Description
These baked chicken legs are a simple and delicious recipe for crispy, juicy drumsticks cooked perfectly in the oven. With a flavorful seasoning of smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper, and brushed with melted butter, these chicken legs develop beautifully crisp skin and tender meat. Ideal for an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep, this recipe offers tips to store, reheat, and freeze leftovers while maintaining maximum flavor and texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 6 medium chicken drumsticks (~1 1/2 lb)
Seasoning & Coating
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted; can substitute with olive oil or avocado oil)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 425 degrees F (218 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place an oven-safe rack on top to allow air circulation and even cooking.
- Prepare the chicken legs: Pat the chicken drumsticks dry thoroughly with paper towels. This step is crucial to achieve crispy skin. Arrange the chicken legs spaced evenly on the rack.
- Season and coat: Brush the chicken legs with the melted butter all over. Sprinkle evenly with smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt, and black pepper to infuse flavor.
- Bake the chicken: Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes. Then flip each drumstick and continue baking for another 10 to 20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F (77 degrees C).
- Optional crisping: If the skin isn’t as crispy as you desire, place the drumsticks under the broiler for a couple of minutes to further crisp up the skin. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
- Rest and serve: Remove the chicken legs from the oven and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
- Serving size is 1 drumstick.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days; reheat in the oven at 350°F for crispy skin or briefly under the broiler.
- Microwave reheating will soften the skin but is acceptable for quick meals.
- For freezer meal prep, brush, season, and freeze raw chicken legs for up to 9-12 months; baked chicken freezes best for 3-4 months.
- Freeze raw drumsticks on a parchment-lined sheet pan until solid before transferring to a resealable bag to prevent sticking.
- Thaw frozen chicken before reheating for best texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 drumstick (~85g)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 0.1 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
