Oven Baked Chicken Legs (Printable)
Juicy drumsticks with crispy skin, seasoned with paprika and herbs.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 chicken legs (drumsticks), skin-on
→ Marinade & Seasoning
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Garnish
09 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
10 - Lemon wedges, for serving
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and set a wire rack on top if available.
02 - Pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels and place them in a large bowl.
03 - Drizzle olive oil over the chicken. Add paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat the chicken evenly with the seasoning.
04 - Arrange the chicken legs in a single layer on the prepared baking rack or sheet, leaving space between each piece.
05 - Bake for 40–45 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the skin is crispy and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The skin gets impossibly crispy without any deep frying mess or technique stress
- One bowl seasoning means almost zero cleanup but maximum flavor payoff
02 -
- Skip the wire rack and the skin will still crisp, just place the legs directly on the lined baking sheet
- That final 2 to 3 minutes under the broiler transforms good chicken into restaurant quality chicken
03 -
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly, so let it sit out for 20 minutes before seasoning
- Pat the skin absolutely dry, wet skin will steam instead of crisp no matter how long you bake it