4 Ingredient Baked Chicken Legs With A Variety Of Flavor Options

This simple and delicious recipe for baked chicken legs only requires four ingredients and can be customized with a variety of flavors, making it a perfect weeknight dinner option.

Baked Chicken Legs Recipe

Need a quick and easy way to make your family happy? These 4-Ingredient Baked Chicken Legs are easy to make and turn out tender and juicy every time. Kids go crazy for these yummy chicken legs. These beauties are a great option when you are looking for a keto-friendly, low carb or gluten free option for dinner.

Ingredients

Barbara’s good friend shared this easy recipe with her several years ago. It always amazes her that such a crowd-pleaser could be made with four simple ingredients.

• Skin-on Chicken legs
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black Pepper

What’s better?  This dinner meets the requirements for low carb, keto or gluten free diets.

Wanting a baked chicken in a yummy sauce? Try this Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Recipe! If you are looking for a recipe that combines chicken legs with an easy side dish, try our Spanish Chicken and Rice one-pan meal. We even have a soup featuring chicken legs with our Chicken Tortilla Soup over Rice.

Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Kids love chicken legs, and husbands do too! Barbara roasts her chicken legs on her favorite stoneware roasting sheet (like these). Seriously, these are so, so simple (which is what we all need some nights when we just need to get dinner on the table).

Looking for some other proteins options for dinner?  Try our 12 minute Old Fashioned Ham Steak, Potato Chip Crusted Baked Chicken Tenders, and Tender Crock Pot Spare Ribs.

How do I make crispy baked chicken legs?

To get a crispy skin on baked chicken legs, bake them in a 2-step process. Take skin-on chicken drumsticks, drizzle with olive oil and seasonings, and bake, uncovered, until 165 degrees F. Then, turn the oven on broil, and watch carefully until the skin turns golden brown and crispy.

How to Make Baked Chicken Legs

Step by Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Drizzle chicken legs with olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange on a large baking sheet. I like to line mine with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
3. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes of until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
4. Broil for a couple minutes longer to get a golden brown crust. Be sure to watch them carefully so they do not burn.

Storage Instructions

Let leftovers cool completely. Transfer to an airtight container, and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

For the full recipe for the best baked chicken legs, scroll to the bottom of this post.

Recipe FAQs

• If your chicken is really wet, pat dry with a paper towel before drizzling with oil.
• Grab a package or bag of chicken legs, olive oil and salt and pepper and you are good to go. That’s it!
• If you are using frozen chicken, make sure you thaw them before baking.
• Be sure to have your meat thermometer ready to go. The chicken should be 165 degrees F (or just shy of it – 163 degrees or so) before you pull it out. Our friend, Marybeth, has a great blog post (more than one) about using an instant-read thermometer – check it out here.
• To get a crispy skin, broil the chicken legs at the end. Be sure to watch them so they don’t burn. It only takes a couple minutes.
• This is a great option if you are on a diet.  These are keto chicken legs or low carb chicken legs—however you want to say it.

Recipe Variations

• Use this recipe for chicken thighs or chicken breasts too. Just note, the baking time will change. Use an instant-read thermometer like this one and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.
• The ways to adapt this recipe to your taste are endless. Sprinkle with your favorite dried herbs, spices or seasoning blends instead of salt and pepper, or in addition to salt and pepper. Here are some suggestions: lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, garlic salt, herbs de Provence, paprika, seasoned salt, dried oregano, basil, dill, etc.

Should I flip chicken legs when baking?

You could flip your chicken half-way, if desired, but it is not absolutely necessary. Instead, if the chicken fat covers both sides of the chicken, flip it half way during the broil step to get all sides crispy.

Can drumsticks be a little pink?

Yes, chicken could be a little pink and still be cooked properly. The color of meat is not necessarily an indicator of whether or not the meat is cooked fully. Instead, use an instant read thermometer, and cook the chicken until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F which is recommended by the FDA.

How to know when drumsticks are done in the oven?

The only true way to know when chicken drumsticks are done cooking is to use a meat thermometer. With technology, this is actually really simple. Purchase a meat thermometer that is oven safe. These include a probe that you inset into the chicken while cooking, and this probe is connected by a metal cord to a device that sits outside the oven. Set the targeted temperature to 165 degrees F, and when the chicken reaches this temperature, it will set off an alarm to let you know they are ready.

Our Favorite Side Dish Recipes

What do we serve with these easy baked chicken legs? We love simple side dishes that we can pull together while the chicken is baking.

• Air Fryer Cauliflower
• Creamed Peas with Canned Peas
• Sweet and Sour Green Beans with Bacon
• Easy Rice Pilaf with Peas
• Sesame Broccoli

Kitchen Utensils

• Baking Sheet Pan
• Parchment Paper (to line the pan for easy cleanup)
• Tongs
• Oven Safe Meat Thermometer
• Olive Oil
• Celtic Sea Salt
• Cracked Black Pepper

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