Crispy baked chicken legs (drumsticks) are a quick and easy meal the whole family will love. Just trim and pat dry some chicken legs, add simple spices, and bake them in the oven—perfectly crispy, moist, and tender.
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Everybody needs great chicken recipes, and this baked chicken legs recipe is one of the easiest and best for the home cook. With only 10 minutes of preparation and simple seasoning, you will have an economical meal that kids and adults love after cooking in the oven.
😊Why you will love this recipe
- Easy and quick to prep in only 10 minutes, then into the oven to cook for about 35 minutes.
- Baking at a high temperature gives you crispy skin without frying and is faster in your busy household.
- Simple seasoning but easy to change to what you love.
- An economical meal.
- Everybody loves baked chicken drumsticks, even the pickiest kids.
👨🍳How to bake chicken legs
- Preheat oven to the temperature of your choice— 400° or 425° suggested.
- Prepare a baking sheet with sides like a sheet pan with foil and a rack if you have one.
- Pat dry and trim the chicken drumsticks.
- Season any way you want. Some Kosher salt and black pepper are good, or the seasoning of your choice.
- Cook the chicken legs in the oven until an internal temperature of 185° or more—about 35 minutes.
⏰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: 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, do 425°F conventional and add a few minutes)
The lower the temperature you use, the less crispy your chicken legs will be.
Always use an instant-read thermometer. COOK TO A FINAL INTERNAL TEMPERATURE. PLEASE, NEVER BY TIME ALONE.
🐓Ingredients
- Chicken legs (chicken drumsticks)-Skin-on bone-in chicken legs. Pat dry with paper towels and trim.
- Seasoning-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. Even marinade is fine. If using BBQ sauce, skip other seasoning and brush on near the end of cooking.
- 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 moister.
🌡️What is the best final temperature for chicken legs
The best final internal temperature for 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 are getting moist and tender results. America Test Kitchen takes it a step further for both thighs and drumsticks and suggests 190° to 195° as the target internal temperature range. American Test Kitchen—For Perfectly Tender Chicken Thighs, Overcook Them.
Many want to cook chicken legs to 165°, the minimum safe internal temperature for chicken for the FDA, but they will be tough and stringy from connective tissue.
♨️Pro Tips
- DO NOT SKIP THE PAT DRY, or you will not have crispy skin. Please see Chicken: To Rinse or Not To Rinse?
- Check the cut joint area for loose parts. You may be handing this to a child and don't need loose bone aspirated.
- Cooking on a rack gets the meat off the pan, and with convection, all sides of the legs will be cooked evenly. But if you don't have a rack, use parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Cook at high temp, and you must use a meat thermometer to be sure you get to 185°. Do not guess.
- Spice as you want. Just salt and pepper are enough.
- Scale to any amount you need.
❓FAQs
A lot of the fat and fluid drains while cooking chicken drumsticks. You can cook drumsticks without a rack, but you will be happier with a rack. The cooking will be more even, quicker, and have easier cleanup.
You can if you wish. Without oil, the skin will be dry and crispy, but with a bit of olive oil or cooking spray, it will be thicker and less crispy.
No, it will interfere with the cooking.
The best oven temperature to bake chicken legs is 400° to 425°. It will give crispy skin, and the meat reaches 185° or higher when the connective tissue melts and the meat becomes moist and tender.
Lower temperatures, like 350° or 375°, can be used, but the skin will not be as crispy, baking time will increase, and the meat may be dryer.
How to store leftovers?
Good refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Also, they should freeze fine for 3-4 months. Reheat by thawing first, then reheat in an oven.
📖Chicken Recipes
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks - Quick and Easy
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs
Crispy Baked Split Chicken Breasts
Side Dish Recipes
Easiest Crispy Oven Baked French Fries
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 425° convection. Pat dry the chicken legs with paper towels.
Trim off any extra skin and any loose joint pieces.
Spice to taste with salt and pepper. Use other seasonings if you wish. Here I'm using All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2.
Place the legs on a prepared sheet pan with the thicker part of the chicken legs to the outside. Line the tray with aluminum foil to help clean up. A rack elevates the chicken to allow all sides to cook evenly. You can cook without the rack but better with it. Of course, a heavy spray of PAM on the rack or foil.
Cook to 185°+ internal temp—about 35 minutes. DO NOT STOP SHORT of 185°. But up to 195° is fine.
Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. They are way too hot to eat right away and will be better after a rest.
