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I make this simple everyday recipe for baked chicken drumsticks often. It has this winning combination of being easy AND delicious!
Simply coat the chicken pieces with a mixture of olive oil and spices, then bake them for about 40 minutes. So juicy!
Anyone with kids knows that they love drumsticks, and when they like something, the grownups often find themselves eating it.
It's OK. You make sacrifices as a parent. But your food needn't be one of them! These baked chicken drumsticks are simple but good. All they need is olive oil, a few spices, and 40 minutes in a hot oven. Perfection!
Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Variations
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks Instructions
- Expert Tip
- Recipe FAQs
- Serving Suggestions
- Storing Leftovers
- More Drumstick Recipes
- Foodie Newsletter
- Recipe Card
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Chicken drumsticks: I use eight drumsticks in this recipe, weighing about 4 ounces each. I don't remove the skin - it's the best part! If you buy them in packages of five, you can make ten using the same recipe and increasing the olive oil by half a tablespoon.
- Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. Melted butter is another excellent option.
- To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. The cayenne dramatically improves the flavor of this dish. It adds a hint of spice without overwhelming the dish. But if you're not a fan of spicy foods, use just ⅛ teaspoon (a pinch).
Variations
- As mentioned above, you can coat the chicken drumsticks with melted butter instead of olive oil.
- Vary your spices! Sometimes, I make life easy, and instead of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne, I use a tablespoon of chili powder.
- You can increase the cayenne to ½ teaspoon if you enjoy spicy food.
- Sometimes, I add a teaspoon of dried thyme or ½ teaspoon of dried cumin.
- When I'm lazy, I arrange the drumsticks in the pan, spray them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with spices.
Baked Chicken Drumsticks Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix the oil and spices into a paste.
Arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on the baking sheet and coat them with the paste. You can use a pastry brush or your hands.
Bake the chicken pieces until their internal temperature reaches 165°F. This should take about 40 minutes for medium drumsticks.
Serve immediately. You can sprinkle the drumsticks with chopped parsley for garnish.
Expert Tip
Check on the drumsticks after the first 30 minutes. If they seem to be darkening too quickly, loosely cover them with foil and keep cooking until they are cooked through.
Recipe FAQs
Do you cover drumsticks in the oven?
No, you should not cover them. You want the skin to brown and the chicken roasted, not steamed, so you should leave the drumsticks uncovered.
Can you overcook chicken drumsticks?
Yes, unfortunately, you can. So keep an eye on them. They should be ready after about 40 minutes, but if your oven runs hot, they might be ready sooner.
How do I know when the chicken is ready?
Chicken should be fully cooked. It should reach an internal temperature of 165°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer, not touching the bone.
Are chicken drumsticks the same as legs?
Not exactly, although many people use these terms interchangeably. A whole chicken leg (or a chicken leg quarter) can be separated into a drumstick and a thigh. In this recipe, I use the drumsticks. I use the thighs in other recipes (such as these baked chicken thighs).
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake them in a 400°F oven, 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
- Roasted asparagus
- Baked shiitake mushrooms
- Roasted vegetables
- Loaded mashed cauliflower
- Roasted cabbage
- Roasted frozen cauliflower
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power.
Or enjoy them cold! I sometimes remove the skin, cut them into chunks, and use them in a chicken Cobb salad. Or I make a picnic-style plate of cold drumsticks, cauliflower "potato" salad, and quick pickles.
More Drumstick Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken
- Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks
- Spicy Drumsticks
- Honey Garlic Chicken
Recipe Card
4.99 from 3440 votes
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Baked Chicken Drumsticks
I make this simple everyday recipe forbaked chicken drumsticksoften. It has this winning combination of being easy AND delicious!
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Total Time50 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 288kcal
Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper and arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on the parchment paper.
Make the seasoning paste: In a medium bowl, use a fork or a spatula to mix the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Using a pastry brush or your hands, coat the chicken pieces with the seasoning paste.
Bake the drumsticks uncovered until their internal temperature, measured with an instant-read thermometer and not touching a bone, reaches 165°F, about 40 minutes.
Baste the drumsticks with the pan juices using a clean pastry brush. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Check the drumsticks after the first 30 minutes. If they seem to be darkening too fast on top, loosely cover them with foil and keep cooking until they are cooked through.
- Chicken should be fully cooked. It should reach an internal temperature of 165°F when measured with an instant-read thermometer, not touching the bone.
- When I'm lazy, instead of making a seasoning mix, I arrange the drumsticks in the pan, spray them with olive oil, and sprinkle them with spices.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave at 50% power. Or enjoy them cold! I sometimes remove the skin, cut them into chunks, and use them in a salad.
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Nutrition per Serving
Serving: 2drumsticks | Calories: 288kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 709mg
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Most of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.
