Baked Crispy Chicken Legs – just a few simple tricks make this chicken legs crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and ridiculously flavorful. It’s quick, easy, paleo, gluten-free and only requires 10 mins prep!
Inspired by the success with this crispy baked chicken wing recipe that I made HERE, I decided to give it a spin with chicken legs- same flavorful bite and crispy crunchy coating without the aid of breadcrumbs or flour.
How to Bake Chicken Legs?
The most important thing about these baked chicken drumsticks is ensuring that they are dry. The chicken legs need to be as dry as possible to crisp up the skin.
Furthermore, since chicken Legs s are larger than wings, I included a generous amount of onion, garlic to compensate for its size – to fully permeate the chicken. I switched out the thyme for Italian herbs or you can use any other dried herbs that you have on hand.
Other than that, you have nothing else to worry about ’cause making this Baked Crispy Chicken Legs is waaay easier than you think it is.
- First, carefully wash the chicken with running tap water, place them on a baking sheet pan in a single layer and let them dry in the fridge, uncovered, for a minimum of 3 hours.
- Next, season the chicken when ready to bake.
- Then arrange them in a wire rack in a single layer and pop it in the oven.
- Rotate the chicken legs half way through to ensure all sides are cooked.
How Long to Bake Chicken Legs?
Cooking times for baked chicken legs definitely vary, depending on the oven temperature, heating capability of your oven and whether the chicken comes straight out of the fridge or at room temperature. But what works perfectly for me is when I bake bone-in chicken legs at 425°F (218°C) for about 40-45 minutes while rotating the chicken legs halfway through – roughly after 20 minutes of cooking. Just remember, the higher the temperature, the crispier the chicken gets.
Tip: If cooking at 375°F, cook chicken legs at about 45-55 minutes while if at 350°F, bake the chicken for about 50- 60 minutes.
What Temperature are Chicken Legs Done?
But with all those being said above, you still want a 100% guarantee cooked chicken meat, using a meat thermometer would be a big help. According to the USDA, the safe internal temperature of a cooked chicken should be at 165 °F (74°C). Make sure though that you don’t hit a bone when checking the temp or you’ll get an off reading.
What Should I Serve with Chicken Legs?
Oh there are countless of ways to serve up this chicken. Our go-to when entertaining or during picnics is with this African Pepper Sauce. For dinner, we usually serve it with either of the following:
- Steamed or roasted veggies (like this Roasted Red Potatoes)
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Twice-baked Potatoes
- Black Beans and Rice
- Easy Pasta Salad
- Southern Baked Beans
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Paprika Chicken Legs (with video)
Yassa Chicken (with video)
Oven Baked BBQ Chicken (with video)
Don’t forget to drizzle them with a little bit of canola oil and bake rotating the chicken legs halfway through. For easy clean up, line the baking pan with foil paper.
Serve them up with this pepper sauce or any hot or dipping sauce of your choice.
How To Make Baked Crispy Chicken Legs
Wash chicken legs and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, then let them sit in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or preferable overnight. Do not cover them; let them dry out. You can omit this part and proceed with the spices.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°F. Place the chicken in a large bowl, with all the spices.
Then drizzle with oil.
Line a baking sheet with foil; top with a wire rack. Arrange chicken legs out in a single layer. While the chicken legs are baking oil will slowly drip to the bottom of the baking pan. Bake chicken legs until cooked through and skin is crispy, about 45-50 minutes-rotate chicken legs half way through-roughly 20 minutes. Remove and serve with your favorite chicken sauce or african pepper sauce
Watch How to Make It
Baked Crispy Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 3 - 3 ½ pound chicken legs
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Italian herbs
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ tablespoon onion powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon bouillon powder (you may replace with salt)
Instructions
- Wash chicken legs and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer, then let them sit in the fridge for a minimum of 3 hours or preferable overnight. Do not cover them; let the air-dry them out. You can omit this part and proceed with the spices.
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°F.
- Place the chicken in a large bowl, with all the spices, and then drizzle with oil.
- Line a baking pan with foil; top with a wire rack. Arrange chicken legs out in a single layer. While the chicken legs are baking oil will slowly drip to the bottom of the baking pan.
- Bake chicken legs until cooked through and skin is crispy, about 45-50 minutes-rotate chicken legs half way through-roughly 20 minutes.
