Oven Baked Chicken Legs (Print View)
Golden crispy chicken legs seasoned with paprika, garlic, and thyme. Easy 50-minute meal.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 chicken 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
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place 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 mixture.
04 - Arrange the chicken legs in a single layer on the prepared baking rack or sheet, leaving space between each piece for proper air circulation.
05 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking, until the skin is crispy and golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Remove from oven and let the chicken rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The skin gets impossibly crispy while the meat stays ridiculously juicy
- Five minutes of prep work and your oven does the rest
02 -
- Skip the wire rack and you will miss out on that restaurant quality crispiness
- A quick 2 minute broil at the end changes everything
03 -
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly
- Letting them rest keeps the juices from running out