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About the Author
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Jo Anne Lorenz
I cook for one now and have gotten lazy. This is the perfect easy recipe for me. Thank you!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Jo Anne!
Reply
Kimmy
I was looking for a nice dry seasoning to put on my drumsticks before freezing them. I ended up drizzling the olive oil over top of them as they looked too good to freeze! Absolutely delicious drumsticks!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you enjoyed them, Kimmy!
Reply
Julia
The seasoning was great, but our chicken was perfectly done and juicy after 20 minutes.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Thanks for the feedback, Julia. This is quite unusual. Unless you used small drumsticks, your oven might be running hot.
Ali
When I make drumsticks, this is my go to recipe. I use a brush and my hands (with food safe gloves) to really coat the flavor even under the skin if I can. I love the seasonings so much that I have made a large batch of the seasoning mix. I use the seasoning mix on chicken breasts, even pork chops. I have even given the seasoning mix to family and friends. Thank you for this easy and delicious recipe!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Ali! I LOVE the idea of gifting the seasoning mix - it's very timely for the upcoming holiday season.
Reply
Steve Windows
This may be a dumb question? Does it make any difference if the coated drumsticks are kept overnight in the fridge? I see so many recipes that talk about marinating meat for X period of time. I have left spices on meat sometimes for days (lazy) and also wonder if there are negatives when doing that? All the best.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Steve,
This is actually a great question. It doesn't make a difference. And since you can only keep raw chicken in the fridge for 1-2 days, I recommend coating it and immediately baking.Reply
Ron
I had 12 drumsticks, doubled the spice and oil and tossed them with a wooden mixing spoon til all the sauce was gone in the bottom and all of the drummies coated nice. Another alternative lazy way. Waiting patiently to devour them.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Sounds great, Ron! I hope you like them.
Reply
Leah
Hi! I’ve made these before and loved them! Is it ok to batch cook and freeze some of them to reheat in the future?Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Leah,
Yes, absolutely. They're better when freshly baked, but you can freeze and reheat them later. When I do, I usually thaw them overnight in the fridge and then reheat them, uncovered, in a 300°F oven until heated through. If reheating in the microwave, it's best to cover them.Reply
Laura Moore
I've never much cared for chicken drumsticks because they usually seem plain, with all the flavor left on the outside. This being the first time cooking them myself, I was really only looking to not dry them out. This recipe beat my expectations by coming out perfectly done and flavored throughout. Delicious!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed these drumsticks, Laura! Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment.
Reply
Liz
These are delicious! I’ve made this recipe twice for just three of us. Now, I’m hosting a family gathering of 15 and need at least 30 drumsticks. Can you please advise measurements for the seasonings, olive oil to cover 30 legs? I assume I should just multiply by approximately four, but don’t want to mess it up! Thank you so much!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you like this recipe, Liz!
Yes, simply multiply by around four.
Using the recipe card's tool, it comes to:
8 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt or 2 teaspoons of any other salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
4 teaspoons garlic powder
4 teaspoons onion powder
4 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepperReply
Lisa
This is a fast, easy, and flavorful recipe. And the spice mix was delicious enough to be used on almost anything.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lisa! I agree on the spice mix.
Reply
Courtland
Could you list measurements for the spices salt, cayenne pepper, etc?
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
The exact measurements can be found in the recipe card:
https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/baked-drumsticks/#recipeReply
Trish
this recipe is amazing! Simple and so super tasty. I have now cooked it a couple of times, and it has turned into a family favourite! Thank you!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You're very welcome, Trish!
Reply
Diane P.
Could you substitute with chicken thighs, or do half and half? And would they bake for same amount of time? Thank you.
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
You can. This is my recipe for baked chicken thighs. As you can see, the thighs need about five more minutes in the oven. You can continue baking the drumsticks for those five minutes or remove them to a plate and cover them while the thighs finish cooking. To ensure the chicken is ready, it's always a good idea to check with an instant-read thermometer.
Reply
Michele
It's a Family favorite!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm glad your family enjoys these drumsticks, Michele.
Reply
lise
Made it twice, both times delicious. Only had five drumsticks, but made as much marinade to coat them. Delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe.Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Lise!
Reply
Shania
Can you use a cast iron skillet ?
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Shania,
I think you could, but I haven't tested it.
Jenn
So delicious, loved it! It wasn’t dried out. Juicy chicken - just perfect I’ll say!Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
Glad you liked it, Jenn. 🙂
Reply
Oksana
I noticed that olive oil usually burns at higher temperature. It won't smoke up my oven if cooked at 400°F?
Reply
Vered DeLeeuw
I never had an issue with smoking, but if you want to be on the safe side, you can use avocado oil or melted butter.
Reply
