Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Oven baked chicken drumsticks are a healthy alternative for fried chicken lovers! They are seasoned to perfection and baked, not fried!

These tasty oven-baked chicken drumsticks are just as crispy and delicious as their fried alternative, but without the grease! These baked beauties taste delicious paired with Buttermilk Biscuits, Cheesy Hasselback Potatoes, and Roasted Green Beans.

Two baked drumsticks on a white plate.

Delicious and more healthy

When I’m feeling motivated to eat healthier, it seems like chicken is all I eat. Even though there are so many wonderful ways to make chicken, it can still get a little old sometimes. So, we’re always on the look out for new ways to switch up our chicken dishes, like this Oven Baked Chicken recipe!

These drumsticks were easy to put together and were a HUGE hit with everyone in the family. The batter coating the chicken is light, tasty, and just perfect enough to make you lick your fingers. The best part is that it tastes just like Kentucky Fried Chicken but they’re not fried at all – they’re BAKED!!

I was surprised that they tasted so good for being baked, but they were, which means I’ll feel less guilty when I have a few. 😉 When a recipe tastes this good and is this easy, it’s a winner in my book.

Chicken leg in a bowl of flour

How to Bake Drumsticks

BREAD. Coat each drumstick in the breading mixture (only 4 ingredients!), and then place in a 9×13 pan with a little bit of melted butter. Once they’re all breaded and in the pan, spray lightly with the spray butter and then place in the oven.

BAKE. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven, flip each chicken leg, spray with butter once more, and then bake for an additional 15-25 minutes, until they’re as crispy as you want them to be.

Tip: For easy clean up line the cooking pan with aluminum foil.

Can I use other cuts of chicken besides drumsticks? You can easily substitute other cuts. You will just have to adjust the bake times. Bake until juices run clear.

  • Thighs: 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes
  • Breasts: 375 degree oven for 20 minutes                                                                                        
  • Boneless Wings: 350 degree oven for 30 minutes
  • Bone-In Wings: 400 degree oven for 45 minutes

breaded drumsticks in a glass dish

Storing leftovers

Throw away leftover chicken if it has been at room temperature for more than two hours. STORE leftovers in the fridge for 3-4 days. You can also FREEZE leftovers. Use an airtight container, freezer bags, or wrap in aluminum foil. Freeze for 4-6 months.

To REHEAT chicken in the micrwave, place chicken on a microwave safe dish, cover with a damp paper towel, heat for 45 seconds flip and heat for 45 seconds more.

To heat in the oven place chicken in an oven safe dish. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly coat the chicken with olive oil, heat uncovered for 25 minutes.

These chicken legs are sooooo crispy and DELICIOUS! We just had this recipe again for the second time this month which means it’s definitely a KEEPER. 😉

Baked drumsticks in a glass baking dish

Close up of baked drumsticks in a glass baking dish

what to serve with drumsticks:

For more great chicken recipes, check out:

 

Baked Drumsticks Recipe

4.78 from 27 votes
Oven baked chicken drumsticks are a healthy alternative for fried chicken lovers! They are seasoned to perfection and baked, not fried!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 334 kcal
Author Lil' Luna

Ingredients

  • 2-3 TB butter
  • 2/3 c Bisquick mix
  • 1 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 3 lbs chicken drumsticks chicken legs
  • spray butter

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425.
  • Melt butter in a 9x13 baking dish in the oven.
  • While butter is melting, stir together Bisquick, paprika, salt and pepper in a bowl. Coat each chicken drum and place in 9x13 with melted butter.
  • Spray with butter before putting in the oven and once during baking.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, flip and bake an additional 15-25 minutes. ENJOY!!

Video

Notes

Tried and True Findings:

DIFFICULTY: simple
HOW MANY DOES IT FEED: 6-8
ANY CHANGES MADE:  used more butter, baked for longer
ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR NEXT TIME:  none

Adapted from bettycrocker.com.

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. Two different temperatures are listed for the drumsticks( 450 before the recipe + 425 in the recipe). Also the cooking times for alternative chicken pieces seem way off. Example: Cooking a large breast piece at a lower heat than the drumsticks and for a mere 20 minutes ? ! ? Can you confirm or correct, please.

    1. I actually cook whole skinless chicken breasts for my dog I cook about 10 pounds on a half sheet at 450 degrees for 26 minutes and they come out perfect every time. That’s like two family packs from Walmart although recently conditions have made me go to a different grocery store which offered Tyson and I don’t think that Tyson puts as much fluid in their chicken breasts and they came out even better. So I was here on this website to see if cooking drumsticks was any different and didn’t really get a clear answer.

  2. 5 stars
    A family favorite! We call it Fire Alarm Chicken cause the popping butter has set off our fire alarm a few times. To avoid that now I heat the pan in the oven, then remove it and add the butter to the hot pan.

  3. 5 stars
    This recipe is so simple and the results are delicious. My only mistake was removing the skin, next time I’m leaving it. You weren’t kidding when you said the drumsticks taste like KFC neither.

    1. Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed the drumsticks! KFC from home, right? 😉 Thanks for your response!

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