{"id":2113922,"date":"2025-03-21T09:54:51","date_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:54:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?post_type=recipe&p=2113922"},"modified":"2025-03-21T09:54:51","modified_gmt":"2025-03-21T14:54:51","slug":"baked-chicken-legs","status":"publish","type":"recipe","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/recipes\/baked-chicken-legs\/","title":{"rendered":"Baked Chicken Legs"},"content":{"rendered":"
You don\u2019t see many easy chicken dinner recipes<\/a> that call for bone-in cuts of chicken, but these baked chicken legs are an exception. Although the chicken legs bake for 45 minutes, they take only 10 minutes to prepare. Just toss the chicken with oil and a mixture of pantry spices, and they\u2019re ready to go in the oven. This no-fuss recipe is perfect anytime you need a low-effort dinner, and it delivers juicy, flavorful chicken with crispy, golden skin every time.<\/p>\n Preheat the oven to 425\u00b0F. In a large bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and thyme.<\/p>\n Brush the chicken legs with olive oil.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Tip:<\/em>\u00a0Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel first\u2014this will help the oil and seasonings stick.<\/p>\n Then add them to the bowl and toss them with the spice mixture until evenly coated.<\/p>\n Place the chicken legs on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Check for doneness with an instant-read kitchen thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the drumsticks. The chicken is cooked through when it reaches 165\u00b0.<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s Tip:<\/em>\u00a0The minimum\u00a0safe cooking temperature for chicken<\/a> is 165\u00b0, but the dark meat in the legs and thighs reaches optimal tenderness when cooked for a bit longer. You can leave the baked chicken legs in the oven for a few more minutes until they reach 170\u00b0, or cover the chicken with foil and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving\u2014the residual heat will continue to cook the chicken a few more degrees.<\/p>\n Oven-baked chicken legs taste best hot and crispy right out of the oven, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. You can reheat the chicken legs, pull the meat off the bones to make sandwiches or use the meat in recipes that call for leftover chicken<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reheat baked chicken legs recipes in the oven or an air fryer preheated to 350\u00b0. You can also microwave them, but the skin won\u2019t crisp. The oven or an air fryer are your best bets to get the skin crispy again.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll find baked chicken legs recipes using both temperatures, but they cook faster at 400\u00b0 or higher. In this recipe, we bake the chicken at 425\u00b0 to promote crispy skin and get dinner on the table faster.<\/p>\n You sure can! Preheat your air fryer to 375\u00b0 and cook the chicken for 20 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway. Air-fried chicken legs<\/a> cook faster than oven-baked, but there\u2019s one caveat\u2014you may have to cook them in batches. The chicken legs need to be arranged in a single layer so heat can circulate for even cooking and crispy skin, and most air-fryer inserts have much less surface area than a baking sheet.<\/p>\n To ensure your chicken legs turn out crispy, pat the chicken dry with a paper towel before brushing it with oil. You can help the skin crisp all over by placing an oven-safe rack on top of a baking sheet to allow air to circulate around the chicken and keep it from sitting in oil. Flipping the chicken legs halfway through cooking and popping them under the broiler for the last few minutes will also produce crispy results.<\/p>\n While the baked chicken legs are in the oven, prep a pot of creamy mashed potatoes<\/a>, mac and cheese, or buttered noodles on the stovetop. Round out your plate and balance the savory seasonings with a sweet veggie side, like candied carrots<\/a> or maple-glazed green beans<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" These baked chicken legs are crispy on the outside, juicy inside and packed with flavor thanks to a simple blend of pantry spices.