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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Have you tried this recipe, or have a question? Join the community discussion in the comments.
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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.
Sharon says
I have never done drummies before but I have a party that I will be making them for. I will be grilling about 20 lbs of chicken drumsticks on my gas barbeque. I have no idea it will take to get them to 185 degrees. Since I have to be at the party with my drummies at a certain time, how do I calculate how long it's going to take me to grill the 20 pounds?
DrDan says
I would not grill for a large group like that and especially to transport it after and keep them hot. See https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/chicken-for-hundred/ where I did about 50 pounds of chicken and discuss the logic of my choice.
Hope that helps
DrDan
Susie says
I am trying this out tonight for the first time. After reading all of the reviews I couldn't wait to try it. I only have a conventional oven so I'm going to give the 425° a shot and rely on a thermometer, which we got as a wedding present and have never used it. I will let you know how it goes! Hopefully as well as it did for everyone else. I already made your suggested seasoning blend and we are ready to go! PS- for planning purposes what is your guesstimate on time in conventional oven at 425? Thanks!
DrDan says
Ballpark of 40 minutes but ovens vary so start check at about 30 minutes.
DrDan
Sean says
Thanks Dan. The chicken was great!!
Sean says
I am going to use thawed drumsticks..hoping they're tasty!
DrDan says
Previously frozen drumsticks may look like there is blood. The bone marrow breaks down with the freezing and will ooze into the meat and look like blood. No effect on taste and it's safe, it just looks funny.
DrDan
Bethany says
I actually use my own spice recipe but I love this high temp cooking. Since I don't have a wire rack to put on my pans I have had issues in the past with drumsticks being too "soggy" but cooking at a higher temp definitely resolves the problem. I also take mine out 5-10 min before they are done and smother them in BBQ sauce and put them back in. They are delicious!
Barbara says
Great recipe but they are not drummies.
Chicken drumsticks are legs. Chicken drummies are wings. One is light meat, one is dark meat.
DrDan says
I will disagree with your definition... but thanks for the comment and rating.
Dan
Delbert moyer says
Baked chicken at 425 for one hour and 10 minutes in a convection pven internal temp of 165 came out done but a bit rubbery could large drums have anything to do with it?
DrDan says
I assume not frozen to start. The size of the drumsticks is one of the possible variables, but most likely is the temperature of the oven. It should probably be checked. 425 convection really is hot and the longest it has taken me with very large drumsticks is 45 minutes to 185. I would get one of the $10 oven thermometers and see what you're really running. If there is a large variation it would effect all your cooking.
Dan
Gemma says
I patted my oven down with paper towels after I preheated it, like you said to. I am not sure it added flavor to my meal.
DrDan says
Ummm, that is pat dry the drumsticks. I'll change the wording a little.
Dan
Cheryl says
Easy and delicious! Great for those of us who do not like to cook but need to feed the family. Thanks!
Heather says
Thank you for sharing this recipe! It is perfect!
Amanda says
This is my 3rd time using this recipe, it has always came out great and I love that the chicken is crispy on both bottom and top. I use lemon pepper seasoning because my family loves it. I defenetly will use again.
DrDan says
Thanks for the note and rating. Glad it's working well for you.
DrDan
Terrie says
Wondering, I have 2 settings for convection on my oven: convection bake or convection roast. Im going to use bake... hope thats right, though roast sounds more delicious.
DrDan says
The "roast" setting has both the upper and lower burner on along with the fan. The bake is lower element and fan. The roast version makes me nervous and I only use bake. Your question about boneless chicken... usually that means skinless boneless breast. I would say definitely no to that. I have many other recipes for that.
DrDan
DocTony says
Great recipe. I'm wondering why you are cooking the chicken to 185. USDA changed the recommended cooking temp for chicken to 165 several years ago. Am I missing something?
DrDan says
165 is the minimum temp for safety. But not the right finish temperature tor drumsticks for me. There is a lot of connective tissue in a leg so I use 185 for drumsticks and thighs. For breast it is 165 and no more for me. A lot of experts like 160 for breast but I'm a safety guy.
DrDan
Bob Thompson says
I consider myself a good cook. BUT....I am always looking for different styles, and recipes. I am going to try this one for drums tonight. Unfortunately, I marinated them first, but I'll dry off as much as I can, and jack the temp in the oven up to 450 (since I don't have a convection oven). Thank you for the information!
Lauren says
Hey there - love your site! i'm making this tonight and really enjoyed the info on "chicken rinsing" - I was a little confused though. You tell one poster:
" I would still wash and dry the skin. Unwashed chicken seems to be a little slimy and should ALWAYS be washed." I thought the point of the article was to say that you didn't need to rinse or wash chicken? I'm not sure. Thank you!
DrDan says
Old comment and reply. I have changed my ways. I edited the posts but not the comments.
Thanks for the comment.
DrDan
Christina says
Your website is my go to site for chicken. Everything turns out A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!! My families favorite recipe is the chicken drumsticks, my 3 yr old just ate 3 whole drumsticks Thanks for all the great recipes, and I'm looking forward to getting out the grill this spring to make your recipe for grilled chicken drumsticks!!
DrDan says
Thanks Christina You will find the grill recipe a bit fussier but it does have that grill taste.
Again thanks for the note and rating.
DrDan
Diane says
This is one of the few meals I can get my young kids to eat!