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.
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Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
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.
K A Pouncey says
This is the best way to do drummies. My kids love them cooked this way, and they are always crisp and juicy. Thanks for all the help!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
aditi says
This recipe was so incredibly perfect!!
DrDan says
Thanks,
DrDan
Jess says
So yummy. Kids loved them!
DrDan says
Thanks for the comment
DrDan
Kat says
I never cared much for drummies, but my husband has always loved them. After making this recipe for him, I'm a believer! This technique is superb, I'm only sorry I didn't discover it sooner.
A few notes:
- We used previously frozen drummies, but they still came out crispy on the outside and perfectly moist inside. (Just be sure to thoroughly thaw the meat, thoroughly wash the skin, and thoroughly dry the skin.)
- For those who don't have oven-safe cooking racks, try a well-greased pizza screen.
DrDan says
A fast note about frozen drummies. Due to the bone marrow cells breaking down during freezing, you might get some dark gray discharge and/or a little staining of the meat. Not harmful at all.
You are so right about thawing and the other tips are excellent.
Thanks so much for the comment and rating.
DrDan
Jessica says
This recipe is AWESOME! I just started eating chicken again and never learned how to cook it before I went vegetarian. This was the perfect recipe for me since I wasn't confident that any chicken I cooked would be edible. It was easy and delicious! I did a couple of drummies with Hungarian Paprika and they turned out good, as well.
DrDan says
Thanks so much for the note and rating.
DrDan
DrDan says
Thanks for the note. Make double next time.
DrDan
Karen Engh says
Best ever!!!!Kids faught over who ate more then their share:)
Dave says
Hello, Dr.Dan
Tried your tips and I think my problem was that I attempted a toaster oven and set it at 425 f and it seemed to take 1 hr 1/2 to reach a temperature of 185 and the legs were dried out and tough.
Was it because I used a toaster oven and not a convention oven? I also; did wipe them dry with a paper towel and put them on a rack .
Any help would be greatly appreciated; I look to trying again, perhaps next time with convention oven. Thank you :)
DrDan says
Yep I would blame the toaster oven here. In a regular conventional oven without convection 450 or 425 with a few extra minutes to get to the final temp. Always go for the final internal temp.
DrDan
Amy says
Oh my goodness...can I tell you the hardest part of this recipe? Waiting for them to cool so I could eat one! This was super easy and really delicious. YUM!!
Neville says
What do you mean by "Preheating the oven at 450 convection and cooking the chicken at 185? where are the units (C,F?) I don't get the temperatures.. please clarify.
DrDan says
The oven should be preheated to 425 degrees F for a convection oven. If you are using a conventional oven the 425 and it will take a few more minutes or 450 degrees. Cooking the chicken to 185 means an internal temperature of 185 degrees F for the chicken legs.
Hope that helps
DrDan
Nasir Shakouri says
Wonderful recipe! I just made 5 drumsticks and they all came out perfectly crispy and juicy. Glad I found your site. Keep up the great work!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note and rating
DrDan
danielle says
Will this still work good with out a rack?
DrDan says
Fairly well. Spray the foil well with PAM to prevent sticking. It wouldn't hurt to flip half way through but shouldn't be necessary.
DrDan
Kathryn says
I just made this for my S.O. and he loved it!!
Amy says
I've been making baked chicken legs the same way for a while now. Today I decided I wanted to try a new recipe. Boy, I'm glad I did! These were a huge hit with my family. Definitely the best chicken legs I've made. I added the cayenne and while I loved it, they were a little spicy for my 7 year old. Next time I'll omit it from his and put a little on mine. The tip to cook them on a rack really made a difference! Thanks for sharing!
DrDan says
I do love my racks. And even that small amount of cayenne is a bit much for some kids.
Thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Kim says
Forgot to rate... 5 stars!
DrDan says
Thanks for the note and rating. It is amazingly simple.
DrDan
Kim says
I've never gotten so many raves from the kiddos for a recipe so simple... The very best, thanks for posting!