Herbaceous and flavorful with really crispy skin, these roasted chicken legs are fantastically gluten-free and low-carb. It's super-easy to make juicy chicken in the oven or the air fryer.
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Why you'll love it
Whether baking chicken intimidates you or you don't know whether crispy baked chicken drumsticks are keto-friendly, this recipe is what you're looking for!
With an alluring blend of spices, these baked chicken legs taste even better than fried chicken. This delicious recipe will show you how to achieve crispy skin without deep frying or breading the chicken drumsticks.
When you cook chicken legs with this recipe, the juices stay locked in, and they come out piping hot. The aromas will make you so hungry! This baked chicken drumsticks recipe is one everyone will dig into, whether they are on a gluten-free or low-carb diet or not.
Plus, you'll be able to use this spice mix to make other types of chicken too! Use it to cook chicken breast or chicken thighs.
You're going to love this chicken leg recipe!
Ingredients
When you make baked chicken legs, you really only need the drumsticks, some oil, and spices. Here's a bit more information about what I used when I made them.
Chicken drumsticks
To make the best crispy baked chicken legs, you need drumsticks. You can certainly use chicken thighs or leg quarters, but then it will take longer for them to bake fully.
Seasonings
I used my own spice mix on these chicken drumsticks. You can change it up or create your own. To save time, you could even just use a jarred Italian seasoning blend.
Here's what I used on my chicken legs:
- Smoked Paprika
- Onion Powder
- Garlic Powder
- Oregano
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Salt and Pepper
Olive oil
You need some kind of healthy fat to coat on the outside of the chicken legs to give you that perfectly crispy skin you love. Use olive oil, olive oil spray, melted butter, or avocado oil.
Please note: Check out the recipe card at the bottom for a full list of ingredients used to make this low-carb recipe.
💭 Tips
- Use a casserole dish instead of a baking sheet. It will catch all the juices easier than a rimmed baking sheet.
- Remove the drumsticks as soon as they reach an internal temperature of 165F. If you overcook drumsticks, they will be too dry.
- Cover the chicken legs really well with olive oil. The oil is the secret to crispy baked chicken.
- Make clean-up easier. Line your casserole dish with either parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Instructions
These baked chicken legs come together in just a few easy steps! Here's how to make the best baked chicken legs every single time.
Prep the oven and chicken legs
Preheat your oven. Then pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Drizzle with olive oil
Next, drizzle olive oil on top of the chicken legs. Spread it out evenly on each leg with a pastry brush.
Coat with spices
Sprinkle the chicken with your seasoning blend. Rub it in well to coat the chicken well.
Bake chicken legs
Bake the chicken drumsticks for about 50 minutes. Be careful not to overcook them. You can use an instant-read thermometer to check the temperature. Remove the chicken from the oven when it reaches 165F.
Now you know how to bake chicken legs! It's so easy!
Serving suggestions
These baked chicken legs are an easy dinner idea because they pair with almost anything you make. They have such a classic combination of flavors that you can serve them with your favorite sides.
Add some keto mashed cauliflower to the table. They taste just like mashed potatoes! To mimic the Italian flavors in the baked chicken legs, start out with a bowl of Zuppa Toscana soup.
Baked chicken drumsticks also taste incredible with a side of stuffed portobello mushrooms with spinach and artichoke.
Variations
There are a lot of different ways to change this simple baked chicken legs recipe. Try one of these easy recipe variations.
- Make them in the air fryer: Baking chicken legs in an air fryer is pretty similar to how you bake them in the oven. It's really easy to adapt this chicken drumsticks recipe to the air fryer. Air fry them at 400F for 45 minutes. Flip over the chicken legs halfway through cooking time.
- Use your favorite herbs and spices. Try it with lemon pepper, cayenne pepper, or even use everything bagel seasoning.
- Save the leftover chicken. Oven-baked chicken tastes delicious in chicken salad or chicken noodle soup.
FAQs
Here are some questions people often ask about making baked chicken legs. If you don't see your question in this list, please leave it in the comments.
Yes, you can use this oven-baked chicken legs recipe to make delicious bone-in chicken thighs. All you have to do is keep an eye on the internal temperature and keep baking them until they are fully cooked.
You do not have to bake chicken legs covered. I only suggest this if your oven cooks too hot and you don't want the skin to burn.
Cook chicken drumsticks until they reach an internal temperature of 165F. Use a meat thermometer to track this.
Cooked chicken will stay fresh for up to three days. Store it in an airtight container.
Dry meat will happen when you overcook chicken drumsticks. This is why it is so important to monitor the internal temperature and remove them as soon as they reach 165F.
Many poultry recipes will be keto-friendly as long as they aren't coated in carb-loaded ingredients. Crispy baked chicken is ket0-friendly because it only involves chicken legs, olive oil, and spices.
Chicken is a healthy protein because it is low in saturated fat.
Related recipes
If you enjoyed this baked chicken legs recipe, here are more chicken recipes you will like next! All of these keto chicken recipes are low-carb and gluten-free.
- Keto Butter Chicken is an Indian recipe made with chicken breasts.
- Malaysia Chicken Curry is another recipe that is made with whole chicken legs, but the sauce on these legs is incredibly savory and aromatic.
- Keto Fried Chicken is easy to make in the air fryer or oven and is a popular recipe for skin-on chicken drumsticks.
- Baked Pecan Crusted Chicken Breast is another crunchy yet juicy chicken recipe that has an irresistible coating.
- Roasted Whole Chicken can be made in the pressure cooker and give you enough meat to eat on all week.
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Recipe
Roasted Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 8 chicken legs bone in and skin on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
- 1 teaspoon basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Place the chicken into a 9x13 baking dish, and season with salt and pepper.
- Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil.
- Sprinkle the chicken with the seasonings and rub them in well to coat the chicken.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked completely through.
Low Carb Sweeteners | Keto Sweetener Conversion Chart
Nutrition
Additional Info
Notes on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for the recipe is provided as a courtesy and is approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on this site. Erythritol carbs are not included in carb counts as it has been shown not to impact blood sugar. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber.
Copyright
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