Baked Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks, bone-in, skin-on (about 2 pounds)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
- Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels. This will help the spices to stick to the chicken and also get the chicken crispier.
- Place the chicken in a mixing bowl or directly on the baking pan and drizzle them with olive oil. Toss to coat.
- In a small mixing bowl combine the garlic powder, paprika, chili powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the chicken and toss to coat. Lay the chicken legs on the baking sheet with enough room around each so they're not touching.
- Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, flipping once through the baking process. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, and then coat the drumsticks with olive oil before seasoning. These steps are very important if you want crispy, golden brown skin.
- Lay the chicken legs on the baking sheet with enough room around each so they’re not touching. Having proper heat circulation while baking is key for even cooking.
- If you want to boost the crispiness of the skin, you can broil the chicken during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking. Keep an eye on the legs to prevent them from burning.
- It’s best to check the internal temperature with an instant-read thermometer.
- If the chicken starts to brown too quickly, tent it with aluminum foil.
Nutrition
Calories: 308 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 27 g, Fat: 21 g, Saturated Fat: 5 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 139 mg, Sodium: 453 mg, Potassium: 367 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 392 IU, Vitamin C: 1 mg, Calcium: 20 mg, Iron: 1 mg