- Remove and serve with your favorite chicken sauce or african pepper sauce
Tips & Notes:
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information:
Kimberly Hammond says
I have been making this recipe for a couple years now and my entire network of family and friends love it. It has become a Fourth of July tradition that everyone looks forward to and requests throughout the year. Thanks for making me famous!!!
Jenny says
I made this last night and followed the recipe exactly. I don’t usually do that and therefore don’t leave reviews when I change a recipe. In this case I had all the ingredients and had time to leave the chicken dry in the refrigerator.
The chicken smelled wonderful while cooking and came out slightly crispy and almost falling off the bone. The mix of flavors were delicious and similar to a local restaurants wing rub, but better!
I will definitely make again and after telling my sister about it, she now wants the recipe. I made the twice baked potatoes as well. I didn’t have all the ingredients, but using your cook times was spot on.
Immaculate Bites says
Wow! That’s great to know, Jenny. I’m so happy that it turned out great for you. Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for sharing your story 🙂
Eva Wilczenski says
I have used this recipe dozens of times. Sometimes drying the chicken legs when I have remember and sometimes not. Either way they come out great. But what I mostly use the spice mix for is pan fried chicken breasts. I usually quadruple the recipe so I always have the seasoning on hand. I liberally rub the spices on the chicken and fry up in a cast iron pan. Let the breasts cool a bit and the chicken makes a wonderful topping for a crisp salad. Make this at least once a week in the summer. I don’t often review recipes but just had to let you know, two years later, how much I enjoy this! Thank you!
Immaculate Bites says
This made me smile, Eva! I appreciate you and your kind words and I’m so happy to know how much you’ve enjoyed this up to now. Thank you! 🙂
Zau says
I’ve tried this recipe three times now and each time it came out consistently good. My children love it. I always add some chili flakes for extra spice. Thanks!
Immaculate Bites says
I’m so happy to know that your kids love this, Zau! Thank you so much! Say hello to them for me and I hope you and your kids enjoy more of my recipes 🙂
Brenda C. says
Outstanding recipe! I mixed the exact spices & rolled the chicken-leg/drumsticks in them. Spices adhered better without the oil. Placed a cookie cooling rack on my cookie baking sheet & it worked perfectly. Once on the rack I lightly drizzled olive oil on the chicken. It smoked up the house & after ready comments won’t use olive oil next time. The chicken was perfect, very flavorful, moist & crispy. Delicious recipe. I should have lined the baking sheet with foil for easier clean-up. Served it with southern potato salad, and a simple cooked cabbage seasoned with Lawry’s seasoning-salt & butter. Hands down good comfort food! “Gracias” for this delicious recipe. First time landing on your blog today & also first time making this recipe. Five-stars. O4/23/2021.
Immaculate Bites says
Thank you so much for sharing this, Brenda!
Debbie Knudslien says
I made these 3 years ago, but decreased peppers just a bit and added 1 tsp of cinnamon (I had wings at a restaurant nearby that is famous for their wings and they had cinnamon in them so I was trying to replicate). They were so delicious. I forgot which recipe I used for them until I came to my Facebook TimeHop post about how good these were, just this morning. Perfect timing because chicken drumsticks were in the plan for tonight anyway. Thank you!
Yvonne says
Thanks for the comment regarding the addition of cinnamon! It gave these drumsticks such a Moroccan flair that is a huge hit with my family. Even my Aspie daughter loves them!
Courtnie says
This is a staple in my household, I have made this recipe again and again for the past 6 years! I keep a jar of the spice mixture in my pantry because it is so good. The chicken always comes out cripsy. I’m going to try it with leg/thigh quarters tonight.
Toby says
Can you please tell me how to adjust this recipe for chicken breasts? Thanks so much
ImmaculateBites says
Hello! Check out this chicken breast recipe here https://www.africanbites.com/oven-baked-chicken-breast/. Enjoy!
Kim says
I made this based on the reviews I didn’t have the smoked paprika so I used 1/2 hot and 1/2 regular paprika…my son who doesn’t really like drumsticks raves about how good it was. I am going to make a big batch of the spice mix and just keep it in my cupboard I think it would be delicious as a rub on the outside of a whole chicken!
ImmaculateBites says
I do the same thing ! So it is readily available whenever I need it . Enjoy
Mary Dilg says
I have made this numerous times for my adult children and we all love it! This is my go-to recipe for chicken legs. Delicious!!!
Imma Adamu says
Thank you for sharing, Mary! I’m glad that they are enjoying it!