Baked Chicken Drumsticks are juicy and tender on the inside while having a perfectly golden brown, crispy skin on the outside. They’re full of flavor and made with just a few minutes of prep and six simple ingredients!
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A chicken dinner is a no-brainer in our house because everyone loves it, and it can be made with just about any seasonings or sides!
If I’m making skin-on, though, it has to be super crispy—I’m a sucker for that juicy crunch!
These Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks are the best way I’ve found to get that crispy skin every time.
Plus, it’s the perfect hands-off way to make a chicken meal for the whole family.
I love these Juicy Air Fryer Chicken Legs, but if I’m cooking more than 6 pieces of chicken, I want an oven-ready recipe that can bake away while I make the rest of the meal.
Try my Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs: Sheet Pan Dinner Recipe, Baked Monterey Chicken, Maple Glazed Chicken Drumsticks, or check out this list of Easy Baked Chicken Recipes for some delicious chicken dinner ideas!
Ingredients Needed:
- Chicken: I’ve used chicken drumsticks with the skin on. I love the crispy skin, as it’s so full of texture and flavor! You can remove the skin before seasoning if you prefer not to eat it.
- Oil: use any neutral cooking oil with a higher smoke point, as we’ll be cooking the chicken at high heat.
- Brown Sugar: it won’t make the chicken very sweet, but it does help caramelize the chicken skin and adds lots of flavor.
- Seasoning: I’ve used a simple mix of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika for a full flavor. Feel free to experiment with different seasonings or a seasoning blend.
How to Make Baked Chicken Drumsticks
This recipe is quick to prep and mostly hands off! Full instructions are included in the recipe card below.
- Season chicken: Rub oil over drumsticks, and add a combined seasoning mix of brown sugar, seasoning salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika.
- Cook chicken: Place chicken drumsticks in a single layer in a large, lightly greased baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes in a preheated oven at 425°F, until done.
Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe FAQs
I cook my chicken drumsticks at 425°F. Baking at higher temperatures for a shorter baking time will ensure your chicken is thoroughly cooked on the inside while being crisper on the outside than if you were to cook at lower temperatures for a longer time. If you want crispy skin but a juicy, tender inside, cook at a high temperature.
Store these baked chicken drumsticks once they have completely cooled, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Refrigerate them within an hour of cooking them to keep them as fresh as possible.
You can freeze these drumsticks, but I’d recommend removing the meat from the bone and shredding the chicken first. Put the shredded chicken in a Ziploc bag then freeze it for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on top of foil on a grill.
Tips and Notes
- Dry the chicken. To ensure you get crispy outer skin, pat the chicken drumsticks dry of excess moisture with paper towels before adding oil and seasoning.
- Meat thermometer. Using a meat thermometer is the best way to make sure your chicken is fully cooked.
- Browning too quickly. If the skin is browning too quickly, you can cover it with foil.
- Burning fat. If the fat is burning at the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water.
- Clean up. You can use aluminum foil or parchment paper on the bottom of the baking dish if you like. You can also season the chicken by putting the drumsticks in a plastic bag and pouring the oil and seasoning into the bag to shake it all up!
Baked Chicken Drumsticks Variations
- Use a different kind of chicken. This recipe will work for most cuts of bone-in chicken around the same size. Try chicken legs, chicken thighs, or chicken wings! You can use this recipe for any cut as long as you reduce the cooking time for smaller chicken pieces or increase it for larger pieces.
- Flavor. Add some onion powder for a stronger savory flavor, or add some other herbs and seasonings to change the flavors. Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, a Chinese Five Spice Blend, or an all-purpose seasoning will go a long way to adding extra flavor.
- Spice. Add some heat with cayenne pepper, chili powder, hot sauce, or red pepper flakes!
Serving Suggestions
Use this chicken to add protein to any meal, or add some side dishes to make it a full meal.
Have it beside this Baked Cheese Risotto, my Cream Cheese Mashed Potatoes Recipe, or this Instant Pot Jasmine Rice for your main carb.
Then try this Garlic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes and Carrots Recipe, my Cheesy Baked Asparagus, Homemade Stuffing Recipe, or this Broccoli Casserole with some veggies like my Air Fryer Green Beans or Roasted Carrots.
We also love having bread with dinner, so try my Cheesy Garlic Bread, these Homemade Garlic Herb Dinner Rolls, or my Mom’s Homemade Buns!
More Delicious Chicken Recipes to Try
Baked Chicken Drumsticks
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- 2 lbs bone in skin on chicken drumsticks (about 8-10)
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Rub chicken drumsticks with oil.
- Combine brown sugar, seasoning salt, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika in a small mixing bowl. Rub evenly over the drumsticks.
- Place chicken drumsticks in a single layer in a large, lightly greased baking dish (it's okay if they touch slightly – they will shrink as they cook) and bake for 30-40 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken reads a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Tip: If the skin is browning too quickly, you can cover it with foil. If the fat is burning at the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water.
- Serve hot with sides as desired.
Notes
- Store: Store the drumsticks once they have completely cooled, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Refrigerate them within 2 hours of cooking them to keep them as fresh as possible.
- Freeze: I’d recommend removing the meat from the bone and shredding the chicken first. Put the shredded chicken in a Ziploc bag then freeze it for up to 1 month. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat in the microwave or on top of foil on a grill.
Nutrition Information
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Cheryl says
Fantastic! So easy and quick and flavourful. A definite winner, make again recipe.
The Recipe Rebel says
Glad you enjoyed it Cheryl!