Oven Fried Chicken Legs are simple to make with no oil or mess to clean up! Juicy and tender chicken legs are oven fried to perfection making it a family winner any day of the week!
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Why We Love These Oven Fried Chicken Legs
- Chicken drumsticks are a very affordable protein, making this meal cheap and delicious!
- There is a very little mess to clean up. No dirty oil to deal with afterwards.
- It's a family friendly meal that is great any time of the year!
- Chicken can be marinated the night before and then just shake and bake!
Oven Fried Chicken Legs Ingredients
- Chicken Legs (drumsticks only)
- Buttermilk
- Paprika
- Garlic Powder
- Hot Sauce
- Salt
- Black Pepper
- Whole Wheat Flour
- Baking Powder
Substitution Suggestions:
- Chicken Legs: You can substitute with chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) too.
- Buttermilk: If you don't want to buy buttermilk, you can make your own. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar in a measuring glass and fill with milk to the 2 cup line. Let milk sit for at least 5 minutes. It will look like it has curdled a little bit and that is exactly what you want.
- Hot Sauce: I like to use a simple hot sauce like Frank's Red Hot. You could also use tabasco sauce, siracha or any cayenne pepper sauce. If you don't want to use hot sauce, you can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the marinade.
- Whole Wheat Flour: You can substitute all purpose flour or white whole wheat flour.
- Baking Powder: Do NOT skip or forget this ingredient. The baking powder is what helps make the breading crispy and crunchy. It draws out some of the moisture in the skin, helping to make it extra crispy.
How to Make Oven Fried Chicken Legs
- First, you will need to marinate the chicken for a little bit. Put the chicken legs in a large 2 gallon zip top bag or large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Then, sprinkle the seasonings over the chicken and shake the bag or toss it in the bowl to coat.
- Stir together the buttermilk and hot sauce and pour it over the chicken. Pro Tip: I usually use a zip top bag and then massage the chicken a bit after I have added the buttermilk mix. Cover if using a bowl and let the chicken marinate for at least 30 minutes on the counter. Or you can place it in the fridge and marinate it all day, up to overnight. The longer the better, in my opinion!
- While the chicken is marinating, prepare your baking sheet and heat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place an oven safe wire rack in the rimmed baking pan. Spray the rack with a little non-stick cooking spray.
- Next, make the breading. In a gallon size zip top bag, combine the whole wheat flour, paprika, baking powder, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Give it a shake to mix it all up.
- Once your chicken has finished bathing in the marinade, it's time to bread it. Take one leg at a time from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Place it in the bag of breading and shake to completely coat. Place the coated chicken leg on the prepared wire rack. Repeat until all chicken legs are breaded.
- To finish the chicken off, spray the legs with non-stick cooking spray. It helps for even more crispy breading!
- Bake the chicken for 40-45 minutes and until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Let chicken rest for at least 10 minutes.
It looks like a lot of steps, but don't be intimidated. It's easy, and can all be done in mostly zip top bags!
What to Serve with Oven Fried Chicken
I usually serve a roasted vegetable, side salad and sometimes a biscuit with this delicious chicken. Here are some of our favorites:
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower
- Garlic Cheese Biscuits
- Air Fryer Green Beans
- Homemade Cole Slaw
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Drop Biscuits
- Roasted Potatoes
- Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Tips for Oven Fried Chicken Legs
- Marinating the chicken over night really helps keep the chicken tender and juicy, but at least 30 minutes will work if you are crunched for time (or forget like I often do).
- The baking powder is key for making the breading nice and crispy. Don't skip it or forget it.
- Bake the chicken on a wire rack. Doing this allows the air to circulate around the chicken so none of the breading gets soggy.
- Use an instant read thermometer to test temperature of chicken. Bake until chicken reaches 160°F and let chicken rest for at least 10 minutes. It will continue to cook as it rests.
- An air fryer is the best for reheating anything with breading.
More Yummy Chicken Recipes:
- Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Herb Roasted Spatchcock Chicken
- Crispy Corn Flake Chicken
- Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken
- Simple Roasted Chicken Breast
- Corn Flake Chicken Tenders
- Honey Mustard Chicken and Veggies
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
Oven Fried Chicken Legs
Oven Fried Chicken Legs are simple to make with no oil or mess to clean up! Juicy and tender chicken legs are oven fried to perfection making it a family winner any day of the week!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 12 chicken legs (drumsticks), skin on
For the Marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 4 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teapoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
For the Breading
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the chicken legs in a 2 gallon zip top bag or large bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the marinade seasonings: paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle the mix over the chicken and rub the seasonings all over the chicken.
- Combine the buttermilk and hot sauce together and pour over the chicken. Toss it to coat a little bit.
- Cover the chicken and let sit on the counter for 30 minutes or put it in the fridge for a few hours or as long as overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place an oven safe wire rack on it. Spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine the breading ingredients in a large gallon size bag and shake a bit to combine it all.
- Take one chicken leg from the marinade and let the excess drip off a bit. Place the leg in the breading bag and shake to coat. Place the leg on the wire rack. Repeat with rest of chicken legs, coating one leg at a time.
- Spray the chicken with non-stick cooking spray.
- Bake the chicken for 40-45 minutes, until internal temp reads 160°F.
- Let rest for at least 10 minutes and enjoy!!!!
Nutrition
Serving: 2legs | Calories: 677kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 44g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 248mg | Sodium: 1240mg | Potassium: 739mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 3mg
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