Crispy baked chicken legs (drumsticks) are fast and easy, with about 5 minutes of prep time. Use a simple seasoning and then bake for about 35 minutes with convection—perfectly crispy, moist, and tender every time.
🐓Ingredients
Chicken Legs (drumsticks)
Seasoning—salt, black pepper, and garlic powder mixture (All-Purpose Seasoning) OR
Optional seasoning of your choice
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Featured Comment from Gillian:
"I'm so happy I found your recipe! I've never found a simple chicken recipe I liked very much, but this looks like The One!"
Everybody needs great chicken recipes, and this healthy baked chicken legs recipe is one of the easiest and best for the home cook. Even the pickiest kids love baked chicken drumsticks.
It's easy and quick to prep in only 5 minutes with simple seasoning. Then, cook at a high oven temperature for crispy skin without frying for about 35 minutes. Perfect for a healthy low-fat or low-carb diet.
👨🍳How to Bake Chicken Legs—Step-by-Step
1. Preheat oven to 425° convection. Pat dry the chicken legs with paper towels.
2. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and add a rack sprayed with PAM cooking spray. The rack allows all sides of the chicken to cook evenly out of drainage. You can cook without the rack but should flip halfway through cooking.
3. Trim off any extra skin and any loose joint pieces.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can use other seasonings if you wish. We use All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which includes garlic powder.
5. Place the legs on a prepared sheet pan with the thicker part of the chicken legs towards the outside of the tray.
6. Cook to 185° to 195° internal temp—about 35 minutes. DO NOT STOP SHORT of 185° and use an instant-read thermometer. Let the cooked drumsticks sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
For more details, keep reading. See the Recipe Card below for complete instructions and to print.
⏰How long to bake chicken legs (drumsticks)
It takes about 35 minutes at 425° to cook chicken legs in the oven to 185° internal temperature. The variables are the chicken leg size and the oven temperature.
- Chicken legs at 350°F convection or 375°F conventional – about 45-50 minutes
- Chicken legs at 375°F convection or 400°F conventional – about 40-45 minutes
- Chicken legs at 400°F convection or 425°F conventional – about 35-40 minutes
- Chicken legs at 425°F convection – about 35 minutes (I don't suggest 450°F conventional—instead, do 425°F conventional and add a few minutes)
The best cooking temperature is 400° or 425° for the most crispy skin. Lower oven temperatures, like 350° or 375°, will produce a slightly less crisp skin.
Always use an instant-read thermometer. COOK TO A FINAL INTERNAL TEMPERATURE. PLEASE, NEVER BY TIME ALONE.
♨️Pro Tips—get it right every time
- DO NOT SKIP THE PAT DRY; you will remove excess moisture that prevents crispy skin. Please see Chicken: To Rinse or Not To Rinse?
- Oil is optional, and if used, brush on before seasoning. It will change the final texture of the skin from thin and crispy to a little thicker but moisturized.
- Cooking on a rack removes the meat from the baking sheet and the drainage. Then, with convection, all sides of the legs will be cooked evenly. But if you don't have a rack, flip about 20 minutes into cooking.
- Cook at high temp, and you must use an instant-read thermometer to be sure you get to 185°. Do not guess.
- Let the chicken legs set for 5 to 10 minutes after cooking. Fluid will form between the meat cells during cooking, and the rest will allow it to reabsorb for juicy and tenderer results.
Seasoning options
We always use All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which is salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. But use the seasoning you love—some good options are onion powder, smoked paprika, poultry season, or other seasoning blends. For a touch of heat, add some cayenne pepper.
For BBQ chicken legs, add a BBQ rub or skip any dry seasoning and brush on some BBQ sauce near the end of cooking.
Marinaded with Italian dressing, teriyaki sauce, or lemon butter marinade will add a lot of flavors.
What chicken to use?
Use bone-in skin-on chicken legs (drumsticks). The cut joint area may have loose parts that should be trimmed along with excess skin.
