Crispy Baked Chicken Legs in the Oven
🧄 Ingredients
- 8 ¾ bone-in skin-on chicken drumsticks
- 1 ¾ tbsp olive oil
- 1 ¾ tsp salt
- 1 ¾ tsp black pepper
- 1 ¾ tsp garlic powder
- 1 ¾ tsp onion powder
- 1 ¾ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 ¾ tsp dried oregano
- 1 ¾ tsp dried thyme
- 1 ¾ pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 ¾ tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ¾ tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
📋 Instructions
-
1
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place an oven-safe wire rack on top and lightly coat it with cooking spray.
💡 The wire rack is key — it lifts the chicken so hot air circulates underneath and crisps the skin all around. -
2
Take the chicken drumsticks out of the fridge and let them sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. Pat each one completely dry with paper towels on all sides.
💡 Drying the surface is the single most important step for crispy skin. Do not skip it. -
3
In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, oregano, thyme, and cayenne. Stir to combine into an even spice rub.
-
4
Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken legs and rub it all over. Then coat each drumstick generously with the spice rub on all sides, pressing it firmly into the skin.
💡 Don\'t be shy with the seasoning — chicken legs have a lot of surface area and can handle a generous coating. -
5
Arrange the drumsticks on the wire rack skin-side up, leaving a little space between each piece. Do not crowd them.
💡 Crowding the pan traps steam and makes the skin soft instead of crispy. -
6
Bake at 425°F for 40–45 minutes without flipping. At the 35-minute mark, check the color — the skin should be deep golden. If desired, brush melted butter over each leg for the last 5 minutes.
💡 No need to flip when using a wire rack. Hot air circles all around and crisps evenly. -
7
For extra crispy skin, switch the oven to broil on high for the final 2–3 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn\'t burn — just until the skin is deeply caramelized and crackling.
💡 Stay at the oven during the broil. It only takes seconds to go from perfect to overdone. -
8
Remove from the oven and check that the internal temperature reads 165°F at the thickest part of the drumstick using a meat thermometer. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
💡 Resting keeps the juices inside the meat instead of running out when you bite in.
Nutrition Per Serving
Comments are closed.