Oven Baked Chicken Legs - The Art of Drummies

This is about as easy as a recipe can get. Just wash, dry, spice and cook in a high oven. Then you will have crispy goodness for the family.

I took several weeks last year working on grilled drumsticks until I got it just right. The secret of a great oven baked chicken leg (drumstick) was in the temperature as usual. Since then I have been doing mainly oven drummies. I kind of did this post before in my Chicken for a Hundred post. I was cooking for a party and roasted 150 chicken legs and breast in a similar manor. Here is a scaled down version.

Rating:

Just excellent. It always brings a childlike smile to my wife's face.

Notes: 

• DO NOT SKIP THE WASH AND DRY or you will not have crispy skin.
• Check the cut joint area for loose parts. You may be handing this to a child and don't need loose bone aspirated.
• I like cooking this on a rack to get the meat off the pan and with convection, the all sides of the drumstick will be nice.
• Cook at high temp and you must use a thermometer to be sure you get to 185. Do not guess.
• Spice as you want. I frequently add the Cayenne but if you have little ones, skip it.
• The cooking time make this a great match for oven fries. (Recipe HERE.)
• Scale to any amount you need 
• Skip the seasoning and brush with your favorite BBQ sauce the last 5 minutes to make great oven baked BBQ drumsticks. 

Preheat oven to 425 convection. Wash drumsticks under running water and pat dry with paper towels.

Trim of any extra skin and any loose joint pieces.

Spice to taste. Here I'm using a light sprinkling of my 7:2:1 seasoning. If you don't have that, mix 1 T kosher salt, 1 t pepper and optionally 1/2 t garlic powder (granulated  preferred) and 1/4 tsp Cayenne (skip for little ones)

Placed on a prepared cooking pan with the thicker part of the drumstick to the outside. I usually line with aluminum foil to help cleanup. A rack elevates the chicken to help all sides cook evenly. You can do it without the rack but better with. Of course, a heavy spray of PAM on the rack or foil.

Cook to 185 plus internal temp. DO NOT STOP SHORT of 185. About 35 minutes in my oven. Let set for 10 minutes before serving. They are way too hot to eat right away and will be better after a rest.

The Art of Drummies - Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks

by DrDan at 101 Cooking for Two September-9-2012

This is about as easy as a recipe can get. Just wash, dry, spice and cook in a high oven. Then you will have crispy goodness for the family.

Ingredients

• 5-6 Chicken drumsticks (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 7:2:1 or 7:2:2 seasoning (or kosher salt and pepper)

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 425 convection. Wash drumsticks (scale to amount needed. I did 5.) under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Trim of any extra skin and any loose joint pieces.2) Spice to taste. A light sprinkling of my 7:2:1 seasoning is great. If you don't have that, mix 1 T kosher salt, 1 t pepper and optionally 1/2 t garlic powder (granulated preferred) and 1/4 tsp Cayenne (skip for little ones)3) Placed on a prepared cooking pan with the thicker part of the drumstick to the outside. I usually line with aluminum foil to help cleanup. A rack elevates the chicken to help all sides cook evenly. You can do it without the rack but better with. Of course, a heavy spray of PAM on the rack or foil.4) Cook to 185 plus internal temp. DO NOT STOP SHORT of 185. About 35 minutes in my oven. Let set for 10 minutes before serving. They are way too hot to eat right away and will be better after a rest.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 35 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 5-6 drumsticks

Updated

February 23 2013

Dan Mikesell