You guys know how I love easy dinner staples, right? Baked chicken drumsticks are exactly that—an easy, no-brainer main dish recipe that you make with barely any planning or effort. Just coat the chicken with your favorite seasoning, toss them in the oven, and then focus on your side dishes or whatever else you have going on in your life while the drumsticks cook themselves. They’re easy, tasty, and the perfect “emergency” meal for when you just don’t want to have to think about, “what’s for dinner?”
Dark meat chicken, like drumsticks and thighs, is very forgiving, especially when cooked with the bone-in and skin on. The skin helps hold in the moisture and the higher fat content of the meat helps it stay tender and juicy. You can swap in bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs using the same method in the recipe below.
Chicken breast needs a slightly different technique because it is a leaner cut of meat. For a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast I suggest using the method in my Herb Roasted Chicken Breast recipe. Boneless skinless chicken breast should be cooked using the method in my Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast recipe.
I used a very classic mix of smoked paprika, garlic, onion, and oregano for this chicken drumsticks recipe, but you can literally use any seasoning blend you like for this. There is so much flexibility! Here are a few ideas for seasoning your oven-baked chicken drumsticks:
Crispy-Skinned Baked Chicken Drumsticks
A simple everyday recipe for baked chicken drumsticks. Simply coat them with a mixture of olive oil and spices, then bake!
Prep: 10min
Total: 50min
Yield: 4
Serving Size: 2 drumsticks
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 2 drumsticks, calories 288 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 28 g, Fat 18 g, Saturated Fat 4 g, Sodium 709 mg
Ingredients:
- 8 (4 oz each) skin-on chicken drumsticks ((about 2 lb. total weight))
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instruction:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with high-heat-resistant parchment paper and arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on the parchment.
- Make the seasoning paste: In a medium bowl, use a fork or a spatula to mix the olive oil, salt, pepper, and spices.
- Using a pastry brush or your hands, coat the chicken pieces with the seasoning paste.
- Bake the drumsticks uncovered until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes.
- Baste the drumsticks with the pan juices using a clean pastry brush. Serve immediately.
Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
This oven-baked chicken drumstick recipe is the perfect dinner idea that can be flavored with any of your favorite seasonings.
Prep: 5min
Total: 45min
Yield: 6
Serving Size: 1 drumstick
Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 drumstick, calories 254 kcal, Carbohydrate 1 g, Protein 23 g, Fat 17 g, Sodium 332 mg, Fiber 1 g
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder ($0.03)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano ($0.03)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1.75 lbs. chicken drumsticks (6 pieces) ($3.42)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil* ($0.32)
Instruction:
- Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
- Place the chicken drumsticks in a bowl and drizzle the cooking oil over top. Sprinkle the prepared seasoning over the drumsticks, then toss until they’re evenly coated in oil and spices.
- Place the seasoned drumsticks on a baking sheet with enough space around each so they’re not touching. You can line the baking sheet with foil or parchment for easier cleanup, if desired.
- Transfer the chicken to the oven and bake for 40 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 175ºF, flipping the drumsticks once half-way through. Serve hot.
