Oven Roasted Chicken Legs (Thighs & Drumsticks)

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Oven Roasted Chicken Legs – either thighs, drumsticks, or even whole; can be the easiest dinner when you are short of time. Five minutes of prep time is all you’ll need; the oven does the rest.

Bringing this recipe back up by popular demand. It’s so easy to make with the perfect amount of spice and crispy skin.

After you’re done with this recipe, you may want to check my Slow Roasted Whole Chicken Legs, which is also super delicious but requires more baking time. Another popular chicken recipe is this Olive Oil Chicken Tights Mediterranean style.

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Oven roasted chicken legs (tights and drumsticks in the casserole dish, diagonal

Author’s Notes on the Oven Roasted Chicken Legs Recipes

I decided to make this easy Oven Roasted Chicken Legs recipe for the blog because several people have asked me how to cook a simple chicken in the oven. This may seem fairly basic for some of you, but I know of more than a few vegetarians out there struggling to cook meat for their families. And if you’ve ever undercooked or overcooked a chicken, you may find this recipe helpful.

Frequently Asked Questions about Roasting Chicken Legs:

  • Which parts of the chicken should I use to roast it in the oven?
  • When it comes to legs, should I use thighs, drumsticks, or whole legs?
  • How long does it take to prep the chicken ready for the oven?
  • Do I need to marinate the chicken before I put it in the oven?
  • Does the chicken need to be brined before seasoning?
  • What seasoning should I use to make a tasty chicken?
  • Do I need to pan-fry the chicken before I put it in the oven?
  • Does the chicken need to be placed on a rack or in the ovenproof dish?
  • At what temperature should I roast the chicken?
  • How long should the chicken stay in the oven?
  • How do I know that the chicken is cooked through?

Oven Roasted Chicken Legs (thighs and drumsticks) in casserole dish, vertical

Let’s try to answer some of the above questions/concerns.

Which parts of the chicken should I use to roast in the oven?

If I have a choice, I will always go for the dark meat (i.e., the legs) as it is tastier and not dry. You may roast the chicken breast, but it can be tricky as it can become dry. For me, chicken legs, either whole legs, thighs, or drumsticks, is the way to go. One of these always finds its way onto our dinner table at least once a week.

When it comes to legs, should I use thighs, drumsticks, or whole legs?

I love thighs and drumsticks, but whole legs are delicious, too. However, if you roast whole chicken legs, you’ll need more time in the oven. I used chicken thighs and chicken drumsticks for this baked chicken recipe because that was all I had at home, but you could go either way.

Oven Roasted Chicken Legs - chicken tight close up

How long does it take to prep the chicken for the oven?

It takes 5 minutes to prepare these chicken legs. I’m not joking. This recipe is very simple. The most difficult and time-consuming part will be peeling two cloves of garlic and chopping or pressing them through the garlic press. Then add very simple ingredients: olive oil, lemon juice, and spices (salt, pepper, sweet paprika, turmeric, cayenne pepper, oregano, and thyme). Mix & drizzle over the chicken. DONE.

Do I need to marinate the chicken before I put it in the oven?

You don’t have to, but you can. It will add flavor to your chicken. You can prepare the marinade with spices the night before, smother it all over your chicken, and put it into your oven the next day.

Does the chicken need to be brined before seasoning?

I love brining the meat. It makes it so tender. You can read about brining the meat in this super popular post for Brown Sugar Pork Chops with Garlic & Herbs. However, it isn’t necessary to brine these chicken legs to make them super delicious. If you don’t have time, or you forgot to put it in a brine or marinade the night before – no big deal. Just smother the chicken with the spices, place them into your oven, and enjoy this super simple, delicious dinner.

What seasoning should I use to make tasty oven-roasted chicken legs?

You can use any spices you’d like. For this recipe, I choose to use the following:

  • sweet paprika,
  • cayenne pepper,
  • turmeric,
  • dried oregano,
  • dried thyme and
  • salt & pepper.

Do I need to pan-fry the chicken before I put it in the oven?

Nope. You don’t have to. The oven can do the whole job for you. However, you can always do this if you want to achieve a super crispy skin. I wanted to present a simple recipe that doesn’t require “hand-holding.” Season the chicken and place in the oven. Easy peasy.

Oven Roasted Chicken Legs in a casserole dish, diagonal, on white board

Does the chicken need to be placed on a rack or in the ovenproof dish?

This recipe for Oven Roasted Chicken Legs is to be cooked in an ovenproof dish like a casserole or cast iron pan. 

At what temperature should I roast the chicken?

I recommend roasting the chicken at 425 F.

How long should the chicken stay in the oven?

Chicken thighs and drumsticks should be cooked for about 40-45 minutes. The whole legs will take approximately an hour.

How do I know that the chicken is cooked through?

The internal temperature should read 165F. Make sure to measure the temperature in the middle of the meat part of the leg and not close to the bone.

I hope this little guide will help anyone struggling with roasting chicken legs. I love this simple and super quick chicken recipe. It can make any weeknight dinner a breeze.

