Those of you who know me well know how I love easy dinner staples like baked chicken drumsticks, right?
These are exactly what I’m looking for, an easy to prepare main dish that takes hardly any effort to put together.
It is really quite easy to make the chicken drumsticks once you’ve seasoned them with your favorite seasonings, toss them in the oven, and let the drumsticks cook themselves as you focus on your side dishes or whatever else you are doing in your life.
I like them for two reasons. One, they are easy, and two, they are tasty, and they are the perfect recipe for when you just do not want to worry about what you should cook for dinner.
This recipe is not only for chicken lovers but everyone, Apronese hopes everyone enjoys it and makes it easy.
Use Bone-In, Skin-On Drumsticks (or Thighs)
It is very easy to cook dark meat chicken, such as drumsticks and thighs, especially with the bone-in and skin intact, as it retains moisture well and the fat content in the meat keeps it tender and juicy.
The skin helps hold in the moisture, and the higher fat content of the meat helps to keep it tender and juicy. You can substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for the breasts in the recipe below.
A bone-in, skin-on chicken breast needs to be prepared in a slightly different manner than an ordinary chicken breast because of the leaner nature of the cut.
For a bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, you can prepare it as in my herb roasted chicken breast recipe. For a boneless skinless chicken breast, you should prepare it according to the instructions in my Garlic Herb baked chicken breast recipe.
Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Other Seasonings
This recipe uses a very classic combination of smoked paprika, garlic, onion, and oregano to season the oven baked chicken drumsticks, but you can use any seasoning blend that you like. It’s such an easy meal! Here are just a few ideas for seasoning your oven baked chicken drumsticks:
- Ranch seasoning
- Lemon pepper
- Garlic Herb seasoning
- BBQ (use the dry seasonings in the recipe below and then brush with
- BBQ Sauce in the last 15 minutes of baking).
- Teriyaki
- Jerk seasoning
- Taco seasoning
Want some sauce for dipping? Try these delicious sauces with your baked chicken:
- Ranch dressing
- Honey mustard sauce
- Comeback sauce
- BBQ sauce
Chicken Drumsticks: What to Serve
To go along with my chicken drumsticks, I made some Easy Cheesy Broccoli Rice, but it would also be great with classic dishes like: mashed potatoes, mushroom rice, three bean salad, oven-roasted broccoli, parmesan-roasted potatoes, sautéed vegetables, roasted potatoes, loaded mashed potatoes, herby potato salad, or classic coleli.
Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
A simple oven-baked chicken drumstick dinner idea that can be flavored with any of your favorite seasonings is the perfect easy dinner idea for busy nights.
Author: Beth
Servings: 6 pieces
Ingredients
- 1 tsp smoked paprika ($0.10)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp onion powder ($0.03)
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp dried oregano ($0.03)
- 1/2 tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 1.75 lbs. chicken drumsticks (6 pieces) ($3.42)
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil* ($0.32)
Instructions
- A bowl should also be prepared with the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, and pepper. Before starting the baking process, preheat the oven to 425 oF.
- The best way to prepare the drumsticks is to place them in a bowl. Drizzle the cooking oil over the drumsticks. Sprinkle the prepared seasoning on the drumsticks and toss the drumsticks over the oil and spice mixture until the drumsticks are coated evenly.
- If you prefer, you may line the baking sheet with foil or parchment so that it is easier to clean; you can place the seasoned drumsticks on a baking sheet with enough space between each to prevent them from touching.
- In an oven, bake the chicken for 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 175°F. During the cooking time, flip the drumsticks once half-way through so that they are cooked all the way through.
*You can use your favorite high-heat cooking oil.
Nutritional
Serving: 1 drumstick ・ Calories: 254 kcal ・ Carbohydrates: 1 g ・ Protein: 23 g ・ Fat: 17 g ・ Sodium: 332 mg ・ Fiber: 1 g
The nutritional values shown here are only estimates. Please see our nutrition disclaimer.
Equipment
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How to Make Baked Chicken Drumsticks – Step by Step Photos
I recommend preheating the oven at 425oF, deciding on herbs and spices that you want to use to season the drumsticks (see the text above the recipe for some ideas).
My recipe for roasted chicken includes 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoons of onion powder, 1/8 teaspoons of cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoons of oregano, 1/4 teaspoons of freshly cracked black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
There should be about 1.75 pounds of chicken drumsticks in a large bowl. Add two tablespoons of your favorite cooking oil to the bowl and put it in the refrigerator.
In a large bowl, combine the oil and spices and toss the drumsticks in it until everything is evenly coated.
There is no need to line a baking sheet with parchment paper if you want to make cleanup easier.
Spend some time arranging each drumstick on the baking sheet, making sure they are spaced out evenly so that they are not touching.
It is recommended that the drumsticks are baked for about 40 minutes, turning halfway through the cooking process, or until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you are serving hot, you will be able to enjoy the dish. (Garnish with parsley for color. It is not necessary for flavor).
Come here, Apronese feels hungry and has to start baking a batch. How about you, let’s do it together and share your results in the comment section.