Baked Chicken Drumsticks
These oven baked chicken drumsticks are coated in a smoky seasoning and roasted until juicy, sticky and seriously delicious. An easy dinner made with simple ingredients!
Servings: 10 drumsticks
Equipment
- Paper Towels/Kitchen Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Small Pot (for seasoning)
- Large Baking Tray & Foil
- Wire Rack
- Brush
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 2lb / 1kg Chicken Drumsticks (approx 9-10)
- 2.5 tbsp Olive Oil, plus a dash more if needed
- 1.5 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp EACH: Dried Thyme, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper (see notes)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425F/220C.
- In a small pot, add brown sugar, smoked paprika, onion & garlic powder, thyme, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and olive oil and combine until a paste forms. Add a dash more oil if you need to loosen up the paste slightly.
- Pat the drumsticks dry to remove excess moisture, then 'pull' the skin up to cover the meat (helps prevent the meat from drying out and keeps the skin crispy). Place in a large mixing bowl, and combine with the seasoning paste until everything is evenly coated.
- Place a wire rack above a foil-lined baking tray. Use a brush to lightly brush the wire rack with oil to help prevent the chicken from sticking. Space the drumsticks out on the wire rack, ensuring the meatiest part with the most skin is facing up. Use a brush to collect all the leftover seasoning in the bowl and brush it over the drumsticks (you can add a dash of oil to the bowl if needed).
- Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, or until crispy, lightly charred and piping hot right through the centre (a thermometer at the thickest part next to the bone should read 75C/165F). Timings will depend on the thickness of the thighs, so just be vigilant.
Video
Notes
a) Marinade - You can prep these ahead of time, which will actually help inject some of the flavour into the chicken. Just tightly cover the mixing bowl and leave in the fridge (up to overnight) then bring to room temp and cook as instructed. I recommend 1 tbsp acidity if you're doing this, just to help tenderize the chicken. I find flavour-wise lime juice works the best!
b) Can I use other cuts of chicken? - Yup! This seasoning ratio works great with other cuts of chicken. If you're using similar sized thighs (and bone in/skin on) the timing & temp will be similar (just be vigilant). If you're using whole legs then drop the temp down to 210C/410F and cook for 45-50mins (again, just be vigilant). Boneless skinless chicken breasts work best at 200C/390F for 20mins. In all cases just make sure you're using the same weight (2lb/1kg) and ensure the inside of the chicken at the thickest part gets up to safe temp with the juices running clear.
c) Cayenne - 1/2 tsp gives a really nice gentle kick, but certainly nothing overbearing. If you're REALLY not good with spice reduce to 1/4 tsp (but don't omit - it adds a lovely flavour).
d) Thyme - I originally had this recipe with 1 tsp Thyme, but have since found myself using 1/2 tsp. If the dried thyme leaves are quite long, I recommend just crushing them up with your fingers so they combine with the seasoning mix more cohesively.
e) Calories - Based on using 10 drumsticks (calories per drumstick).
Nutrition
Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.13g | Protein: 8.29g | Fat: 7.62g | Saturated Fat: 1.594g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.284g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.162g | Trans Fat: 0.023g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.73g | Vitamin A: 252IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 0.47mg