Recipe
Baked Chicken Legs - Quick and Easy
Ingredients
- 6 legs Chicken legs - about 1 ½ lbs-Scale to as many as you want
- salt and pepper to taste - or 7:2:1 or 7:2:2 seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425° convection. Pat dry the chicken legs with paper towels.
- Trim off any extra skin and any loose joint pieces.
- Spice to taste with salt and pepper. Use other seasonings if you wish.
- Place the legs on a prepared sheet pan with the thicker part of the chicken legs to the outside. Line the tray with aluminum foil to help clean up. A rack elevates the chicken to allow all sides to cook evenly. You can cook without the rack but better with it. Of course, a heavy spray of PAM on the rack or foil.
- Cook to 185°+ internal temp—about 35 minutes. DO NOT STOP SHORT of 185°. But up to 195° is fine.
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. They are way too hot to eat right away and will be better after a rest.
Your Own Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- DO NOT SKIP THE PAT DRY, or you will not have crispy skin.
- Check the cut joint area for loose parts—you may be handing this to a child.
- Cooking on a rack to get the meat off the pan, and with convection, all sides of the chicken legs will be cooked evenly. 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
- Skip the seasoning and brush with your favorite BBQ sauce for the last 5 minutes to make great oven-baked BBQ chicken legs.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days. Or will freeze well for 3-4 months.
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: Originally published September 9, 2012. Updated with discussion and photos updated to improve the presentation and add more information. The recipe remains the same. Please enjoy the update.
Barbara Sweeney
5 Star! Perfect success with my chicken legs! Yes - has to reach 185 without a doubt the secret to a tender meat falling off the bone leg. :)
And at 425 it's truly the simple path to smiling chicken eating family.
Thank you.
Andrea
Hi Dan! I'm making these drummies tonight along with the oven baked crispy french fries you talked about. I was wondering about doing half dry seasoned chicken and the other half with a buffalo sauce. Is there a difference in time if I marinate the buffalo sauce ones ahead of time?
Probably a silly question but I want them to be DELICIOUS and you seem to know what's up.
Thanks!
DrDan
Hi Andrea,
Welcome to the blog.
The cooking time for marinate would be the same but I don't think you will be happy with the skin texture.
I have done this with BBQ sauce a number of times. I dry cooked the drumsticks with no seasoning and about 5 minutes before done, a light coat of sauce. Then when done, another coat of sauce. The skin was then crispy with good BBQ taste.
Dan
Lyn
I don't mean to contradict Dan but I have a marinade I absolutely swear by. It is 3/4 cup sugar. 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 cup oil (I use vegetable oil but any kind will work). I put these on the grill or on my NuWave oven and get crispy skin every time!!!!
Sherry Q.
I made these today following the directions exactly (including the 7:2:1 mix with a touch of cayenne) and they turned out perfect! I appreciate the tip about drying the meat well, it takes a few extra minutes and a several sheets of paper towel but it's definitely worth the effort as the chicken crisps up so nicely. This will certainly become my "go to" for drumsticks and I'll try it with thighs as well, thank you for the simple yet delicious recipe!
DrDan
Hi Sherry,
Welcome to the blog.
Glad it works well for you. The thigh recipe is about the same just a bit about handling the fat and skin.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Kik
Just wondering do you put anything on the chicken other than spices or salt? This is my first time. I look forward to the results.
JACKIE
Hi! Great recipe about to try it oven preheating as we speak.. wanted to ask what is the spice ratio you referred to 7:2:1 I think or something like that..? Is that pepper:garlic power:salt? Lol I’m curious! For this recipe I’ll be using my standard 4:1 pepper:salt and smothering then in BBQ sauce for the last ten minutes. I use a casserole dish and make spaghetti noodles while the chicken cooks, drain well without rinsing then and then toss the noodles in the Casserole dish.. the chicken juices and grease along with the bbq sauce is so good on the noodles. Side of broccoli & jalapeño cheddar focaccia bread tonight
DrDan
Hi Jackie,
Welcome to the blog.
7:2:1 is Kosher Salt:Pepper:Granular Garlic powder. There are a couple of links hanging around the post. Here is the link. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/everyday-spice-mix-721-mix/
But season as you like. It seems like you have a plan.
Thanks for the note.
Dan
Michael J Copeland
I Have to say, EVERY TIME we make dummies, I Google the art of drummies, this is the best advice filled recipe I have !ever found and my legs come out PERECT EVERY SINGLE TIME! Thanks guys!
