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It doesn’t get much easier than this savory Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Drumsticks recipe. The marinade is full of flavor and the meat is practically fall off the bone tender and juicy.
Table of Contents
Juicy Chicken Drumsticks
My whole family is obsessed with these baked chicken drumsticks. They will eat the leftovers, cold, straight out of the fridge! But for dinner, we like to have them as part of a whole handheld meal with things like Air Fryer Tater Tots, Homemade Baked French Fries, and Corn on the Cob.
Chicken Drumsticks are flavor-packed, juicy with tender meat that, if you cook it right, will practically fall off the bone. I use skinless drumsticks, but you could leave the skin on and let it get a crispy skin if you want.
My latest obsession is this Lemon Garlic marinated Roasted Chicken Drumsticks recipe. The marinade has a ton of flavor so give it as long as you can to marinate. It’s great for prepping ahead of time so all you have to do is put them in the oven.
Ingredients
An overnight marinade makes this chicken practically fall off the bone tender, however, if you don’t have overnight, you could go as little as 30 minutes. Just remember that the longer it marinates, the more tender it will be.
The lemon is subtle and doesn’t overpower the rest of the marinade. You can of course add more lemon juice and even some lemon zest for a more intense punch of lemon. The seasoning is similar to what I use in my simple chicken seasoning, with some added herbs:
- Garlic powder – I use granulated garlic for simplicity, but for a more intense garlic flavor you can use 1-2 cloves of minced garlic.
- Smoked paprika – for an added smoky flavor.
- Dried oregano – or use fresh, just double the amount.
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
The flavors blend so well together and are what makes this chicken recipe so irresistibly delicious. If you want to forgo the marinade and just season the chicken with this flavor profile, you could certainly do that as well.
How to Bake Chicken Drumsticks
- Marinate – mix up the marinade and pour it into a resealable plastic bag. You could also use a plastic or glass container, but I like to use bags for marinades because you can squeeze out most of the air and really help the sauce permeate the meat. I try to give at least 2 hours for marinating, but if you only have 30 minutes you’ll still get some good flavor.
- Chicken – Obviously we are going with chicken legs here but you can use chicken thighs if that’s what you like. My preference is to remove the skin, but if you’re looking for skin-on crispy baked chicken legs, we do that too.
- Bake – Preheat the oven to 425℉ and arrange the marinated chicken on a baking sheet covered with foil. Roast at high heat for about 25 minutes, then flip over and continue to cook the chicken for about 10-20 minutes more or until the temperature reaches 165℉ on a meat thermometer.
Hot Tip!
When you bring chicken home from the store, prep marinades and place the meat and marinade together in freezer bags. Keep in the freezer up to 3 months, and pull out to thaw in the fridge overnight. As the meat is thawing, it will be soaking up the flavors of the marinade!
How Long Should Drumsticks Be Cooked For?
Chicken drumsticks take a little longer than boneless chicken. I recommend baking chicken legs at 425℉ for 35-45 minutes. The cook time will depend on your oven and the size of the drumsticks. I do flip the chicken about halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Always make sure that the meat is thoroughly cooked to an internal temperature 165℉ . Use a digital meat thermometer close to but not touching the bone. When pierced, the juices should run clear. If they’re pink, it’s not done.
Here’s a handy guide for baking chicken drumsticks at various temperatures:
- 350 degrees: 1 hour
- 375 degrees F: 45-55 minutes
- 400 degrees F: 40-50 minutes
- 425 degrees F: 35-45 minutes
FAQs
You cover something in the oven for one of two reasons: You don’t want it to brown too fast on top or burn, or you want to steam it, like my Chicken and Rice Bake. We don’t want any of those things, so you can bake these chicken legs uncovered.
The term chicken “leg” is often used synonymously with “drumstick,” however, the chicken leg actually has two parts, the drumstick and the thigh.
Serving Suggestions
With its bright lemon flavor, this baked chicken leg recipe lends itself to a lot of citrusy flavors. They will go great with Easy Roasted Veggies, Fresh Corn Salad, or Baked Potato Wedges.
They will also pair quite well with a simple side dish like Olive Garden Salad and Rice Pilaf.
Recipe Notes
- The longer you can marinate, the better. At least 2 hours is best or up to 24 hours.
- Discard any leftover marinade – do not brush onto cooked chicken or re-use.
- Use nonstick foil or spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray. Don’t be afraid to spray it even if you are using nonstick foil.
- This marinade will work with any kind of chicken. For boneless chicken breasts or tenders, the cook time will be much shorter.
- As much as I love chicken skin, I prefer to remove the skin from the chicken legs for this recipe. If using chicken thighs, you can decide whether to leave it on or remove it or use boneless chicken thighs.
Storage and Reheating
Storing leftovers: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Reheating: Thaw completely if frozen, then reheat at 350 degrees in the oven or air fryer. In a pinch, you can reheat in the microwave. They are also pretty delicious cold, or shredded and added to a salad.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes
- Baked Lemon Chicken
- Chicken Parmesan Baked Ziti
- Honey Lemon Chicken and Green Beans
- Broiled Chicken Thighs
- Easy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 10 Chicken Drumsticks skin removed
- 1 large lemon juiced and zested
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Instructions
- Pat chicken dry and place into a 1-gallon Ziploc bag.
