These Oven Baked Chicken Legs are made using a mixture of cornstarch, flour, and seasonings to bring a juicy meat and a golden brown crispy exterior. With only 5 minutes of prep time, these drumsticks are an easy and delicious dinner!

Serve these delicious baked chicken legs with Air Fryer Waffle Fries, Air Fryer Potato Wedges or Baked Zucchini Fries! For an air fryer option, see my Air Fryer Chicken Legs recipe.

Oven Baked Chicken Legs on a white plate on a white background.

Why This Recipe Works

  • Crispy chicken legs. These oven baked chicken legs have a seasoned exterior that is crispy and delicious! The flour, cornstarch and spritz of olive oil help provide that delicious crispy texture! 
  • Easy baked chicken legs. This baked chicken legs recipe is super easy to prepare and make! It only takes a few minutes of prep and then let the oven do the rest! 
  • Delicious chicken seasoning. This mixture of spices is the perfect combination to make for a delicious chicken dinner the entire family will love! 

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients used to make Oven Baked Chicken Legs portioned into glass bowls on a light grey background.
  • Chicken Drumsticks: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and keep the skin on.
  • Flour: The flour helps create a nice crust coating on the skin and keeps the seasonings together. 
  • Cornstarch: The cornstarch, when in contact with some of the moisture on the chicken, will form a seal to keep the moisture and flavor inside the chicken.
  • Seasonings: My favorite chicken drumstick rub includes paprika, garlic powder, basil, thyme, and oregano. I think the smoky-ness of the paprika complements the rest of the herbs. 

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Combine the chicken leg seasonings. To a small bowl or large Ziplock bag add the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, basil, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Shake to combine. 
A glass bowl with flour, cornstarch, and a variety of dried herbs in it.
  1. Coat the chicken in the chicken drumstick rub. Add 2 chicken legs at a time to the bag and shake until fully coated with the chicken leg seasoning. 
  1. Bake. When all the chicken legs are coated, place them on a lightly sprayed wire rack nestled on a baking sheet. Bake in an oven preheated to 400ºF for 20 minutes. Rotate the drumsticks and bake for another 20 minutes. Broil for 4 minutes more. Meat should reach an internal temperature of 185°F.
Flour coated chicken drumsticks on a wire rack nested baking sheet.

Recipe Tips

You can replace the garlic powder with garlic salt. Just keep in mind the breading will be much saltier. If you do, reduce the salt to only 1/2 to 1 tsp or so.

Before you place the chicken on the wire rack, lightly coat the rack with nonstick cooking spray to prevent the chicken from sticking.

If you don’t have olive oil, you can use a few squirts of nonstick cooking spray. The olive oil will help the drumsticks crisp up in the oven.

For added crunch and crispiness, turn the oven to broil and bake for 4-5 minutes or until the skin is a dark golden brown. When I broiled this chicken, I moved the baking rack up to the top so that the chicken was closer to the flames. Always keep an eye on the food when you’re broiling. Every oven is different.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing

You can make the chicken leg seasoning ahead of time and store it in a Ziplock bag at room temperature for up to a year.

Store any leftover oven baked chicken legs in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. 

If you want to freeze the chicken legs, I would recommend just freezing the raw chicken legs and then thaw them and make the recipe as instructed. 

You can take any leftover chicken legs and remove the meat from the bone. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. 

Recipe FAQs

Can I use chicken breasts?

Yes you can! This chicken seasoning is delicious on chicken thighs or chicken breasts! You will have to cook the chicken breasts in the oven longer due to their bigger size, so be sure to keep an eye on your oven and make sure the chicken has reached the appropriated internal temperature. 

Do I need flour and cornstarch for a chicken rub?

It is really helpful! The flour helps create a seasoning crust on the exterior of the chicken. The cornstarch acts as a seal when it comes in contact with the moisture from the chicken. This will keep the juices inside the chicken. 

Can I freeze cooked chicken?

Yes you can! I think the easiest thing to do is remove the chicken from the bone and store it in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag in the freezer. This way you can thaw it and use it in pastas, soups, etc. 

A bite taken out of a crispy Oven Baked Chicken Leg that is on top of other baked chicken legs that are on a white plate.

More Chicken Recipes

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Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Legs on a white plate with barbecue sauce in a small bowl in the background.
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5 from 4 votes

Oven Baked Chicken Legs

Quick and easy to make chicken drumsticks for the whole family!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 12 chicken drumsticks - patted dry with paper towels (keep skin on)
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 3 teaspoons paprika
  • 3 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • olive oil - for spritzing

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with tin foil and place a baking rack overtop of the baking sheet, lightly spray the wire rack with cooking spray. If you don’t have one, spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large ziplock bag combine the flour,cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, basil, thyme, oregano, and salt and pepper. Shake to combine the ingredients. 
  • Place 2 drumsticks in the bag, seal, and shake to coat. Once the drumsticks are coated with flour remove from the bag and transfer to the wire rack. 
  • Continue adding drumsticks to the bag, 2 at a time, until all are covered in the flour mixture. Spritz the drumsticks with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt.
  • Bake for 20 minutes and then turn them over. Continue baking for an additional 20 minutes. Broil for 3-4 minutes or until the tops have browned. *
  • Bake until meat reaches 185°F.  Remove from the oven and serve plain or with your favorite barbecue sauce. 

Notes

*Broiling is optional. I like to do it to add the extra crisp and toasty exterior. Just be mindful of the chicken and watch it carefully so that it doesn’t burn.
You can replace the garlic powder with garlic salt. Just keep in mind the breading will be much saltier. If you choose to go this route I suggest reducing the amount of salt added to only 1/2 to 1 tsp or so.
Have fun with the seasonings! Add more or less and feel free to substitute different herbs.

Nutrition

Calories: 138kcal (7%)Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)Protein: 13g (26%)Fat: 7g (11%)Saturated Fat: 1g (5%)Cholesterol: 69mg (23%)Sodium: 661mg (28%)Potassium: 197mg (6%)Vitamin A: 295IU (6%)Vitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 21mg (2%)Iron: 1.2mg (7%)
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
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