Crispy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Recipe video above. This is just a great, simple chicken drumsticks recipe you can get in the oven quickly. Tossed in a 3-ingredient, barbecue rub-like seasoning, they're beautifully crispy thanks to a touch of baking powder, a tried and proven secret ingredient in my Truly Crispy Baked Chicken Wings recipe!
Servings: 5 - 6 people
Calories: 395cal
Ingredients
- 12 chicken drumsticks (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Oil spray
Seasoning (Note 2):
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 3 tsp onion powder
- 5 tsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 4 1/2 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder (makes them crispier, DO NOT confuse with baking soda / bi-carb) (Note 3)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F (180°C fan-forced). Line a tray with foil then place a rack on the tray (makes the underside of the drumsticks crispier, Note 4).
- Seasoning: Mix the Seasoning ingredients in a shallow bowl.
- Coat in oil: Toss the drumsticks in the olive oil. Stretch and pull the skin on each drumsticks to cover as much of the flesh as possible.
- Coat in seasoning: Coat a drumstick in the Seasoning then shake the excess off well. Place on the rack. Repeat with remaining drumsticks.
- Spray with oil: Spray the legs generously with oil.
- Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through. Increase the oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan) then bake for a further 15 minutes or until the skin is crispy. Enjoy!
Notes
1. Other chicken cuts - You could also use chicken wings (same cook time and temp) or skin-on, bone-in thighs (bake 35 minutes at 200°C/390°F (180°C fan) then 15 minutes at the higher temp, per recipe).
2. Substitute for spices:
Garlic powder: more onion powder
Onion powder: more garlic powder
Smoked paprika: more ordinary/sweet paprika 3. Baking powder purpose - Not to be confused with baking soda / bi-carb which is like triple strength baking powder and will NOT taste nice!! Baking powder is a secret trick to make chicken skin crispier, a tried and proven method with chicken wings (very popular recipe on my website!). It doesn't make these drumsticks shatteringly crispy because they're seasoned rather than being plain skin (like the wings) but if you make these drumsticks without, they are noticeably less crispy. You can't taste the baking powder. 4. Tray prep - Why foil-lined? It makes your clean up life easier. Why rack? For crispy undersides! Don't have a rack? Line with paper instead and turn the drumsticks halfway, and expect to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time to make the top crispy. 5. Nutrition per serving (ie 5 servings, 2.4 drumsticks per person 😂)
Garlic powder: more onion powder
Onion powder: more garlic powder
Smoked paprika: more ordinary/sweet paprika 3. Baking powder purpose - Not to be confused with baking soda / bi-carb which is like triple strength baking powder and will NOT taste nice!! Baking powder is a secret trick to make chicken skin crispier, a tried and proven method with chicken wings (very popular recipe on my website!). It doesn't make these drumsticks shatteringly crispy because they're seasoned rather than being plain skin (like the wings) but if you make these drumsticks without, they are noticeably less crispy. You can't taste the baking powder. 4. Tray prep - Why foil-lined? It makes your clean up life easier. Why rack? For crispy undersides! Don't have a rack? Line with paper instead and turn the drumsticks halfway, and expect to add an extra 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time to make the top crispy. 5. Nutrition per serving (ie 5 servings, 2.4 drumsticks per person 😂)
Nutrition
Calories: 395cal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 167mg | Sodium: 893mg | Potassium: 745mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1073IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 2mg