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.
Sarah B says
SO delicious…Thank You Imma!
I’m always lost with chicken drumsticks. These were perfect!
Chattalittle says
These were so yummy. I cooked the legs on my oven’s convection setting which put the temp at 400. I probably should have pulled then out at around 40 minutes. I also added 2 tsp of baking powder to the spices as I had read several recipes that said this makes chicken skin crispier. I am not sure how much doing these additional steps helped but the skin was so crispy. I had some extra spice mix so I tossed it with cubed sweet potatoes and olive oil and roasted them under the rack of chicken. The family loved this recipe. Thanks for posting!
John says
I added 2tbsp cornstarch to ensure they got crispy as I didn’t let them dry over night.
Mickey says
GUYS! This is so super simple, delicious, full of flavor and the whole family LOVED them! Hubby complemented them several times and went so far as to say the best chicken he’s ever had from the oven!!
I used the drying method but only let them sit in fridge for 45 minutes. I also omitted the Italian herbs by accident and I did not use the bullion crumbs or whatever lol. Hubby said it did not need either. We also did not use any sauce. It didn’t need it!
Kaila D says
Can I make these without a wire rack? Will it change the chicken drastically?
ImmaculateBites says
You sure can. It will be less crispy.
Kionne says
Yes. I DO IT ALL THE TIME! Just put in a pan an keep uncovered… if you have to.. pour the excess water/ oil off as it cooks.
Amy Tucker says
Baking legs now & have 4.5 lbs worth so literally praying that they’ll all cook thoroughly in same time?
ImmaculateBites says
If it’s spread out in a single layer it will. If not it usually takes a few more minutes to cook thorough.
Kayla says
THESE REALLY ARE SO GOOD! Was a bit skeptical of all the rave reviews – but just made these and we are all loving them (my 6 year old is literally licking his fingers – haha)! I just paper towel dried before the seasoning as I didn’t have time to dry out in the fridge and they still came out quite crispy. Can’t wait to try the fridge method next time.
Lois Lane says
Tonight i be trying this recipe for the first time. I love oven fried chicken but needed something with less carbs. I think this will be a winner from all the previous post. Will comment after dinner. But im sure im going to love it. Thanks for sharing.
ImmaculateBites says
Can’t wait to hear how it worked out .
RACHEL says
This is the best chicken leg recipe hands down and my kids loooove it.
Patsy Pigeon says
The receipt says “drizzle with coil” I’m thinking this should read “drizzle with oil”.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks Patsy will update recipe.
crunchymami says
recipe*
Tawnya says
“The receipt says” I’m thinking it should say “The recipe says”
Lucinda Morrison says
Very yummy! I passed the recipe along to my daughter. I made whole chicken legs (cooked about 20-30 min longer at 400) and dipped pieces into Chipotle sauce. Tasted great and I love the crispiness. I don’t think you can really go wrong with this recipe. A winner! Thank you.
K L F says
Most fantastic!!!
Who knew baked chicken could be so easy! THis is our new family favorite and now I make it for company.
THank you for sharing!!!
Cat says
Amazing!! My husband told me if I had made this when we were dating, he would have married me right then! We were both really impressed and loved the spice combo. I got four compliments from him throughout dinner about how great it was!
Hope says
Looking at all the great comments I am planning to make it tomorrow for my guests. What is this boullion powder though? After doing some research found this…
https://www.target.com/p/knorr-174-granulated-bouillon-chicken-15-9-oz/-/A-14771287
Is it same as you are using in your recipe? Eagerly waiting for you reply.
ImmaculateBites says
Yes it is. Omit if you do not have it readily available.
Ron says
I have made this recipe numerous times with legs and also thighs and this is my favorite chicken recipe and guests all had positive feed back.(Thank You for this recipe).
Lori says
This is the very first time to rate a recipe. I usually look through comments to see what people think. Well I think on a scale from 1-10 this one is a 12‼️
My husband said these are the best legs he has ever had. I agree. Drying them out overnight was the trick. I never did that before. Also I use a drum stick holder to (roast in the oven)them as we eat a lot of drumsticks. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe. It is one to make for everything ‼️