
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Clara says
I’ve been making these for a couple of months now and I never write reviews. BUT this rub is incredible! My bf asks for it all the time!! It’s his favorite and he brags about this chicken to everyone. To make it extra crispy we sometimes add butter before the rub and it makes it sooo good!!! But that’s if you don’t mind adding extra calories to your day. We’ve sprinkled this on shrimp and veggies and it came out amazing as well! Great job
Duncan says
Just found this. These are awesome! Thanks.
Ruth Rhodes says
Just made this today and it was delicious! My hubby said they were the best chicken legs he has ever had. Thank you!
imma africanbites says
Yaaay! Thank you for the compliment. =)
Lauren says
I literally never comment on recipes (or on any other type of post, for that matter) but O…M….G these are out of this world so I just had to say something. I had high doubts that the chicken would actually come out crispy but it did!!! I dried them well with a paper towel and was only able to let them sit in fridge for 1.5hours but they were PERFECT. Making this again tomorrow, as the twelve legs I made yesterday didn’t last long in our family of five!
imma africanbites says
Glad it was such a hit in your family, Lauren. And thank you for taking the time to let me know. I appreciate it. 🙂
Kate Shreck says
Can I leave frozen legs out to thaw and get same results as if I refrigerated them?
ImmaculateBites says
Yes you can.
Amy Cromer says
I made this for lunch today and hubby and kid loved it. It is a Little spicy but not overpowering. The skin wasn’t as crispy as I had expected but wasn’t rubbery either. Great recipe.
Nara Haftevani says
YUM, Love this recipe! It’s been a weekly staple in our house over the last year. Thank you so much for sharing!
I usually make the spice rub ahead of time for an even faster weeknight dinner.
imma africanbites says
Making the spice rub ahead indeed saves a lot of time. Glad you love this recipe as much as I do. 🙂 Happy weekend!
Brittany says
My family loves this recipe! They literally don’t want me to make drumsticks any other way again. I thought at first they might be a little too spicy, but received nothing but happy responses from my husband and step son. My husband and I plan on using this awesome rub for some grill food come warmer weather! Thank you for this great recipe, I hope you have a lovely new year!
Helen says
Mine weren’t crispy. I even tried them out overnight in the refrigerator. I’m going to try putting them on for real for a few minutes each. I’ll try this recipe again because it sounds so good.
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry to hear about this. It works all the time for me, the trick is to make sure it’s not wet when baking .
Stephanie Daughtry says
So you don’t put anything in the pan such as oil,etc…you just put the seasoned chicken in the oven and that’s it?
ImmaculateBites says
I have tried it both ways and it works. Add oil or not it still comes out tasty.
Susan Sierk says
WOW! I love when I stumble upon a website with great recipes! I was entertaining the other night, for a group I like making chicken legs and was just looking for something different! I am a daring person also as I was trying a new recipe on guests! I just read the comments and your instructions and knew they would be great! Love your videos also. They were fabulous, got asked for the recipe and everyone was raving over them! Thank you so much, looking forward to trying other recipes from you, the chai is next!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for dropping by, Susan! Can’t wait for you to try my chai latte. Cheers!
Danielle says
Hello! Is it ok to use a different oil I’m out of canola oil 🙁
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it is. Whatever rocks your boat.
YULIYA ZBOROVSKAYA says
Made these tonight. Definitely a hit. The man loved them and ate 4 pieces! Only difference I made was using garlic salt (i ran out of just garlic powder), no pepper (i forgot lol) and I added a sprinkle of curry powder.
They came out perfectly crispy, juicy and flavorful. I baked for 50 mins (25 per side).
Pamela Newcomer says
Made these last night for dinner. What a hit! This is by far one of if not the best chicken leg recipe!
imma africanbites says
Thank you for the awesome feedback, Pamela! Have a lovely weekend!
Tia says
I had serious misgivings about this recipe. There are so many recipes and even cooking appliances that say they make the outsides crispy and they don’t. But this recipe definitely did!!! Delicious crunchy crispy spicy skin and insides were juicy and flavorful.
I cooked 5 skin-on bone-in chicken drumsticks, approximately 2 3/4 pounds, so I cut the spices about in half and reduced the cooking time about 5-10 minutes, especially for two of the smaller drumsticks.
I think good paper towel drying is the key to having the spices stick to the skin which is necessary for crisping. I love spicey foods but I may have gone a little bit too heavy. I used Old Bay seasoning and Brew Pub chicken seasoning for the chicken bouillon. Could have been a bit of overkill Lol!
Thank you very much for a fantastic recipe. I will definitely use it again with chicken parts and maybe pork chops and even some veggies.
Hugs, Tanna
imma africanbites says
You’re always welcome, Tanna! I’m so happy you like this recipe. It’s one of our fave chicken recipe, too.
Rita says
Ive been seasoning drumsticks with Old Bay for years. Its nearly perfect.
Sarah in Memphis says
Made these for my family tonight, and they are amazing!! My partner accidentally bought legs at Costco even though he hates dark meat, so I had the challenge of cooking tons of drumsticks for someone who doesn’t even like them. Well, he LOVED them. The kids all loved them too; even the baby gnawed the bones. #winning
P.S. these really give our famous Gus’s a run for their money with that cayenne, and they’re way healthier!
imma africanbites says
Oh Sarah, chicken legs are my son’s fave. 😉 Glad to know your family loved it, too. 🙂
Pier says
Will this work without the rack? I dont have one and dont want to go to the store.
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it would.
Kim Kendrick says
Ok, they’re in the oven. But I have to say….. I may have SUPER screwed this up. I forgot to dry the chicken with paper towels first. I used a ziplock to coat them in spices and after reading the comments, I think I used WAY too much oil. I DID however put them on a rack in the oven, the one thing I did right. Also I didn’t have and Italian seasoning mix so I tried whole foods poultry seasoning and added oregano, marjoram and basil, then combined the other spices per the recipe. Fingers crossed this isn’t a disaster! Just unplugged the smoke detector LOL!