Drum roll, please! Baked Chicken Drumsticks, anyone? These homemade chicken drumsticks are smoky, slightly spicy and finger licking good! The drumsticks are lightly seasoned and baked to perfection, resulting in crispy, juicy and tender chicken.
My Baked Chicken Drumstick recipe starts off with a flavourful spice rub! Everyone needs a good spice rub in their cooking arsenal! It’s such a versatile ingredient, can be used to season almost any protein and elevates a dish. A little dusting gives chicken, pork, beef, lamb, fish or seafood a certain je ne sais quoi. My spice rub features smoked paprika, garlic powder, ancho chili powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and ground pepper. All the ingredients combine to create a smoky, spicy, aromatic and slightly floral blend. The chicken drumsticks are coated in this beautiful seasoning and baked for 50 minutes or until crispy, juicy and tender. Top the chicken drumsticks with my homemade peach salsa and you’ll have yourself a dish that is simply the chef’s kiss!
This dish comes together quickly, requires minimal prep and couldn’t be easier to make! These chicken drumsticks make for the perfect meal during a busy week but work equally well as a date night, dinner party or BBQ main. My Baked Chicken Drumstick recipe produces quite a few servings, making it ideal for anyone who loves meal prepping! So, let me show you how it’s done. Grab a spoon and come and cook with me!
Enjoy this dish alongside some fun and exciting sides, such as my Simple Three Bean Salad, Chickpea Salad, Avocado, Tomato & Corn Salad and Homemade Dill Pickle Slaw recipes!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 45 - 50 minutes
Total Time: 50 - 55 minutes
Serves: 8
Ingredients:
16 chicken drumsticks, bone-in and skin-on (approx. 1.5 kg or 3.3 lbs)
2 Tbsp avocado oil
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
A handful of fresh cilantro, as garnish
Homemade peach salsa, as garnish
Cooked rice, for serving
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 425F and line a 11" x 17" inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
While the oven is preheating, remove the chicken drumsticks from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature for approximately 30 minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel and set aside.
To a large bowl, add the chicken drumsticks, avocado oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, ancho chili powder, onion powder, ground pepper and dried thyme. Using a large spoon or tongs, toss until the chicken is well coated in seasoning.
Transfer the chicken drumsticks to the lined baking sheet, leaving some space between each of the drumsticks.
Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, flipping the chicken drumsticks over, half way through the cook time. You know your chicken drumsticks are fully cooked when, using a digital thermometer, the internal temperature reaches 175F (or 80C).
Remove the chicken drumsticks from the oven and let them stand for 5 minutes.
Serve over rice and garnish with fresh cilantro and homemade peach salsa. Enjoy!