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8114,"featured_media":2122238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false},"tags":[303971,304162,307330,304328,304993,304292,304338,303966,305003,304988,303887,306848,305014,305018,304268,307307,324623,303994,304150,303883],"categories-v2":[308500,309439,310369,308984,308481,308940,308305,308992,308495,308949,308935,308478,309603,308957,308959,259483,310342,309177,308528,309434,308476],"coauthors":[344069],"recommended_recipes":[{"post_title":"Crispy Baked Chicken 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In a large bowl, combine the salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and thyme.","image":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Baked-Chicken-Legs_FT25_278441_EC_0305_1.jpg?fit=700,1024"},{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Season the chicken legs","text":"Brush the chicken legs with olive oil. Editor\u2019s Tip: Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel first\u2014this will help the oil and seasonings stick. Then add them to the bowl and toss them with the spice mixture until evenly coated.","image":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Baked-Chicken-Legs_FT25_278441_EC_0305_2.jpg?fit=700,1024"},{"@type":"HowToStep","name":"Bake","text":"Place the chicken legs on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Check for doneness with an instant-read kitchen thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the drumsticks. The chicken is cooked through when it reaches 165\u00b0. Editor\u2019s Tip: The minimum safe cooking temperature for chicken is 165\u00b0, but the dark meat in the legs and thighs reaches optimal tenderness when cooked for a bit longer. You can leave the baked chicken legs in the oven for a few more minutes until they reach 170\u00b0, or cover the chicken with foil and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes before serving\u2014the residual heat will continue to cook the chicken a few more degrees.","image":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Baked-Chicken-Legs_FT25_278441_EC_0305_4.jpg?fit=700,1024"}],"recipeYield":"4 servings","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sharon Lehman, RDN"}],"nutrition":{"@type":"NutritionInformation","calories":" 316 calories","fatContent":"22g fat (5g saturated fat)","cholesterolContent":"95mg cholesterol","sodiumContent":"1264mg sodium","carbohydrateContent":"2g carbohydrate (0 sugars","fiberContent":"0 fiber)","proteinContent":"28g protein."},"aggregateRating":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":5,"reviewCount":1,"worstRating":1,"bestRating":5},"review":[{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Review","datePublished":"2025-04-03","author":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Person","name":"Jdorsey7"},"reviewBody":" My family loves it when I cook the leg quarters like this. The chicken is juicy, crispy, and super flavorful! <\/p>","reviewRating":{"@context":"http:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Rating","ratingValue":5,"worstRating":1,"bestRating":5}}]},"video":{"data":{"status":204},"message":"No shortcode found in recipe"},"rms_legacy_id":"278441","romance_copy_dek":"These baked chicken legs are crispy on the outside, juicy inside and packed with flavor thanks to a simple blend of pantry spices.","enhanced_recipe_title":"Baked Chicken Legs","rms_legacy_data":{"RecipeCategories":null,"Ingredients":[{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"2 teaspoons salt","IngredientText":"2 teaspoons salt"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1 teaspoon paprika","IngredientText":"1 teaspoon paprika"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1 teaspoon garlic powder","IngredientText":"1 teaspoon garlic powder"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1 teaspoon onion powder","IngredientText":"1 teaspoon onion powder"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1\/2 teaspoon pepper","IngredientText":"1\/2 teaspoon pepper"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"1\/4 teaspoon dried thyme","IngredientText":"1\/4 teaspoon dried thyme"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"2 pounds chicken leg quarters","IngredientText":"2 pounds chicken leg quarters"},{"CampaignId":"","IsBrandedIngredient":false,"Ingredient":"2 tablespoons olive oil","IngredientText":"2 tablespoons olive oil"}],"FeaturedImage":"https:\/\/tmbidigitalassetsazure.blob.core.windows.net\/rms3-prod\/attachments\/37\/1200x1200\/Baked-Chicken-Legs_EXPS_FT25_278441_EC_0305_5.jpg","RecipeId":278441,"AttachmentSourceId":null,"AttachmentSource":"Taste Recipes","PhotoCredit":"Baked Chicken Legs Recipe photo by Taste Recipes","VideoCode":null,"RecipeAttachmentFileName":"Baked-Chicken-Legs_EXPS_FT25_278441_EC_0305_5.jpg","ContributorId":null,"Firstname":"Test","Lastname":"Kitchen","City":"Milwaukee","StateDescription":"Wisconsin","IsCommunityCook":false,"TimeCallout":"Prep: 15 min. 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\n
Directions<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Mix the seasoning blend<\/h3>\n
ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Step 2: Season the chicken legs<\/h3>\n
ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Step 3: Bake<\/h3>\n
ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
ELLIE CROWLEY FOR TASTE OF HOME<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
Recipe Variations<\/h2>\n
\n
How to Store Baked Chicken Legs<\/h2>\n
How do you reheat baked chicken legs?<\/h3>\n
Baked Chicken Leg Tips<\/h2>\n
Is it better to bake drumsticks at 350\u00b0 or 400\u00b0?<\/h3>\n
Can you make chicken legs in an air fryer?<\/h3>\n
How do you get crispy chicken legs?<\/h3>\n
What can you serve with 0ven-baked chicken legs?<\/h3>\n