Rissa
Wow!!! These are so good!!! Best oven baked chicken I have found.
Dre
I tried this recipe and let me say this chicken is delicious!
Sherry
If you cook more at one time like 20 legs - how much time should you try adding and do you turn them over half way through?
DrDan
Hi Sherry,
Welcome to the blog.
Cooking time will be about the same but be sure to "not crowd the pan" and point the thick side of the leg to the outside of the pan. Cook to the 185 endpoint.
This recipe is a cut down version of my Chicken for a Hundred https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/chicken-for-hundred/ so you might want to look at that also.
You should not count on getting them all on one tray and cooked properly. You will need to use two trays and convection. Plus move the trays around halfway through like the chicken for a hundred recipe.
Dan
Kiley
Any tips on reheating ? Making in the morning, to serve for dinner ( after work / sports …. ) Thanks for simple / fast guide.
Julie M Orbe
You don't explain how to cook the drumsticks if one doesn't own a rack. I only have casserole dishes and baking sheets. Different temps and different dishes used, varies, effects the baking. What do I need to do with what I have?
DrDan
Hi Julie,
Welcome to the blog.
The rack helps keep the cooking more even and the skin crispier.
But let's work with what you have. If your baking sheets have a rim around them, I would go with them. If no rim, well we don't want a mess.
That leaves the casserole dishes. Most important if we use them will be to pick the biggest you have to spread out the drumsticks as much as possible. If two are equal in size, pick the shortest sides.
Lots of PAM on whatever pan you use and go ahead with 425 degrees and flip them after 15-20 minutes.
Remember you are cooking to a final internal temperature, not by time. The time will probably be a bit longer and the skin not as crispy. But the meat will be good.
Dan
Valerie Dronen
These are the best, crispy, juicy drumsticks ever! Follow all of the tips. I usually don't like drumsticks but these turned out perfect!
Princess
Hi Dr Dan!
What would the best oven temperature be to cook the chicken and for how long?
I find so many recipies for the same dish with different oven temps. and times so it gets confusing as to which one I should choose.
Thanks !
DrDan
Hi Princess,
There are lots of variables. And like many things, there are lots of correct answers. Here I'm recommending an oven temperature of 425 in a convection oven. I feel that will get the best combination of crispy skin and correctly cooked meat for most people as you see in the comment.
You can uses lower temperatures and cook longer. The most important thing about cooking chicken and many other things is the final internal temperature. If your oven smokes, then a lower temperature is for you on these drumsticks.
Generally, for chicken you need 165 degrees internal temperature to be safe but for thighs and drumsticks, I suggest an internal temperature, not for safety, but for texture.
Dan
Julie
Hi!
Our convection oven drops temps by 25 degrees. So I’m wondering if I should program it for 425, 400 convect, or 450 so 425 convect?
Thanks! Julie
DrDan
Hi Julie,
Welcome to the blog.
If you are absolutely sure, you can bump it up. But I would rather do this to low than too high. So I would be conservative about it and probably just go with setting it at the 425 convection and know it might take a bit longer due to the lower temperature you have. But as aways, cook to a final internal temperature and not by time.
Dan
Yvonne
I'm in the process of making this NOW! I however, only eat fish as a "meat" but my husband eats all meat.
I was wondering do u cover the pan with foil also. Or just leave it uncovered for the whole duration of time?
DrDan
Hi Yvonne,
Uncovered. Covering will cause it to steam the skin. Not crispy. Foil is used under the rack for clean up reasons only.
Dan
Jana
I can’t wait to try this tomorrow. Thanks.
Dutch67
5 stars for this one. We had thighs and drummies tonight, turning the pan at 15 minutes and temping at 30 with the convection oven at 425. The thighs were both at 184-187. The drummies were around 200. They were great. The skin was so good, my wife ate the skin only on the two leftover pieces.
Great job Doc!
Brooke
Hi Dr. Dan!
I can’t belueve this post is 5 years old!! I was looking for a good recipe for baking chicken legs and happened upon this. I found out that the chicken I had was actually thighs! I decided to give your recipe a try with thighs. Oh my goodness it was so good and crispy. I had to go 5 minutes longer, but this will now be a regular staple in our weeknight dinners. Thanks Dr. Dan! I can’t wait to try some of your other recipes.
DrDan
Thanks for the note. I do have a thigh specific post since many people were asking about thighs. They were coming to the site, searching and leaving with nothing. So I did a seperate post which is nearly identical. https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/oven-baked-chicken-thighs/
Dan