A simple everyday recipe for baked chicken drumsticks. Simply coat with a mixture of olive oil and spices, then bake!
There are two reasons why I make chicken drumsticks so often: (1) My kids like them (2) they are ridiculously easy to make, and I am a very lazy cook!
Anyone who has kids knows that they love drumsticks. And anyone who has kids also knows that when the kids like something, the grownups find themselves eating that something over and over again. 🙄
Keeping things interesting
It’s OK. You make sacrifices as a parent. But your food doesn’t need to be one of them! That’s why, over the years, I came up with many variations to keep drumsticks a bit more interesting for the adults. And when my kids grew up, they learned to appreciate those variations too. Here are a few of them:
Still, the truth is, that nine times out of ten, when faced with chicken drumsticks staring at me from the fridge, I simply bake them. No special sauces or marinades. Just some olive oil, a few spices, and 40 minutes in a hot oven. Perfection! 🍗
The ingredients you’ll need
You’ll only need a few simple ingredients to make this simple and tasty chicken recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need:
Chicken drumsticks: I use eight drumsticks in this recipe, each weighing about 4 oz. I don’t remove the skin – I think it’s the best part! If you buy them in packages of five, you can make ten using the same recipe and increasing the olive oil by about half a tablespoon.
Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you’d rather use an oil with a higher smoke point, you can use melted butter instead.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the dish could end up too salty.
Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. The cayenne greatly improves the flavor of this dish. It adds a hint of spice without overwhelming the dish. But if you’re not a fan of spicy foods, try using just 1/8 teaspoon (a pinch).
How to bake chicken drumsticks
It’s easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Your first step is to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Then line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. You can also use foil if you don’t mind cooking with foil.
2. Now, mix the oil with the spices into a paste. Arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on the baking sheet and coat them all over with the paste. You can use a pastry brush or simply your hands.
3. The last step is to bake the chicken pieces until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. This should take about 40 minutes for medium drumsticks.
Check on them after the first 30 minutes. If they seem to be darkening too fast on top, loosely cover them with foil and keep cooking until they are cooked through.
How to serve baked drumsticks
This is one of those main dishes that truly goes with anything. But since I bake them in a 400°F oven, I do like to serve them with a side dish that I can cook in the same oven. So I often serve them with one of the following:
- Cauliflower tots
- Roasted asparagus
- Baked shiitake mushrooms
- Roasted vegetables
- Loaded mashed cauliflower
- Roasted cabbage
What to do with leftovers?
You can keep them in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered, in the microwave on 50% power.
Or do like I do and enjoy these baked drumsticks cold! I sometimes remove the skin, cut them into chunks and use them in a chicken cobb salad. Or I simply make myself a picnic-style plate of cold drumsticks, cauliflower “potato” salad, and some quick pickles.
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Baked Drumsticks
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
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with 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 until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Check on them after the first 30 minutes. If they seem to be darkening too fast on top, loosely cover them with foil and keep cooking until they are cooked through.
- Baste the drumsticks with the pan juices using a clean pastry brush. Serve immediately.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.