Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks
on Mar 09, 2024, Updated Aug 01, 2024
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Rosemary, lemon, and garlic are all that you need to transform drumsticks into a delicious weeknight chicken dinner.
A baked chicken dinner is a mainstay for most of us. There are two ingredients I turn to time and time again to take chicken from boring to woo-hoo: lemon and rosemary. This herb and citrus combo is a perfect pairing, and here, along with some garlic (and olive oil, salt, and pepper!), it turns everyday chicken drumsticks into a brightly flavored chicken dinner you’ll be pleased to serve your family any night of the week. And this recipe involves about 10 minutes of hands-on time…bonus.
You can, of course, sub in other cuts of chicken in this recipe. Thighs and breasts should take a similar amount of time to cook as these drumsticks in the oven. Just make sure you get your chicken to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. If you don’t have an internal meat thermometer, make sure the meat is cooked all the way through, and the juices run clear when you cut it into one of the pieces. The skin should be beautifully crispy and browned.
These oven-baked chicken drumsticks take well to all kinds of sides, from Rice Pilaf to Honey Mustard Green Beans to Brown Rice Salad.
Table of Contents
Oven-Baked Drumsticks: Rosemary, lmon and garlic are all that you need to transform drumsticks into a deliecious weeknight chicken dinner.
Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks Ingredients
- Chicken drumsticks – Know that the cooking time will vary depending on the size of the drumsticks.
- Garlic – While best with fresh garlic (see how to mince garlic) you can also use garlic powder if you want to make this recipe even simpler.
- Finely grated lemon zest – Adds a nice citrusy note to the chicken.
- Rosemary – A perfect herbal pairing for the lemon. If you don’t have fresh rosemary, dried crumbled rosemary will do.
- Olive or vegetable oil – A little bit encourages the skin of the chicken to brown and crisp up nicely.
- Fresh lemon juice – Optional, but highly recommended for serving!
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley – To serve; again, optional but recommended.
How to Make Oven-Baked Drumsticks
- Prep the oven and baking sheet: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Mix the seasonings: Combine the garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Season the drumsticks: Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and drizzle over the oil. Toss to coat the drumsticks evenly with the oil. Add the lemon rosemary mixture and use your hands to make sure the chicken is evenly coated with the mixture.
- Spread them out on the prepared baking sheet, with space between each piece.
- Bake and serve: Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the drumsticks are cooked through and the skin is crispy and browned. Sprinkle with lemon juice if desired, and finish with chopped fresh parsley.
Variations
- Try mixing orange zest and juice in with the lemon.
- Use thyme or oregano in place of the rosemary.
- Use chicken thighs, breasts, or wings in place of the drumsticks. Thighs or breasts should take a similar amount of time to bake, wings probably about 10 minutes less.
Oven-Baked Drumsticks Tips
- Drumsticks can vary widely in size, so use the 40 to 50 minutes of cooking time as a guide. Also, because drumsticks are dark meat, they are pretty forgiving in terms of drying out. If you want to let them bake for a bit longer to get the skin more browned and crisp, go for it.
- I know some people are squeamish about touching raw chicken, but your hands are truly the best tools for evenly coating the drumsticks with the oil and rub.
- The drizzle of olive oil will help the skin crisp up nicely.
- These crispy baked rosemary garlic chicken legs are great right from the oven but also delicious at room temperature or even cold. A cold-cooked drumstick has long been a favorite mid-meal snack for my guys, so having a stash of these in the fridge means that they can grab a substantial bite to eat whenever.
Storage and Leftovers
Baked drumsticks will last for up to 5 days in the fridge in a tightly covered container. You can serve them chilled or at room temp. You can reheat them in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes until heated through.
What to Serve With Baked Drumsticks
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- How to Roast a Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Breasts
- Homemade Chicken Tenders
- Easy Chicken Alfredo
- White Chicken Chili
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Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 2 pounds drumsticks
- 1 ½ teaspoons finely minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 ½ teaspoons grated lemon zest
- 1 ½ teaspoons minced fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried crumbled rosemary)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- Juice of 1 lemon (to serve; optional)
- Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (to serve; optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Combine the garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Place the drumsticks in a large bowl, and drizzle over the oil. Toss to coat the drumsticks evenly with the oil. Add the lemon rosemary mixture and use your hands to make sure the chicken is evenly coated with the mixture. Spread them out on the prepared baking sheet, with space between each piece.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the drumsticks are cooked through and the skin is crispy and browned. Sprinkle with lemon juice if desired.
Notes
- Drumsticks can vary widely in size, so use the 40 to 50 minutes of cooking time as a guide. Also, because drumsticks are dark meat, they are pretty forgiving in terms of drying out. If you want to let them bake for a bit longer to get the skin more browned and crisp, go for it.
- I know some people are squeamish about touching raw chicken, but truly, your hands are the best tools for getting the drumsticks evenly coated with the oil and the rub.
- These are great right from the oven but also delicious at room temperature or even cold. A cold-cooked drumstick has long been a favorite mid-meal snack for my guys, so having a stash of these in the fridge means that they can grab a substantial bite to eat whenever.
- These will last for up to 5 days in the fridge in a tightly covered container. You can serve them chilled, at room temp, or reheat them in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes until heated through.
