Baked Chicken Drumsticks

By Lidey Heuck

Published Jan. 28, 2025

Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
50 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(907)
Comments
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Chicken breasts and thighs are perennial favorites when it comes to weeknight dinner recipes, but for another quick-cooking and flavorful chicken dinner, consider these baked drumsticks.  Coated with a mix of everyday pantry spices and roasted until browned and tender, they are reliably delicious with very little effort. Like chicken thighs, drumsticks are forgiving to cook: While technically cooked through at 165 degrees, they remain juicy and moist at even 175 degrees and higher. Serve them with your favorite weeknight side dishes, such as rice pilaf and lemony steamed broccoli, or a big plate of crudités and ranch dressing for dipping. Finally, if you like things on the spicier side, add a pinch of ground cayenne to the spice mixture, or sprinkle with a few shakes of your favorite hot sauce when the chicken comes out of the oven.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 2teaspoons smoked paprika 
  • 1½teaspoons onion powder
  • 1teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1½teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • ½teaspoon black pepper
  • 8chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds)
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Chopped fresh parsley (optional), for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

194 calories; 14 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 14 grams protein; 553 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat the oven to 400 degrees and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    In a small bowl, combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, and mix with one of the measuring spoons.

  3. Step 3

    Pat the drumsticks dry with a paper towel and place them in a large bowl. Drizzle the drumsticks with the olive oil and toss to coat, then sprinkle with the spice mixture and toss again until well-coated.

  4. Step 4

    Arrange the drumsticks, evenly spaced, on the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip and bake for 15 to 20 more minutes, until the drumsticks are browned and cooked through. (An internal thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of a drumstick should register at least 165 degrees, and preferably closer to 175 degrees.)

  5. Step 5

    Serve hot or warm. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake at 350 degrees, loosely wrapped in foil, for about 20 minutes, until heated through. To recrisp the skin, adjust heat to 425 degrees, unwrap the foil and cook for 5 minutes more.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
907 user ratings
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Comments

Jim

Adding a small amount of baking powder to the spice mix will help keep the skin crispy.

Anne Marconi

@Judi M Please pass along the air fryer results!!

SI Grandma

To avoid all of the mixing bowls: Spray the parchment lined baking sheet with EVOO and sprinkle on the spices individually. Arrange the chicken on the sheet, spray with EVOO and sprinkle on the spices as before. I also use a non-salt seasoning blend in addition to the spices mentioned and prefer boneless, skinless thighs to the legs. 400 degrees for 48 minutes.

Diane

Delicious. Added some baking powder to the spices (as suggested in one of the comments) and let the legs spice rubbed legs sit overnight in the fridge.

Geri

Even dried carefully before baking, the drumsticks never got crispy. Also, the coating flavor didn’t penetrate the meat. Not the best recipe. I won’t be serving this again.

Lori Melton

We loved this - delicious and easy, everyone liked it. One tip - I put my drumsticks in a larger ziplock bag, added the oil & shook/massaged the oil around. Then I did the same with the spices. While I regret wasting a plastic bag, the ease & convenience when you’re a busy mom is helpful!

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