These Quick Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and can be made in under 30 minutes. Plus, they only require a few ingredients so they are perfect to make on a busy weeknight.
These are baked at 400 degrees F with a little bit of butter on top of each drumstick, meaning they will cook quickly and taste absolutely delicious. Season with a little salt, pepper, paprika, onion, garlic and enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Crispy without deep frying. A flour-and-spice coating plus plenty of butter gives the drumsticks a golden, crispy exterior while the meat stays juicy and tender.
- Big flavor from simple pantry spices. Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper create a flavorful coating without needing a complicated marinade or sauce.
- A quick, budget-friendly dinner. The drumsticks take about 30 minutes from start to finish, use inexpensive chicken, and the recipe makes enough for about 8 people—perfect for a busy weeknight.
Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipes
Drumsticks are amazing because they are not only delicious but ridiculously inexpensive, too! They can be used as a substitute in any chicken thigh or chicken leg recipe, and you can get away with spending just a few bucks on an entire meal for a large family. Note: a good rule of thumb is to serve 1 drumstick per kid, or 2 per adult.
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The secret to getting that crispy oven-fried flavor is buttering up the skin, so be sure to keep the skin on for this delicious recipe. We season these with onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika but you can use this as a base and get creative.
Check out our video that will guide you through making this Simple Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe step-by-step. Trust us – they are so good, and so easy!
Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks Video Tutorial
What To Serve With Drumsticks
Chicken drumsticks are the kind of dish that will go great with just about anything, especially since these are so simply seasoned. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Potato Sides: Hasselback Potato, Bacon Scalloped Potatoes, Sweet Potato Fries
- Rice Sides: Green Chili Casserole, Garlic Parmesan Rice, Lime Rice
- Veggie Sides: Cinnamon Squash, Broccoli with Garlic and Lemon,
- Salads: German Potato Salad, Broccoli Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad
Key Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks – if you want, you can substitute chicken thighs or chicken legs. Just keep in mind that the cooking time will vary.
- Flour – all-purpose flour works great.
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Paprika
- Butter – the butter is key to this recipe, and we recommend about ½ tablespoon of butter per drumstick. You can substitute olive oil if you want to reduce the saturated fat slightly, but we recommend brushing it on.
How To Bake Chicken Drumsticks in the Oven
- Prepare the chicken. Pat the drumsticks dry, then season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Coat with flour mixture. In a small bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika and mix to combine. Toss half of the drumsticks and half of the flour mixture together until the chicken is coated. Repeat with the rest of the drumsticks and flour mixture.
- Bake. Place the floured chicken onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and add a 1/2 tablespoon slice of butter onto the top of each drumstick. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush the melted butter on over the drumsticks. Return to the oven and bake for about 10 more minutes, or until the drumsticks are golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
- Serve. Remove the drumsticks from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Finish with a little squeeze of lemon juice if you’d like. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Lemon pepper. Replace the paprika with lemon pepper seasoning, and finish with fresh lemon zest and parsley.
- BBQ. Brush the drumsticks with your favorite BBQ sauce during the last 5 to 10 minutes of baking. Or try my BBQ Chicken Drumsticks.
- Honey garlic. Brush with a glaze of 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1 minced garlic clove for the last 5 minutes.
- Buffalo. Toss the baked drumsticks in buffalo sauce and serve with ranch. Or try my Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks.
- Garlic parmesan. Toss the baked drumsticks with melted garlic butter and grated Parmesan. Or try my Garlic Parmesan Drumsticks.
- Ranch. Swap the spices for 1 to 2 tablespoons of dry ranch seasoning.
- Cajun. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of Cajun seasoning to the flour mixture for a little heat.
- Air fryer. Cook the coated drumsticks at 380°F for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway, until they reach 165°F.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baking them at 400°F is one of the fastest hands-off methods. They’re ready in about 40 minutes with just 10 minutes of prep. For even faster drumsticks, use an air fryer at 380°F for 20 to 25 minutes.
