Description
This Crispy Baked Chicken Legs recipe delivers tender, juicy chicken with perfectly crispy skin achieved through a simple baking method enhanced by baking powder and poultry seasoning. It’s an easy-to-make, flavorful dish ideal for a satisfying weeknight dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks, cleaned, with the excess fat removed
Seasoning & Coating
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon poultry seasoning, or seasoning of choice
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more if desired
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more if desired
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Dry the chicken: Place a cooling rack over a large baking sheet and layer with paper towels. Arrange the chicken on top of the wire rack and tent with more paper towels. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least two hours, ideally overnight. If you are short on time, use paper towels to pat the chicken legs as dry as possible.
- Preheat the oven and prepare rack: Preheat the oven to 400 ℉. Discard the paper towels from the cooling rack and spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Season the chicken: In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, poultry seasoning, salt, black pepper, and baking powder. Add the chicken drumsticks and gently mix with your hands to evenly coat them with the seasoning mixture.
- Arrange and bake: Transfer the seasoned chicken legs evenly spaced on top of the wire rack placed on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F when measured with a digital meat thermometer.
- Rest before serving: Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. This helps the juices redistribute, ensuring a moist and flavorful bite.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
- Patting the chicken dry before seasoning helps achieve extra crispy skin.
- Using baking powder helps crisp the skin without deep frying.
- For spicier variations, add chili powder or cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken drumstick (approx. 100g)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 0g
- Sodium: 370mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 22g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
