Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe is easy, delicious, and full of flavor! Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner! Tender and juicy, this recipe is an absolute no-brainer. Simply marinate and bake for a recipe your family will be begging for time and time again!
Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe:Â
I love these Baked Chicken Drumsticks because the skin gets crispy in the oven and the homemade marinade makes them so juicy. Plus, drumsticks are an inexpensive cut of meat that doesn’t skimp on taste! This recipe makes 10 drumsticks so your family no longer has to fight over who gets a leg. Similar to cooking chicken thighs, the secret here is all in the marinade. Just a few pantry staples like olive oil, seasonings, and lemon juice are whisked together to create a classic combination that gives you tons of side dish options. Letting the chicken soak in the homemade marinade for at least a couple of hours really seals in all of the flavor and guarantees the chicken comes out tender and juicy instead of dried out. Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks aren’t in my weekly rotation for nothing!
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Begging for more baked recipes? Try BBQ Baked Chicken Thighs or Easy Baked Chicken Breast for some classic variations.
What Should I Serve With Baked Drumsticks?
The marinade for these Chicken Drumsticks pairs well with a myriad of side dishes! All sorts of veggies, potatoes, or even mac and cheese would be delicious. Try my Perfect Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Green Beans, or maybe extra cheesy Baked Mac and Cheese and some of my Perfect Baked Beans to complete your meal!
How To Make Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Let’s make the marinade. The true star of this recipe is surprisingly simple. In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, chicken seasoning, salt, soy or Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, pepper, and paprika.
- Add the drumsticks. Place the chicken drumsticks into a large zip-top bag then pour the marinade inside. Close the bag (try to get as much air out as you can) and massage the marinade into the chicken.
- Let the chicken chill and the marinade marry. Refrigerate the drumsticks for at least 30 minutes. For the absolute best flavor let the chicken marinate for a full 2-12 hours.
- Time to get cooking. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Arrange the chicken. Place the drumsticks in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5-10 minutes (or until cooked through). Serve and enjoy!
How to store and Heat Leftovers:Â
Store leftover Baked Chicken Drumsticks in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3-4 days. Heat back up in the oven until warmed through, or eat cold! These are great right out of the fridge for a next day lunch or midnight snack.Â
Ingredients Notes for Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Chicken – Make sure the drumsticks reach an internal temperature of 165°F for safe serving. And don’t skip the flip! Flipping them ensures they’re cooked through and gives that nice caramel color on both sides. The trick is to use skin on drumsticks for that outer crisp!
- Marinade – The marinade doesn’t have to be complicated and you can absolutely swap out the seasonings for unique combos. You could try olive oil and Italian seasoning, a lemon pepper blend, or even add in some honey mustard. Feel free to experiment while maintaining the technique. There’s room for flavorful creativity here!Â
- Paprika – For a smoky flavor, swap traditional paprika for smoked paprika. It’s amazing with the sweet brown sugar and tangy worcestershire sauce!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Easy Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1/4 Cup Soy or Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Chicken Seasoning
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Paprika Smoked or Regular
- 10 Chicken Drumsticks
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, soy or Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar garlic powder, onion powder, salt, chicken seasoning, pepper, dijon mustard, chili powder, and paprika until well mixed.
- Add the chicken drumsticks to a large zip-top bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken for a few seconds.
- Refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for at least 30 minutes. For best flavor allow the chicken to marinate for 2-12 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Arrange the chicken in an even layer on prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, until cooked through.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is now a family favorite, and I have 2 of the pickiest eaters ever. Made it last week with chicken thighs making again today with legs. Didn’t have a lemon so I used a lime and it was still great, this week still no lemons so it’s lime again, kinda worried now if I do use a lemon. Lol
Wow – this was wonderful! The drumsticks caramelized nicely and the balance of savory and sweet was perfect. So quick and easy to prepare…this one’s a keeper. I used regular soy sauce, so I decreased the salt by 1/2, and I substituted onion powder with dried chopped onion. I marinated the chicken for about 4 hours and it was delicious! I try so many popular recipes and honestly, most of them are mediocre at best. This was a happy discovery – so flavorful and simple! Thank you!
New family favourite….just finished eating and with a house full of picky eaters this was a HIT !!! I used the soy sauce instead of. Worchester sauce and substituted the paprika for cayenne pepper & used half cup maybe smidge more than half cup of lemon juice …cooked at 380 for 45 minutes …..so tender and the marinade was to die for and soooo easy to make ….this will be a once a week meal for sure !!!!
I made this tonight with macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes. 5 teenage boys and my youngest daughter 12, all ate it up! I marinated the chicken all day. It had a great taste! Only a few left for my hubby ?
What if I don’t have brown sugar..
do you have molasses?
This was very and a very tasty. I am so happy I finally found such a wonderful recipe for chicken. THANK YOU.
SO GOOD!!!! These came out perfectly. Will 100% make over and over again.
Made this today. So glad I found this recipe…it is a definite keeper. So easy and yummy…I only allowed it to marinate for an hour and I still loved it. Made it exactly as listed.
Thank u I love trying new recipes, this one definitely a keeper
I have a son who has autism/ sensory integration and who is also a very picky eater he love it
Again thank u
This was an amazing recipe. I marinated it overnight, the chicken was so juicy. I did increase the garlic powder, onion powder and tweaked it to my families taste. Will definitely make it again.
Can I cook the drumsticks in a roasting bag together with the marinade? Thankyou.