About 35 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through. Larger drumsticks may take a little longer, so always check that the thickest part reaches at least 165°F.
A chicken leg includes both the drumstick and the thigh. A drumstick is, well, just the drumstick! You can absolutely substitute either chicken legs or chicken thighs in this recipe, you will just need to adjust the baking time depending on the size of each piece of chicken.
Chicken is safe at 165°F. Drumsticks are dark meat, though, and they’re even more tender and juicy at 175°F to 185°F, when the connective tissue breaks down.
Pat the chicken completely dry, add baking powder to the flour coating, leave space between each drumstick, and flip them halfway. For extra crunch, broil for the last 1 to 2 minutes.
It’s best to thaw them first so the coating sticks and they cook evenly. In a pinch, bake frozen drumsticks without the flour coating at 400°F for about 60 minutes, until they reach 165°F.
Plan on 2 drumsticks per adult and 1 per child. Three pounds is about 10 to 12 drumsticks, enough for 4 to 6 people.
Helpful Tips:
- Pat dry: Moisture = soggy skin. Dry with paper towels before seasoning.
- Use baking powder for extra crisp skin: Mix 1-2 teaspoons of baking powder (not soda) into your rub mixture.
- Flip halfway through so the bottoms don’t stick or over-brown in the butter.
- Cook on aluminum foil or a wire rack so the heat circulates.
- Don’t crowd the pan: Space drumsticks so they roast, not steam.
- High heat Finish: Broil for 1 to 2 minutes at the end for extra-crispy skin.
- Rest 5 minutes: Juices redistribute and skin stays crisp.
Storing and Reheating
- Storing Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: store in freezer bags, or another airtight container, in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through.
What to Serve with Drumsticks
Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks, skin on
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup all-purpose-flour
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
- 1½ teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Place drumsticks onto a paper towel and pat them dry, then season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- In a small bowl, combine the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, and baking powder, and mix to combine.
- In a ziplock bag or large bowl, toss half of the drumsticks and half of the flour mixture together until the chicken is coated. Repeat with the rest of the drumsticks and flour mixture.
- Place the floured chicken onto a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and add a 1/2 tablespoon slice of butter onto the top of each drumstick.
- Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Flip the drumsticks, brush with the melted butter from the pan, and bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, until golden and the thickest part reaches at least 165°F (175°F to 185°F is even more tender).
- Remove the drumsticks from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storing Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: store in freezer bags, or another airtight container, in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- To reheat: place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through.
Nutrition
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These Simple Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside and can be made in under 30 minutes. Plus, they only require a few ingredients so they are perfect to make on a busy weeknight.
Categories:
30-Minute Meals, 4th of July, Chicken, Easy Weeknight Meals, Fall Recipes, Healthy, Main Dish, Nut-Free, Spring Recipes, Summer Recipes, Videos, Winter Recipes,
Made this tonight, and it was a hit! My husband loved it! Took a lot longer to brown up, and I kept turning it over every 10 minutes. It kinda fries in the butter on the bottom of pan , so by flipping it every so often, it browned evenly and didn’t burn. Took more like 40 minutes to cook perfectly juicy and crispy, but it was delicious and a really good alternative to deep fry. I’m thinking next time I will melt the butter, rub it on the chicken and then coat with flour.
I usually don’t leave comments but ?onight I was tired and looking for a quick, easy but tasty drumstick dinner and this recipe didn’t disappoint. Drumsticks were large and my oven is strange lol, so slight changes, cooked for 40 minutes, added melted butter each time I turned the chicken and then broiled the last 3 minutes. Wonderful taste and perfect. Served with wild and brown rice and seasoned green beans. Husband loved?Thank you!
Going to make this tonight for my partner and I. Can’t wait!
Thank you very much!!!
I will try it on Sunday.
Have a nice week!
Marianne