What to Serve this Oven Roasted Chicken Legs with:

Oven Roasted Chicken Legs in a casserole dish, vertical

If you are looking for more chicken recipes, try these:

Here is a Printable Recipe Card

Oven Roasted Chicken Legs, vertical

Oven Roasted Chicken Legs

Oven Roasted Chicken Legs - either thighs, drumsticks, or even whole; can be the easiest dinner one can make when you are short of time. Five minutes prep time is all you'll need.
4.93 from 26 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: European
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 3
Calories: 462kcal
Author: Edyta

Ingredients

  • 2 Chicken Thighs
  • 4 Chicken Drumsticks
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil Extra Virgin
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Salt Himalayan or Kosher
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper Freshly grounded
  • 2 cloves Garlic Minced
  • 1 teaspoon Sweet Paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon Oregano Dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon Thyme Dried
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 tbsp Butter optional for a crispy skin

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425F.
  • In a bowl combine: olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika, turmeric, oregano, thyme and cayenne;
  • Place the chicken in the oven-safe dish like casserole or cast-iron skillet;
  • Pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it on both sides; (This can be done a night before and kept refrigerated before cooking);
  • Place the chicken skin side up and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of sweet paprika (for more intense color); Transfer the casserole to the hot oven.
  • Roast the chicken for 40-45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165F;
  • After about 20 minutes of roasting, you can add a little pat of butter on each piece of chicken for crispier skin. It is an optional step and can be omitted;
  • Once the chicken reaches 165 ℉ remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. 

Notes

You can cook whole legs instead of thighs and drumsticks. The roasting time will be longer - approximately an hour.

Nutrition

Calories: 462kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 187mg | Sodium: 955mg | Potassium: 437mg | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 4.7mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1.7mg
Tried this recipe?Show me @eatingeuropean or tag #eatingeuropean!

This recipe was originally published on January 18, 2018.

Read about the author Edyta here or follow Eating European on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter.

 

 

 

 

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65 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Ill be trying this tonight. Can’t wait. My question is, aren’t drumsticks and whole chicken legs the same thing? I never knew there was a difference.

  2. 5 stars
    This is the BEST Recipe ever I have tried for baked chicken! It was so easy and the spice combination was superb!! It was a crowd pleaser and the serving bowl was wiped cleaned!! There wasn’t a drop left!! This will be my go to recipe from now on for baked chicken!! Thank you!

  3. 5 stars
    Loved this!!! Found and made this on a whim. Was sick of our bland baked chicken recipe. Tons of flavor and was delish! I did have two additional pieces of chicken and will double the marinade next time. Definitely keeping this in our rotation.

  4. 5 stars
    After a week of grilling thighs, with little flavor. Decided to find baked chicken recipe and this was it. The flavors were excellent. Soaked thighs in 2tbs kosher salt water over night. Skipped trying to find the dried herbs, rubbed seasoning. Pan seared in Dutch over at room temp, added little 1/4 cup water to pot and in the over for 45min. Wife took the first bite and said wow this chicken has so much flavor. Though she was kidding, but WOW. Will make again. Going to try the same spices but grilled. Thank you.

  5. 5 stars
    This was delicious. It was easy to make & prep. I left the chicken thighs connected to the legs. In one hour it was ready to eat and delicious

  6. I am not a very good cook, at least I don’t think I am. I saw this recipe and it looked so good, I had to try it. My husband likes to pick up chicken at fast food places to keep on hand for snacking and I know they are most likely full of bad unhealthful ingredients and cheap chicken. So I want to start making my own healthy chicken to keep on hand for him. I got my organic pasture fed chicken and made it and I was very impressed with myself! It looked so good and the skin was nice and crispy. When I tried it, I knew I found a winner! I asked my hubby what he thought about it and he said he absolutely loved it! The only thing I did different was use ghee instead of olive oil. I will be following you! Ty!

  7. 5 stars
    OMGosh I love this recipe! I tried it last night for dinner. I was looking for a recipe to have crispy chicken skin when I oven bake them. This recipe is everything! My chicken was well seasoned, crispy skin, and moist. I let two thighs and 4 drumsticks cook for an hour and they were so tender. My boyfriend and I loved it!

  8. I’ve made this twice in past few weeks and, by request, making again tonight.
    It is absolutely delicious!’
    Thank you so very much.

  9. I just roasted up a double batch of chicken drumsticks and they are without a doubt absolutely delicious. Perfectly cooked to tenderness in 1 hour. I love the seasoning – the lemon and pinch of cayenne pepper comes through. I did dust with paprika after pouring the seasoning over and spreading it on top of the legs with the back of a spoon. I’ve never had roasted chicked with such a crispy skin. This recipe is a keeper!

  10. 5 stars
    I’ve made this dish many times and it is consistently delicious! My boyfriend loves it too, and he’s very particular. The chicken is well spiced and moist, for extra flavor marinate overnight. I highly recommend adding the butter on top for last 20 and roasting it for crispy finger licking goodness 🙂

  11. 5 stars
    The best chicken recipe I have ever made! It’s my husband’s most requested dish! We recently made it for a dinner party and it got rave reviews! I made it exactly as the recipe is stated. Sometimes I double it and make extra thighs!

  12. 5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe. It’s easy and so delicious! I must’ve cooked it dozens of times by now, it’s become a family favourite.

  13. 5 stars
    Excellent recipe – I just tried it and it is so easy to do. You won’t be disappointed. One of my new regular dishes for sure.

  14. Can this be done without the skin? I want to roast these whole legs (and possibly wings?) to put into a soup. I would hate to waste a perfectly crispy skin by making it soggy.

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