Chicken legs are also known as chicken drumsticks. A chicken leg quarter with a thigh still attached to the drumstick is less commonly called a chicken leg. If you are cooking chicken leg quarters, please follow the Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs, which is similar but covers some other issues.
If you use previously frozen chicken legs, the meat may have some pink staining that looks like blood. This is the breakdown of the bone marrow, and the chicken is still safe if cooked to 165° minumin.
🌡️The best final temperature internal temp for chicken legs is 185°+
The best final internal temperature for oven-baked chicken legs is 185° or higher when the connective tissue melts, and the meat becomes moist and tender.
The connective tissue will start to melt at 175°. By 185°, you will get moist and tender results. America Test Kitchen takes it further for both thighs and drumsticks, suggesting 190° to 195° as the target internal temperature range. See American Test Kitchen (subscription required).
Many want to cook chicken legs to 165°, the minimum safe internal temperature for chicken per the FDA, but they will be tough and stringy from connective tissue.
Other Chicken Recipes
Add some great char to your chicken legs or thighs on your backyard BBQ gas grill with Grilled Chicken Drumsticks and Grilled Chicken Thighs.
Try these other chicken recipes, like Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs, Oven-Baked Chicken Wings, or Baked Split Chicken Breasts. Or, if you are having a party, check out how to cook chicken for 50 to 100 people.
Serving
Serve with a green salad and your favorite hot side dishes of Convection Oven Baked French Fries, baked rice, broccoli, Microwave Corn on the Cob, or Roasted Red Potatoes.
How to store leftovers?
Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for 4 days or freeze for 4 months. If frozen, thaw first, then reheat in an oven or an air fryer. A microwave may be used, but it may affect the texture.
❓FAQs
A lot of fat and fluid drains while cooking chicken drumsticks. You can cook drumsticks without a rack if you flip halfway through cooking, but you will be happier with a rack. The cooking will be more even, quicker, and easier to clean up.
You can if you wish. Without oil, the skin will be dry and crispy, but with a bit of olive oil or cooking spray before seasoning, it will be thicker and slightly less crispy.
No, it will interfere with the cooking and trap moisture, preventing crispier skin.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
📖 Recipe
Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
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Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 6 legs Chicken legs - about 1 ½ lbs-Scale to as many as you want
- salt and pepper to taste or other seasoning - or 7:2:1 or 7:2:2 seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° convection. Pat dry the chicken legs with paper towels.
- Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and add a rack sprayed with PAM cooking spray. The rack allows all sides of the chicken to cook evenly out of drainage. You can cook without the rack but should flip halfway through cooking.
- Trim off any extra skin and any loose joint pieces.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. You can use other seasonings if you wish. We use All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2, which includes garlic powder.
- Place the legs on a prepared sheet pan with the thicker part of the chicken legs towards the outside of the tray.
- Cook to 185° to 195° internal temp—about 35 minutes. DO NOT STOP SHORT of 185° and use an instant-read thermometer. Let the cooked drumsticks sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- DO NOT SKIP THE PAT DRY, or you will not have crispy skin.
- Cooking on a rack to get the meat off the pan to cook evenly and out of the drainage. If no rack, then flip at 20 minutes.
- Cook at high temp and you must use a thermometer to be sure you get to 185°+. Do not guess.
- Spice as you want.
- Scale to any amount you need
- For BBQ chicken legs, skip the seasoning or use a BBQ dry rub, then brush with your favorite BBQ sauce for the last 5 minutes.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. Or will freeze well for 3-4 months.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: This article was originally published on September 9, 2012. It has been updated with discussion and photos to improve the presentation and add more information. The recipe remains the same. Please enjoy the update.
Anj says
I was going to put my legs in the slow cooker this morning (chicken legs I mean heehee) but didn't have all the ingredients. I decided to Google an easy baked chicken leg recipe and here it is !!!
