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Crispy, crunchy baked chicken legs are one of my all-time favorite dinners, and I worked for years to perfect the best way to get a crunchy bite with tender, juicy chicken and absolutely no extra breading for a crave-worthy dinner you can feel great about serving your family!
This chicken is super easy to make, fabulous on a budget, and our super simple process to get crispy skin with varied temperatures and a delicious garlic butter baste.
Don’t want all the extras in a recipe post? We provide a skip to recipe button in the top left corner, as well as a clickable table of contents, just below, to help make this page easier to navigate.
At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – because I am a home cook without any formal training, and I find I am more confident making dishes when I understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – my goal is for even the most beginner home cook to feel empowered in the kitchen.
I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help everyone better understand the processes we use – and why!
Table of contents
Crispy and Easy Baked Chicken LEgs
Chicken drumsticks are crunchy, full of meaty flavor, great to make for parties/cookouts, and are economical – making them an easy pick, especially for families. I designed this recipe to have an amazing, juicy crisp crunch – without breading – so it’s low carb/keto, and gluten-free friendly.
This recipe is based off my wildly popular Crunchy Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks – but I designed this recipe to be insanely adaptable, so you can change it up and add your own sauces, herbs, or spices to fit your tastes!
These chicken legs are insanely decadent with a crispy skin you’ll go wild for – but are made with just salt, black pepper, and butter, along with a few basic herbs and spices.
We hope you love this recipe as much as we do!
How Bake Chicken Legs
To get chicken skin that crackles, there are a few steps to follow to make sure you get it perfect, every time you make chicken drumsticks in the oven.
We are sharing our process – that doesn’t add extra fat or frying – below.
To Make this recipe, you’ll need:
- 4 lb chicken drumsticks (about 12) – pat chicken dry with a paper towel to remove any excess packaging liquid.
- 2 tsp garlic powder – this will add a rich, earthy flavor to your chicken.
- 2 tsp onion powder – onion adds a slightly sweet, earthy flavor that brings a nice balance to chicken.
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika – smoked paprika gives a bit of smoky flavor, as well as a red hue.
- 2 tsp salt – I like to use a coarse sea salt.
- 1 tsp pepper – I prefer using fresh ground pepper.
- Garlic butter baste:
- 4 tbsp butter, melted – butter will help bring a rich, crispy crunch at the end of baking.
- 1 tsp garlic, minced – this fresh minced garlic will be used at the end of cooking for a bit more flavor just before the chicken is done.
- Prep. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Make rub. Thoroughly pat chicken dry with a paper towel. In a small bowl, mix together spices (all ingredients but chicken, butter, and minced garlic.)
- Chill. Coat chicken in dry rub, let sit 30 minutes to overnight.
- Bake. Add chicken to oven on a cooling rack sitting atop a baking sheet. Let chicken bake about 40 minutes before adding butter baste – until skin is crispy and fat has started to render.
- Flip. Flip chicken drumsticks every 10 minutes to ensure it crisps evenly on all sides.
- Butter baste. In a small pot, melt butter with minced garlic on stove until soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Do not let garlic burn. With a silicone brush, lightly brush chicken with melted butter and minced garlic, flipping its side each time you add another coat of butter, about every 10 minutes until butter is used up (about 30 minutes.)
- Broil for crunch. When chicken is ready, turn on broiler and broil for two minutes on each side to give a little extra crunch to chicken skin.
- Enjoy! Serve immediately.
Tips To Easy Crunchy Baked Chicken Legs
Render First: Let chicken bake about 40 minutes at a high heat before adding butter – until skin is crispy, and fat around the drumstick has started to render and melt away.
Flip to Rotate: Try to flip chicken drumsticks every 10 minutes to ensure it crisps evenly on all sides. I prefer using tongs coated with heat resistant silicone coated tongs so they don’t stick to the chicken skin.
