Description
This baked chicken legs recipe delivers crispy, juicy, and flavorful chicken with minimal effort. Featuring simple staple ingredients and an easy method, it yields tender meat and perfectly crisp skin every time. Ideal for weeknight dinners or family meals, it offers versatile flavor options and is great for meal prep.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4–6 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Optional: 1 teaspoon dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, or oregano)
Instructions
- Preheat Your Oven: Heat your oven to 425°F (220°C). This high temperature is essential for achieving crispy skin and juicy meat.
- Prepare the Chicken Legs: Pat the chicken legs dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure crispiness. Drizzle olive oil evenly over each leg and rub to coat all sides.
- Season Generously: In a small bowl, mix garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and dried herbs if using. Sprinkle the seasoning blend evenly over all sides of the chicken legs, coating thoroughly.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the seasoned chicken legs skin-side up on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. This allows air circulation for even cooking and crisp skin.
- Bake to Perfection: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). For extra crispiness, broil for an additional 2-3 minutes while watching closely to prevent burning.
- Rest and Serve: Let the chicken legs rest for 5 minutes after baking to allow the juices to redistribute for maximum tenderness before serving.
Notes
- Dry the skin thoroughly before oiling for crispier chicken.
- Use a wire rack to allow even heat circulation around the legs.
- Do not overcrowd the pan to prevent steaming instead of crisping.
- Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer for perfect doneness.
- Marinate chicken legs for a few hours for extra flavor depth, if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken leg
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 22 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
Keywords: baked chicken legs, crispy chicken, easy chicken recipe, oven baked chicken, juicy chicken legs, healthy chicken recipe