- In a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour over chicken and seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible. Massage marinade into the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. (If all you have is 30 minutes, that’s fine – just remember the longer the marinade time, the more tender and juicy the chicken).
- When ready to cook, let chicken come to room temperature (about 20 minutes). Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Arrange chicken on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, for about 20-25 minutes. Flip chicken pieces and cook another 10 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temp of 165 F and is no longer pink.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- The longer you can marinate, the better. At least 2 hours is best or up to 24 hours.
- Discard any leftover marinade – do not brush onto cooked chicken or re-use.
- Use nonstick foil or spray the foil with cooking spray. Don’t be afraid to spray it even if you are using nonstick foil.
- As much as I love chicken skin, I prefer to remove the skin from the chicken legs for this recipe. If using chicken thighs, you can decide whether to leave it on or remove it or use boneless chicken thighs.
- Bonus tip: When you bring chicken home from the store, prep marinades and place the meat and marinade together in freezer bags. Keep in the freezer up to 3 months, and pull out to thaw in the fridge overnight. As the meat is thawing, it will be soaking up the flavors of the marinade!
Forgot your stars
Thank you!
Hi,
I USED your marinade to make fried chicken and it was awesome!
There were a few modifications; smoked paprika instead of paprika, while I also added McCormick roasted garlic and herbs
And i added smoked paprika and salt & pepper, mccormick roasted garlic &herbs to the flour.
Thank you for the recipe!
Thank yu so much Ricardo! I love that you used the marinade for fried chicken!!
This is my go to meal now. I use chicken breasts for more meat and lowered the oven temperature due to the burning point of olive oil being so low but oh my word is this delicious. I literally moan while I’m eating it. Hahaha. Highly recommended. (I found that marinating overnight provides more tender and juicy chicken but I’ve done only 2 hours as well and it’s still fantastic).
Nice! Thank you Terri!
great recipe but i so wish people would stop using plastic bags for marinating. whats wrong with marinating in a dish or tray?
You can use a baking dish or tray if you like, but using a sealed bag works for a few reasons:
1. It keep the marinade circulating around all of the meat.
2. It’s sealed so you don’t have to worry about the aromas affecting any other food in your fridge.
3. It’s my preference because it’s easier and doesn’t create another dish that has to be washed.
You are welcome to use any method you like to marinate your meat. This is my preferred method and the one I recommend.
Made these for dinner last night and they were amazing! I marinated them for about 3 hours and roasted as directed. They were tender and juicy with a fresh lemon flavor. Thank you for this recipe. It made me like drumsticks again.
Could you do this with chicken breasts or tenders?
You could, but don’t marinate more than 30 minutes and cook for a shorter amount of time, depending on the size of the pieces.
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I made this with thighs rather than drumsticks. Worked out wonderfully. So moist & juicy. It’s a keeper!
Thank you Virginia!
I absolutely LOVED this dinner however there is major debate on heating olive oil. EVOO is likely unsafe above 300 degrees so putting it in the oven at 400 or higher kills the good stuff in the oil and creates carcinogens. I”m back and forth on whether I will use olive oil on this again but the recipe itself was amazing. I’ve already raved to everyone.
Thank you Terri! and thanks for sharing your feedback!
Tried this tonight and it was flavorful. I marinated for 24 hours and baked it for about 35 min which was not enough. The meat thermometer was off tonight but aside from not fully cooking the drumsticks (user error) the flavor was a big hit with the family. It has officially been added to the dinner rotation. Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Simsai, so happy that you and your family loved this recipe!
Sorry, forgot to star-rate it … made this recipe as-is … soooo delish! Lemony and yummy!!!
Thank you Kate! and thank you for the five star rating rating!
Made this … followed recipe as-is … came out delish!!! So lemony and yummy!!!
Thank you Kate!
Im going to make this tonight. Can i use butter instead of oil?
Butter wouldn’t work in this case as it would thicken and congeal.
I am following your recipe and have used fresh garlic on the drumsticks. I cut the garlic and they were white when i cut them and added the oil and salt, pepper and so on. I placed it in the oven. When i took it out to see if it was ready. The garlic was slightly green. Is that ok or have i just spoiled my roast accidentally. This is my first time making roasts.
I’ve never had garlic turn green after baking. Could be the seasonings?
Iodine in salt reacts with garlic and makes it go blue/green. Normally the salt packet specified if it’s salt with iodine though
Thanks for sharing that Veronica!
Thank you! I don’t know how to cook but this was so easy and turned out so good!:))))
Thank you Ag!
This is a good easy recipe but chicken does not need be washed and it spreads bacteria around the kitchen!
You’re right, this recipe was written a while ago and I should remove that step.
What is the side dish for this?
This chicken recipe is pretty versatile, so it would pair well with anything from potatoes to pasta to rice, with veggies or a salad on the side.
Hi Kristin! Do you have the macros on this dish?
I made these lemon garlic chicken legs. I left the skins on. They were amazing. I want to try on a whole chicken.
Hi Vanessa,
Great idea
Thank you for stopping by!
This was super delicious and simple! I only let it marinade 15 minutes (too hungry!) and baked the drumsticks in a glass dish with the marinade… it made the most amazing sauce!! I put the extra sauce on my roasted veggies. Will definitely be doing this again. Thank you!
I’ve made this several times and I have never deviated from the recipe. It’s absolutely delicious.