Description
These Crispy and Juicy Baked Chicken Legs are the ultimate easy weeknight dinner—flavorful, budget-friendly, and family-approved. With a golden, crispy skin and perfectly tender meat inside, this oven-baked chicken leg recipe is simple, satisfying, and versatile enough for meal prep or hosting guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (drumsticks)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: fresh parsley for garnish
Easy Marinade Option: Mix olive oil and spices, coat chicken, and marinate for 2–4 hours for deeper flavor.
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Heat oven to 425°F (220°C) for crispy skin and juicy meat.
- Prep chicken: Pat chicken legs dry with paper towels to ensure crispiness.
- Season: Mix olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Rub over chicken until evenly coated.
- Arrange & bake: Place chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet (or directly on the sheet). Bake 35–45 minutes, flipping halfway, until internal temp reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Rest & serve: Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Add lemon juice or vinegar to the marinade for brightness.
- Swap regular paprika for smoked paprika for a BBQ-style flavor.
- Broil for 2–3 minutes at the end for extra crispy skin.
- Works great with chicken leg quarters as well.
- Leftovers can be shredded for wraps, salads, or high-protein lunches.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Chicken, Oven-Baked
- Method: Baking, Roasting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken leg
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 320mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 1g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
Keywords: baked chicken legs, crispy chicken drumsticks, chicken legs in oven, easy chicken dinner, chicken leg marinade