Baked Crispy Chicken Legs – A few simple tricks makes 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 wings 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.
Since chicken drumsticks are larger than wings, I included a generous amount of onion, garlic to compensate for it’s size- to fully permeate the chicken. I switched out the thyme for Italian herbs, you can use any other dried herbs that you have on hand.
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. 
Don’t forget to drizzle them with a little bit of canola oil and bake rotating the chicken legs half way through baking . 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.
Watch How to Make It
Baked Crispy Chicken Legs - A few simple tricks makes 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.
- 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)
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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.
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When ready to bake, preheat oven to 425°.
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Place the chicken in a large bowl, with all the spices, and then drizzle with coil.
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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.
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Bake chicken legs until cooked through and skin is crispy, about 45-50 minutes-rotate wings half way through-roughly 20 minutes.
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Remove and serve with your favorite chicken sauce or african pepper sauce
OMG!! Amazing! Thank you.
Awesome! Glad to know it worked out well for you.
I’m so disappointed and through no fault of the recipe. I am tired of trying to be thrifty and buying chicken legs on sale (this time for $.79/lb) and then being HUGE. So huge I had them in the oven for 1 hour, 20 minutes and the bigger ones still weren’t done. And by that point, I was done with it all, because I made a lot (for 9 people) and it was really smoking up the house when I opened the oven. I would love to try these again with smaller legs. The flavor was really good.
Sorry to hear it happened that way, Melissa. Please let me know how it turns out on your next try.
What do you mean by bouillon powder. Like chicken bouillon powder?
Yes, chicken bouillon powder.
These were delicious!!! Both my husband and I loved the seasoning, and the crispy exterior. Today, I’m making this with chicken thighs! Thank you!
Glad you both like it, Gabriela! ENjoy!
this is my favorite chicken recipe. Thank you
It’s a keeper. Glad you love it, Bolivia!
Perfection! I was a vegetarian for decades, now transitioning to cooking and eating meat again. With this recipe, no one would ever know I hadn’t cooked poultry in ages! So delicious. Thank you!
You’re most welcome, Jill! This recipe is easy to follow through while using simple ingredients. Thanks for stopping by!
Iam making it right now …it smells so good 🙂
Thanks for stopping by, Nancy! Happy eating! 🙂