Succulent, juicy, oven baked chicken legs have never been easier with just 4-ingredients and 3-minutes of prep. This simple dump-and-bake recipe is always a crowd-pleaser, so get ready for succulent, fall–off-the-bone BBQ chicken drumsticks you’ll want to make on repeat.

Chicken drumsticks covered in glossy barbecue sauce laid out on an oval dish.

Effortless Baked Barbeque Chicken Legs for Dinner Tonight!

FINGER-LICKING GOODNESS ALERT! These fall off the bone chicken drumsticks deliver allllll your flavor cravings – sweet, tangy, smokey, and full of BBQ flavor. Best of all, prep time takes just 3 minutes with a quick brush of your favorite BBQ sauce. Then pop the chicken drumsticks in the oven & the rest is hands-off. As for the sauce, any type of barbecue sauce works for this recipe, and your favorite store-bought option will do the trick and save time.

One of the best parts of this recipe is that it leans on the tasty and budget-friendly chicken drumstick, a cut I use often in my incredible slow cooker drumsticks recipe, which just so happens to be an all-time reader-favorite. Because the slow cooker isn’t always an option, I knew I had to create an easy oven-baked chicken drumsticks recipe as well. So for this version we’re baking the BBQ glazed drumsticks at 425F until they become juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender. