Baked Chicken Legs(Creamy and Spicy) — a creamy baked chicken that has robust flavors and a creamy sauce with just 10 minutes prep time. Perfect for busy weeknight meals or gatherings!
This is an easy to prepare creamy baked chicken legs recipe that is built around the foundation of herbs, onion, garlic, and of course cream. Very little prep work is required. Making it suitable for a tasty weeknight meal that the whole family will enjoy.
Browning the chicken first gives an extra flavor boost and adds richness to the finished sauce. Most of the preparation takes place in the oven.
Browning the chicken in the oven gives you an even brown color. However, you may brown the chicken stovetop before completing it in the oven. Make sure to heavily spice the chicken before proceeding with your favorite chicken spice or just use salt, pepper and Italian herbs. These chicken legs do not need to rest before browning.
Serve these creamy and spicy baked chicken legs with steamed veggies like carrots or green beans, and a side of rice or pasta, and voila…you have a lovely dinner!
Watch How To Make It
Baked Chicken Legs (Creamy and Spicy) -- a creamy baked chicken that has robust flavors and a creamy sauce with just 10 minutes prep time. Perfect for busy weeknight meals or gatherings!
- 2 1/2 - 3 pound chicken drumsticks
- ¼ cup olive oil or canola oil
- 1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt I used creole seasoning
- 1 onion diced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic or 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ cup tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons Italian herbs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup cream heavy or whipping cream
- 1 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 2 -3 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Salt to taste.
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Preheat oven 450 degrees
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Rinse chicken legs, season chicken with seasoned salt and pepper. Set aside
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In a large Dutch oven or large skillet heat oil over medium heat, until hot, and then add the chicken and brown . Turn chicken once or twice to ensure even brownness.
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Or place chicken on a rack and bake in the oven 450 degrees for about 15 minutes.
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Remove chicken and set aside. Drain oil and leave about 2 tablespoons
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Add onions, followed by minced garlic stir for about 5 minutes, then add cream, milk, tomato sauce, paprika, white pepper, Italian seasoning parsley, broth or water, salt and pepper
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Place chicken back onto cast iron skillet and bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
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Adjust sauce thickness and seasoning with water or broth, salt according to preference.
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Serve warm
This is one of my favorite recipes on the site. I have made this twice and loved each and every time. I am currently putting the ingredients on my grocery list to make it again today! That is how much I love this recipe. Beware, it turns out pretty spicy, just the way I like it.
Can you make recipes in crockpot?
If so should I brown the chicken first?
Yes, brown first , and proceed with the rest of the instructions. Instead of placing in the oven, add to the crockpot and cook until tender.
Made this today, came out fab, didn’t add all the water/broth and dried it out on the job
Thank you!
Thanks for the feedback Ali, glad to hear it worked out well for you.
I had double the chicken legs so I doubled the recipe . mine looks too watery and nothing like the picture. I guess you can only make these in small batches.
Made this tonight. It was just me so I just winged it with the ingredient amounts and it was fabulous! Thank you for sharing, will make this many more times.
Glad it turned out fab for you, Sally! Thanks you for stopping by! 🙂
So glad I found your website. Made this tonight and it was soooo delicious. Wish I could give it 10 stars!
Great! So happy to hear this . Thank you so much
Omg this was awesome! So fancy and so delicious! First recipe I made that I could tell my husband truly loved! Thank you !!
Awesome! Thank you so much!
I just put the chicken in the oven. So excited!! Thanks for your wonderful recipes.You are my go to!!
Aww Thanks! Bon Apetit!!!
I made this dish tonight and it was delicious. I will make it again
Awesome ! Glad to hear it worked well for you.
Hi,
i cooked so many dishes already from your blog and it always turned up to die for ! this dish didnt dissapoint as well.. thank you !
Hi Eliska! Glad to hear my recipes are working out well for you. Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
I do a very broad range of cooking but this chicken dish is really really tasty. By reading recipe I would not normally make this but sure glad I did thanks to the wonderful reviews: )
So glad to hear it worked out well for you.Thanks for taking the time to let me know
Loved this chicken dish I added mushrooms and used less Italian herbs, it was a success, will definitely make it again next time for friends. Thank you
Yay! Thanks for taking the time to let me know!
This is amazing I could eat the sauce with a spoon. I used thighs and fresh oregano and parsley. On my goodness.
Awesome! Glad it worked out well for you.
The list of ingredients calls for chicken broth, but it doesn’t say when to add it. I hoping it’s with the milk and cream.
Yes, it is . Recipe updated.
I love your site and my favorite recipe on it is Stew Chicken but I didn’t like this one. 2 tbsp of Italian herbs and 2-3 tbsp of parsley is way too much and it is overpowering. Also, it was bland, not spicy at all. I followed the recipe to a t. Sad, I really wanted to like it.
Sorry to hear you did not enjoy this as much. So happy the stew chicken made up for it. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.
Hello…i followed your post from SYTYCC page. I just finished making this recipe and it turned out well. I think the only change I would make would be to drastically reduce the Italian herbs. I found 2 Tablespoons was far too much and overpowering. I think 1/4 teaspoon would suit my tastes better or maybe I’d even skip the Italian herbs completely next time. I wasn’t sure when to add the chicken broth, so I just left it out. This was really yummy and I’ll definitely make it again. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Fofi! Thanks for the feedback! So happy to hear you are making this again.
I see that there have not been any posts in 2015 but i have to tell you. I very seldom add my comments to recipes but this this one is a must do. I cooked it for my wife & myself & it,s a keeper. I was that impressed i made it again 2 days latter for my office manage who has limited cooking skills. The exception was i had to triple the ingredients to make enough for her family. She told me the next day, that i almost got away from her pay raise with that meal.
Thank you for posting the recipe
Earl, don’t tell me my postings are going to your spam folder- I post frequently at least 3 times a week- you have been missing out! So take some time and check out the recipes.
Thanks for making me the exception- feedback is always appreciated . I am so happy this recipe is a hit with everyone and that you took the time to let me know.
OMG!!! I’ve been looking for a baked spicy chicken recipe and I’ve found it! I absolutely love it!!! Thanks so much for sharing this. I actually didn’t have heavy cream so I just doubled the milk and it worked just as fine.
Hi Cindy, Thank you.I am glad you made and loved these creamy chicken legs. Thanks for sharing your substitution- it is always good to know.
How did you get this recipy idea, I’m making if for my other half who loves his Nigerian food. I tasted the sauce before I poured it on my chicken and was good. I did make the recipy a lot more spicy and I also used evaporated milk instead of cream. I threw in some fresh parsley instead of the Italian blend. I can’t wait to try this tomorrow.
hi there ~
can’t wait to try…do you know how many carbs are in this chicken dish? thanks!
Aileen, sorry I don’t.
So did you bake the chicken in the skillet?
Samantha, I do bake it in the skillet.
Oh wow–this is out-of-this-world delicious! You hit it out of the ballpark with this recipe. I doubled the sauce ingredients because I was using over 5 lbs. of chicken and am I glad! I made your recipe for coconut rice to serve with the chicken. Fantastic. In fact, I made it all last night for supper, and just finished having some again for lunch today. If possible, the sauce is even better today. Oh my, this recipe is a winner for sure! Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Karen, thank you so much for the glowing feedback.I so happy you tried all these recipes and loved them all . I am doing a happy dance right now. You should see my moves.
P.S.: Merry Christmas!
This recipe sounds fabulous and I’m getting ready to prepare it. Quick question: What is in the blend of Italian herbs that you use? I don’t buy herb blends but I most likely have the individual herbs that I can use. I just need to know which ones. 🙂 Thank you in advance; I’m looking forward to this.
Karen, the basic ingredients are sage, thyme, basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, marjoram. Merry Christmas to you too!