Baste Chicken: With a silicone brush, lightly brush chicken with melted butter, flipping its side each time you add another coat of butter, about every 10 minutes until butter is used up (which will take about 30 minutes.)
Broil for Crunch: When chicken is fully cooked, turn on broiler, and broil for two minutes on each side to give a little extra crunch to chicken skin. Remove chicken when skin looks bubbly and shiny – watch closely to make sure it doesn’t burn!
Pat the Chicken Dry: Moisture is the enemy of crispiness. Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels before seasoning. If you have time, let the chicken air dry in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. This will remove any excess moisture.
Use a Wire Rack: Elevating the chicken legs on a wire rack allows air to circulate around the meat, helping it crisp up evenly. Place the wire rack on a baking sheet to catch any drips, ensuring the heat reaches all sides of the chicken.
Season Generously: Seasoning enhances flavor, and a mix of spices can help create a crispy, flavorful crust. Use a blend of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and a bit of baking powder (it helps with crisping!). Rub the seasoning thoroughly into the skin.
Use High Heat: Baking at a high temperature (around 400°F/200°C or higher) helps render the fat from the chicken skin, making it crispy. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and bake for 35-45 minutes. Flip the legs halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: Crowding the pan causes the chicken to steam rather than bake, leading to soggy skin. Leave enough space between the chicken legs so that the hot air can circulate properly.
Broil at the End: A few minutes under the broiler helps give the chicken a final crisp. After baking, broil the legs on high for 2-3 minutes, but watch carefully to avoid burning.
Let Rest Before Serving: Resting allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the meat tender. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes after removing from the oven. This also helps keep the skin crisp.
Add Some Acid After Cooking: A bit of acid (like a squeeze of lemon or lime) enhances the flavor and balances the richness of the crispy skin. Drizzle a little lemon juice over the chicken legs just before serving for a bright, fresh finish.
Experiment with Coatings: different coatings can add texture and flavor. Try dusting the chicken with a light layer of cornstarch, or brush on a thin layer of olive oil or melted butter before baking to aid in crispiness. You can also experiment with panko breadcrumbs for a crunchy exterior.
Recipe FAQs
Chicken leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to four days in the refrigerator. Always reheat to 165 degrees when serving again.
Chicken is fully cooked when the thickest part of the drumstick registers 165 degrees on a digital thermometer. Be sure to take care to not hit the bone when taking the temperature.
This recipe is suer adaptable – you can use any seasoning blend you love!
We have a similar air fryer chicken drumstick recipe here.
And don’t forget my favorite way to make french fries at home – my Air Fryer French Fries recipe goes perfectly with delicious chicken legs!
What to Serve With Chicken Drumsticks
If you’re looking for a delicious side that is perfect to serve alongside chicken drumsticks, check out some of our favorites below:
You can find our complete side dish recipe archives here.
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Crunchy Baked Chicken Legs
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 lb chicken drumsticks, about 12
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- Garlic butter baste:
- 4 tbsp butter, melted
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Thoroughly pat chicken dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl, mix together spices (all ingredients but chicken, butter, and minced garlic.)
- Coat chicken in dry rub, let sit 30 minutes to overnight.
- Add chicken to oven on a cooling rack sitting atop a baking sheet.
- Let chicken bake about 40 minutes before adding butter baste – until skin is crispy and fat has started to render.
- Flip chicken drumsticks every 10 minutes to ensure it crisps evenly on all sides.
- In a small pot, melt butter with minced garlic on stove until soft and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Do not let garlic burn.
- With a silicone brush, lightly brush chicken with melted butter and minced garlic, flipping its side each time you add another coat of butter, about every 10 minutes until butter is used up (about 30 minutes.)
- When chicken is ready, turn on broiler and broil for two minutes on each side to give a little extra crunch to chicken skin.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Will have this on our dinner table this evening. Can hardly wait. Can almost taste them. Just hope they turn out as amazing as yours looks. Thanks for sharing