It sounds spectacular !!! I am going to make this tonight when I get home !!! Our sides will be baby taters and broccoli.
I'm looking forward to coming back and giving my review !!!
Bring on the crispy chicken !!!
Ron says
Thanks so much for this recipe and the pan seared chicken. I loved them both. I also love the 7:2:1 seasoning too.
DrDan says
Hi Ron, The 7:2:1 can go on anything. I modified it to 7:2:2 for my garlic-asorous wife. It turned out that when it was recommend at a cooking school, many of my earlier personal recipes used about those ratios.
Thanks for the note.
DrDan
Ron says
It is a good seasoning. I made the mistake of having bigger holes for it to sprinkle and end up being way to much. However, I since corrected it and BAM... perfecto. I will be making the pan seared to oven pork chops tomorrow. Thanks for the website, it has been a blessing.
stacey says
I have always made them on the rack but the patting dry is what I was missing, so glad I read your post today, it made a world of difference. Some other sites had the "pat dry" step but never made a big deal out of it so neither did I. Big mistake. Thank you so much for pointing it out. They are crispy like I always wanted!
Trang says
Hey Dr. Dan.... This isn't the first time I am making this. I've bookmarked it for later use as well. Thank you for posting and continuing to comment as these comments help too. :) Please deliver more great recipes if you have 'em. :)
DrDan says
Hi Trang,
Thanks for the note and rating. I must say after 400 recipes, it's getting a little harder to decide what to do next.
DrDan
angrychef1 says
Thanks for sharing this recipe method, the drumsticks turned out great! I didn't follow to the letter since I placed the drumsticks on a foil covered 1/2 sheet pan instead of a rack...but they still turned out juicy, tender and the skin was crisp.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note and rating. As you noted, the foil does work.
Thanks again
DrDan
Pattie says
Thank you. This is an excellent recipe, and your instructions are wonderfully clear and complete. This is exactly what I was looking for and my family loves these chicken legs.
DrDan says
I wanted this to be a kid friendly recipe.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Patricia says
Your baked chicken recipe was the best one I have gotten on the Internet, Thank You So Much!! The chicken turned out perfect, the rack made a big difference.:)
DrDan says
Thank for the note.
DrDan
Jacqueline says
I made this tonight and they were delicious - thank you! I've been looking around the rest of your site and am feeling so inspired - so many more yummy recipes to start making!!! Thanks for all the hard work you put into this site.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. Have a look around and let me know if you have questions.
DrDan
Wendy Misener says
I'm doing it! After a week of big effort cooking, sometimes super simple easy peasy is best (and most flavourful).
Joe says
Fast and easy plus everyone in my family loves them cooked this way! Thanks.
JOY says
Thank you! I will be sure to use the rack next time. My drumsticks turned out amazing and crispy. :)
Elly says
We are making baked drumsticks tonight for supper. I have 12 of them. I have a convection oven. Should I increase cooking time?
DrDan says
Nope... just don't "crowd the pan" and the cooking time will be the same... Remember you are cooking to an internal temp and not by time alone.
DrDan
Elly says
Thank you. I'll make sure to check temp before taking them out! My oven came with a handy thermometer probe.
Elly says
They turned out great! We got a lot of compliments from our company.
Ryan says
I was wondering why 185deg internal temp when most references online say 165. Thanks.
Ryan says
Oops. I read previous comments on the internal temp. I got it now. thanks
Melrose says
Hello! I just wanted to say thank you for this recipe. I looked this up about 2 years ago and my kids love these drummies! I can never remember all of the details so I have to look this up every time. Lol Thanx!
Jeff says
Ignore. Was to lazy to read earlier posts. Sorry:)
DrDan says
I was on my computer... thanks for the comment.
Dan
Jeff says
A question, why 185-190 when it's safe at 165? Just curious. Thanks for the tips!
DrDan says
Safe does not equal tender. White meat is good at 165 but dummies are tough and stringy. I find about 185 or a little more just right.
DrDan