This everyday recipe for baked chicken drumsticks is easy and delicious. Simply coat the drumsticks with olive oil and spices, then let the oven do all the work.
These baked chicken drumsticks are simple but good. To make them, you will mix olive oil with spices like garlic powder and smoked paprika, coat the drumsticks, and place them in the oven. The prep time is just 10 minutes, and then they need to be baked for about 40 minutes for juicy perfection.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Chicken drumsticks: I use 8, each weighing about 4 ounces. If your drumsticks come in packages of five, you can cook ten drumsticks using this recipe. Increase the olive oil by half a tablespoon.
- Olive oil: Melted butter is another delicious option.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Flavor Variations
- Spicy drumsticks: Sometimes I make a spicy version with salt, 1 tablespoon of chili powder, and ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper. You can see the delicious result in the photo below.
- Italian seasoning: Another simple variation is to coat the drumsticks with olive oil, then sprinkle them with garlic powder and Italian seasoning. This version is shown in the photo below.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet, then coat them with a paste of olive oil and spices.
Bake the drumsticks in an oven preheated to 400°F for about 40 minutes, until they are cooked through.
Serve immediately. You can garnish them with chopped parsley.
My family really enjoyed this recipe. The instructions were easy to follow, and the drumsticks were delicious. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you!
Alyce
Read more comments
Recipe Tips
- Bake the drumsticks uncovered, without flipping, but check them after the first 30 minutes. If they seem to be darkening too much, loosely cover them with foil and keep cooking until they are cooked through.
- Blot the drumsticks with paper towels before coating them, as shown in the image below. This simple step removes excess moisture so the seasoning sticks better and the skin crisps up in the oven. Dry skin browns more efficiently, giving you better flavor, color, and texture.
- When I'm lazy, instead of making a seasoning mix, I arrange the drumsticks in the pan, coat them with olive oil spray, and sprinkle them with spices before baking, as shown in the photo below.
Recipe FAQs
The cayenne greatly improves the flavor of this dish. It adds a hint of spice without overwhelming the chicken. But if you're not a fan of spicy foods, use just ⅛ teaspoon or omit it completely.
Yes. You can use a teaspoon of minced fresh garlic in the seasoning paste instead of garlic powder.
I think the skin is the best part, so I don't remove it, but you can remove it if you want. It's easier to remove the skin if you grab it with a paper towel.
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to crisp the skin, or enjoy them cold! The photo below shows the cold leftovers served with veggies, pickles, ranch dressing, and Dijon mustard. 
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake them at 400°F, I like to serve these drumsticks with a side dish I can cook in the same oven. So, I often serve them with one of the following:
- Cauliflower tots
- Baked shiitake mushrooms
- Roasted vegetables
- Roasted cabbage
- Roasted frozen cauliflower
- Roasted asparagus, as shown in the photo below.
Recipe Card
Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Video
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks - skin-on, 4 ounces each, about 2 pounds total weight
- 2 tablespoons olive oil - extra-virgin
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper, then arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on the pan.8 chicken drumsticks
- Make the seasoning paste: In a medium bowl, use a fork or spatula to combine the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Using a pastry brush or your hands, coat the chicken pieces with the seasoning paste.
- Bake the drumsticks uncovered, without flipping, for about 40 minutes, until they are cooked through and their internal temperature, measured with an instant-read thermometer not touching a bone, reaches a minimum of 165°F (see notes below).
- Baste the drumsticks with the pan juices using a clean pastry brush. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Seasonings, especially salt, are guidelines. Adjust to taste.
- Check the drumsticks after the first 30 minutes. If they seem to be browning too much on top, loosely cover them with foil and keep baking until they are cooked through.
- Dark chicken meat tastes best when cooked slightly higher than 165°F because it has connective tissue and fat that need extra time to break down. When drumsticks reach 175-180°F, the meat becomes more tender and juicy.
- If your packages each have five drumsticks, you can cook ten drumsticks using the same recipe, increasing the olive oil by half a tablespoon.
- You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them uncovered in a 350°F oven to crisp the skin, or enjoy them cold, picnic-style. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers for up to three months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Nutrition per Serving
Save this Recipe!
We'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
We will also add you to our weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe anytime. See healthyrecipesblogs.com/privacy/ to learn how we use your email.
Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate - please verify it. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Joy Barnes says
Delicious & easy to make, without having to stand at the stove!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Glad you liked it, Joy! Many thanks for the review.
Aunt Nene says
These drumsticks were so good. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome! Glad you liked them. Thank you for the review.
Carmen says
Everyone raved about this recipe. So good!
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad to hear, Carmen! Thank you very much for the review.
Debra Louise Lynn says
Absolutely delicious
My 9 year old grandson asked
me to make it this way every time
Literally fell off the bone
Thank you
Vered DeLeeuw says
That’s so wonderful to hear, Debra - thank you for sharing this! I’m especially happy your grandson enjoyed it (that’s the best compliment of all!). And “fall-off-the-bone” is exactly what we’re going for. 🙂
Maya says
Do you flip them at all while baking?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Maya,
There's no need to flip them. 🙂
Penny says
can you freeze these? if so, how would you reheat?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Penny,
Yes, you can freeze them after they have cooled. Thaw them overnight in the fridge and reheat them in a 350°F oven until heated through.
Anonymous says
Yum! I could eat this every day!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Wonderful! Thanks for the review.
Mj says
This was so good. Thank you!
Vered DeLeeuw says
You're very welcome! Thanks for the review.
Martha Glassy says
I’ve made this before and the only change is I added chili powder instead of cayenne, and made even more paste! We like seasoned food!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Sounds amazing, Martha! Thank you very much for the review and for sharing your delicious tweak.
Lana J Schrader says
Can I use frozen chicken legs?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Lana,
They will need to be fully thawed before you can use them in this recipe.
Janet says
This is a really nice, simple recipe. I'm learning to cook and this helped me a lot. The advice on cayenne and spice level was particularly good. I forgot to add the onion powder and the smoke alarm went off because of surrounding dry seasoning, but the end result was great! thank you:)
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm so glad you enjoyed these drumsticks, Janet! Thank you very much for the review.