Name: Baked Crispy Chicken Legs
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 3-3½ pounds (1.3-1.5k) chicken legs; 1 tablespoon (6g) dried Italian herbs; 1¼ teaspoons (7g) salt; 1½ tablespoons (9g) onion powder; 1½ tablespoons (8g) garlic powder; 1 teaspoon (2g) smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper; ½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper; 1 teaspoon (3g) bouillon powder ((or replace with salt))

Jump to Recipe

Baked Crispy Chicken Legs – A few simple tricks deliver crispy baked chicken drumsticks with tender, juicy meat. Insanely flavorful chicken is quick, easy, paleo, and gluten-free with only 10 minutes of prep time! A win-win!

Crispy Baked Chicken Legs fresh from the oven are insanely good

Inspired by the success of my crispy baked chicken wing recipe, I decided to give chicken legs a spin. They have the same flavorful bite and crispy, crunchy coating without breadcrumbs or flour. All you need are a few pantry staples to turn ordinary chicken legs into out-of-this-world delicious.

The crunchy skin and mouthwatering flavor make this recipe a crowd-pleaser for adults and kids alike. Not to mention how versatile it is! Feel free to experiment with your favorite herbs and spices to put a new spin on this dish every time you make it.

Content…

How to Bake Chicken Legs Crispy
Recipe Ingredients
How to Bake Them
Recipe Variations
Tips and Tricks
Make-Ahead Instructions
Serving and Storage Instructions
What to Serve
More Easy Baked Chicken Recipes to Try
Watch How to Make It

Crispy baked chicken legs with blanched broccoli for a healthy dinner

How to Bake Chicken Legs Crispy

Most importantly, ensure the drumsticks are dry before baking for super crispy skin. And since chicken legs are larger than wings, I increased the amount of onion and garlic powder for better flavor. You have nothing else to worry about because baking crispy chicken legs is waaay easier than you think.

First, carefully wash the chicken with running tap water and place them in a single layer on a baking sheet pan. Let them dry in the fridge, uncovered, for a minimum of 3 hours for crispy chicken skin.
Next, season the chicken when ready to bake.
Then, arrange them on a wire rack in a single layer and pop them in the oven.
Rotate the chicken legs halfway through to ensure they evenly cook on all sides.

Recipe Ingredients

Chicken Legs – Bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks result in tender, juicy meat with crispy skin. Look for chicken legs that are uniform in size to ensure even cooking.
Seasonings – Layer on the flavors with a bold mix of Italian herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and white pepper. A dash of cayenne pepper provides just the right amount of heat, but feel free to adjust it to your family’s heat preference. Bouillon powder provides umami savoriness.

How to Bake Crispy Chicken Legs

Wash and dry the poultry, season it, and bake

Prepare Chicken – Wash the chicken legs and place them on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Then let them sit in the fridge, uncovered, for at least 3 hours or preferably overnight to air-dry. (You can skip this part and proceed with the spices, but they won’t be quite as crispy).
Preheat oven to 425°F (220℃).
Season – Place the chicken in a large bowl, add the spices, and drizzle with oil. Mix well to coat the chicken.
Prep the Baking Sheet by lining it with foil and putting a wire rack on top. Place the chicken legs in a single layer on the wire rack. While the chicken legs are baking, the oil will drip to the bottom of the pan.
Bake chicken legs until cooked through and skin is crispy (45-50 minutes). Rotate chicken legs halfway through, at roughly 20 minutes. (Actual bake time depends on your oven and altitude, but a meat thermometer should read an internal temperature of 165℉/75℃).
Serve – Take the crispy chicken legs out of the oven and serve with African pepper sauce.

Crispy Baked chicken legs fresh from the oven

Recipe Variations

Seasoning swap. Replace the seasonings with your favorite premade seasoning blend. Try a zesty Cajun Creole seasoning or taco seasoning if you’re craving something with a Mexican flair!
Seasoning add-ins. Add a dash of cumin to the seasoning mix for deep, slightly nutty notes. A touch of lemon pepper will add a fresh, citrusy punch to the mix. And smoked paprika adds an extra zing with delicious smokiness.
Meat swap. You can replace the chicken legs with bone-in chicken thighs or cut up the whole chicken.
Garnish. For additional flavor, sprinkle your crispy chicken legs with Parmesan, chopped parsley, or green onion. They also add a gorgeous pop of color.
One-pot meal. Roast potato wedges and carrot chunks underneath the chicken legs to make a one-dish meal. Lightly coat the potatoes and carrots in olive oil and sprinkle with more seasonings before placing them on the baking sheet.

Tips and Tricks

Taking the chicken legs out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before baking will help them cook more evenly.
If you’d like even crispier skin on the chicken legs, turn the broiler on for a minute or to crisp them even more. Keep an eye on them, though, because the broiler cooks fast.
Let the chicken rest 5-10 minutes after cooking for super juicy, tender meat.
These golden beauties are delicious baked in an air fryer, as well. Air fry them at 400℉ (205℃) for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Enjoy!

Make-Ahead Instructions

Crispy baked chicken legs require just 10 minutes of prep time, so they’re perfect for busy weeknight meals! To get a jump on meal planning, you can season the chicken legs ahead of time.

Then, keep them in the fridge for a day or two or freeze them for 2-3 months. When you need a quick meal, simply leave them in the fridge overnight to defrost and pop them in the oven.

Serving and Storage Instructions

These guys are best hot from the oven (after resting for a few minutes). Add other fun flavors with African pepper sauce or homemade BBQ sauce.

Refrigerate leftover baked chicken legs in an airtight container for up to five days or freeze them for 4-6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat the chicken legs in the oven at 350℉ (180℃) until heated through. You could also reheat individual portions in the microwave, but they won’t crisp back up.

I love using leftover chicken for chicken salad for sandwiches or Caesar salad. Remove and discard the skin (no longer crispy and delicious) and bones, chop the chicken into chunks, and you’re good to go.

The crispiest, most delicious poultry on a white platter ready to serve

What Goes With Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Legs

Countless winning combinations go great with this tasty chicken recipe. Some delicious side dishes are scalloped potatoes or garlic mashed potatoes and Southern baked beans with bacon. Add a fresh tossed salad and a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or bright Pinot Noir to complement the perfectly seasoned meat.

More Easy Baked Chicken Recipes to Try

Watch How to Make It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”5X6eNFxT” upload-date=”Mon Aug 06 2018 19:45:03 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Baked Crispy Chicken Legs” description=”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.”]

This blog post was originally published in November 2013 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video