#3 browning the chicken. Is it a choice between #3(skillet) and #4 (oven) OR both?? Recipe sounds yummy and can’t wait to make it
Yes, it is a choice – you either brown it in the oven or stovetop. Let me know how it works for you.
Omg!! What a delicious dish. We just finished dinner. Thank you Immaculate
Thanks for trying it out!
Delish!!!!!! Didn’t have cream and used milk…. Was good but I will definitely use cream next time. None the less creamy and quite tasty.
Carolina,thanks for the feedback!
These chicken legs are delicious! I’m making them for the second time tonight! I served them with mashed potatoes and my husband and I loved them!
Lisa, so happy to hear you and your family really enjoyed this -really appreciate the feedback.
Mel, I used hunts tomato sauce, any tomato sauce would work. Let me know how it works for you.
This recipe looks really yum. What kind of tomato sauce did you use? Would homemade puree or bottled passata be ok?
made last night – SOOO yum! Used thighs and legs, just browned the thighs longer then the legs.
Thanks for the feedback Jen!
Yes please!!!
This was fancy restaurant good! I served with creamy mashed potatoes (drizzling the sauce on top) and collard greens with lemon and red chili pepper flakes. I added 1/2 C homemade beef bone broth to the Dutch oven before baking.
IN-credible! I will make this again next time we have a dinner party. – it will surely WOW our friends. Can I give a 5+?
The first time the chicken goes into the oven, should it bake at 350 or 450? You have the oven preheated to 350, so maybe 450 is a typo? Or is it 450 the first time, 350 the second time?
Shannon, the first time it should be baked at 450 degrees then 350 degrees the second time. Thanks for pointing it out to me.
Did you take the skin off the chicken or leave it on?
I left it on.
¼ olive oil or canola oil? 1/4 what? teaspoon? tablespoon? cup?
thanks.
Silly me. 1/4 cup recipe updated!
thank you! can’t wait to try this.
OMG. I do believe this was the best dinner entree I have ever made in my ENTIRE LIFE!!!! So dad blame delicious! My whole family just about lost their minds! I paired it with coconut rice and collard greens. Mercy. My mouth is watering. UM UM GOOD!!!!
That sounds so delicious! Yum! Now, I can’t wait to try it’s recipe!
Thanks! Do let me know how it works out for you!
I made this dish a couple weeks ago for a picky husband, and he LOVED it! I had to stop him when he walked to the kitchen to grab some soy sauce to put over the rice and I recommended he use the sauce from the chicken dish. He hesitated for a bit, tried a bite, then went back to the baking dish to add more sauce over his plate 🙂
I’m making this again tonight, looking forward to it!
Sara, so happy to hear it was a hit with your husband. Thanks for the feedback!
Alex, you’ve good eye, I added 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper . It is optional ! Will update recipe. Thanks
Wish you had updated the recipe, only because i was scrolling down the comments did i found out about the cayenne pepper
My bad!! What about the cayenne pepper?
I want to make this today and I’m wondering what makes this recipe spicy. I see two red spices in the pot. Are they both smoked paprika?
This recipe is great! Followed it exactly except I cooked the chicken legs in the over for a little longer and I added some fresh thyme. I will definitely make this again! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Just curious, what size is your cast iron skillet?
12 inch cast iron. I love it! Thanks for stopping by.
I love a simple one pot chicken dish, I’ve been doing alot of these lately. Looks amazing!!
The chicken is in the oven…i cant wait to taste it….
Hello!
I have a big request of. Is it possible to paste on page translator? Very will facilitate reading 🙂
Greetings from Polish :))
After instruction number 6, how long do you simmer the ingredients, and long will the chicken sit in the ingredients before putting in the oven. Thanks
Kelsey , you do not have to simmer or rest the chicken. Just place them in the oven and start checking after 25 minutes.
Heavy or whipping cream works fine. 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning . Thanks
Do you mean heavy cream( whipping cream)?, how many teaspoon Italian seasoning?
After instruction number 6. How long do you simmer the ingredients, and how long will the chicken sit in the ingredients before putting in the oven. Thanks