These juicy Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks are an incredibly simple, delicious and budget-friendly meal. With just 5 ingredients and your favorite spices, it's an easy weeknight dinner or meal prep recipe.
When it comes to cheap, easy, and delicious meals, Roasted Chicken Drumsticks are hard to beat. The crisp skin, tender dark meat, and incredible flavors make it a favorite dinner for any night of the week!
Using dried seasonings that are basic pantry staples makes this recipe a simple one to make and you can work on yummy side dishes while they roast in the oven. Another bonus and this meal, it’s SUPER cheap! Where I’m from, this chicken dish cost less than $8!
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If you’re looking for more meals that you don’t have to put a lot of thought into and the whole family will love, be sure to check out my Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Legs, Easy Salisbury Steak, and Slow Cooker Cube Steak!
Laura Ashley's Tip: Be sure to coat the drumsticks in flour, this naturally thickens to juices of the sauce and helps to crisp the skin. You can substitute for a gluten-free flour blend if you prefer!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll like this Recipe
- Simple 5-Ingredient Recipe: This chicken leg recipe is made with seasonings you likely already have in your pantry!
- Easy to Make: Baked chicken drumsticks take little effort to prep making it great for an easy weeknight dinner!
- Cheap Meal: At less than $8 (where I live), it's a great budget-friendly meal!
- Flavorful and Juicy Meat: Oven-baked chicken drumsticks are tender, juicy and absolutely delicious!
What You’ll Need
Scroll Down for Ingredient Amounts Listed in the Recipe Card Below
- Chicken Drumsticks: Chicken drumsticks are flavorful and juicy, and they become tender and succulent when roasted.
- Spice Mix (Garlic and Onion Powder, Paprika, Parsley, Salt & Black Pepper):
- Garlic Powder and Onion Powder: Adds savory depth and aroma to the chicken.
- Smoked Paprika: Provides a mild, sweet, and smoky flavor, as well as a vibrant color to the chicken.
- Parsley: Adds a fresh, herbaceous flavor and a pop of green color.
- Salt & Black Pepper: Enhances overall flavor and seasoning. Salt also helps to tenderize the meat by drawing out moisture.
- Flour: Coating the chicken drumsticks in flour before roasting helps to create a crispy and golden-brown exterior. It also helps the seasoning to adhere to the chicken and adds a slight thickness to the pan juices.
- Chicken Broth: Provides moisture to the chicken while roasting, preventing it from drying out. It also adds flavor to the pan juices.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the chicken.
Tools You’ll Need
How to Make Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks
- To a 13”x9” pan, add drumsticks and seasonings.
- In a small bowl, whisk together broth and flour.
- Pour the broth mixture over the chicken. Toss everything until coated well. Situate the drumsticks in a single layer. Distribute butter evenly on top.
- Bake 35-45 minutes, flipping half-way through. Broil 1-2 minutes. Ensure an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.
Pro Tips and Substitutions
- Cuts of Chicken: You can substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, chicken breasts or chicken wings and use the same recipe. The baking time to reach the minimum safe internal temperature of 165°F will vary to based on the cut.
- Skin vs. No Skin: The chicken skin adds to the juiciness and moisture of this dish. However, if you prefer skinless/boneless, you can use substitute the drumsticks with boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs. Make sure they’re not thicker than ½-3/4 inch. Adjust the baking temperature to 400°F and adjust the cook time to 25-35 minutes. Ensure an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.
- Seasoning Blend: The seasoning opportunities for this chicken are endless. Get creative with the flavors you love. Some other seasonings I use are cayenne pepper, regular paprika, lemon juice, brown sugar, ranch, Asian, masala, oregano, taco, cumin, rosemary, etc.
Another delicious way to prepare drumsticks are this Air Fryer Chicken Legs!
What to Serve with Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Nearly any side dish can go with this meal, but a few of my favorite sides are:
- Buttered Potatoes
- Creamy Whipped Mashed Potatoes
- Gremolata Asparagus
- Crispy Green Beans
- Garlic Broccoli and Mushrooms
- Marinated Vegetable Salad
- Whole Roasted Honey Carrots
- The Best Pasta Salad
Storage
For the Fridge: Leftover oven baked chicken drumsticks can be stored in an airtight container the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.
For the Freezer: If you want to extend the storage life, store in the freezer in an air-tight container up to 3 months. When ready to consume, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in the oven, on the stovetop, microwave or in the air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
It's generally recommended to thaw drumsticks before roasting for even cooking and to prevent the exterior from becoming overly dry while waiting for the interior to cook. Thawing in the refrigerator overnight is the safest method.
Using skin-on drumsticks is recommended as the skin helps retain moisture during the roasting process, resulting in juicier meat. However, if you prefer a leaner option or have dietary restrictions, you can opt for skinless.
There are SO many. I’ve noted some of my favorites under “Tips and Substitutions. You can also experiment with marinades or rubs featuring ingredients like soy sauce, honey, ginger, or chili powder for additional flavor profiles.
Insert the probe of a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken drumstick, avoiding contact with the bone. The thickest part usually corresponds to the meat near the center.
The flour contains gluten, but you can make this recipe gluten-free by substituting it with cornstarch.
More Recipes Like This
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Legs
- Juicy Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
- Sticky Balsamic Glazed Chicken Noodles and Veggies
- Paprika Chicken and Potatoes
Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks (5 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter or garlic butter cubed
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
Instructions
Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- To a 13”x9” pan, add drumsticks and seasonings.
- In a small bowl, whisk together broth and flour.
- Pour the broth mixture over the chicken. Toss everything until coated well. Situate the drumsticks in a single layer. Distribute butter evenly on top.
- Bake 35-45 minutes, flipping half-way through. Broil 1-2 minutes. Ensure an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.
Video
Notes
-
- Cuts of Chicken: You can substitute bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, chicken breasts or chicken wings and use the same recipe. The baking time to reach the minimum safe internal temperature of 165°F will vary to based on the cut.
-
- Skin vs. No Skin: The chicken skin adds to the juiciness and moisture of this dish. However, if you prefer skinless/boneless, you can use substitute the drumsticks with boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs. Make sure they’re not thicker than ½-3/4 inch. Adjust the baking temperature to 400°F and adjust the cook time to 25-35 minutes. Ensure an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.
-
- Seasoning Blend: The seasoning opportunities for this chicken are endless. Get creative with the flavors you love. Some other seasonings I use are cayenne pepper, regular paprika, lemon juice, brown sugar, ranch, Asian, masala, oregano, taco, cumin, rosemary, etc.
Brenda Saunders
Planning on trying this recipe!! Broth is not mentioned in recipe, I' sure it's probably chicken broth, but how much??
Laura Ashley
Thank you, Brenda! I've added it to the recipe. I hope you love it!
Pamela Bounous
I went back and looked at ingredients. Now it is listed. Thanks!
Phyllis Dennis
Just made these drumsticks 🍗 last night for supper and they were so delicious!! 👏🏻😋
Laura Ashley
YAY!! I’m so happy you made them and liked them so much! THANK YOU!
Traci
Everyone loved it!
Laura Ashley
FANTASTIC! I’m so happy they were a hit! THANK YOU!!
Phyllis Dennis
This is a family favorite! So easy to prepare and so delicious!
Laura Ashley
I'm so happy you made them and that they're a favorite!
Karen
It said to coat the chicken in flour. So do you coat the chicken in flour, put it in the 9x13 pan add the seasonings then add the flour and broth?
Laura Ashley
You whisk the flour into the broth then pour it over the chicken/seasonings and mix 🙂
Suzanne Self
Hey Laura! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Quick question… is there a substitute for the flour? ( I have gluten free kid). Thanks
Laura Ashley
I hope you love it too! 🙂 You can substitute the flour with cornstarch.
Barb
These were absolutely delicious!!! I even used some of the sauce on my mashed potatoes. Yummy
Laura Ashley
Thank you SO much!!!🥰 I love that you made them and that you liked them so much!!!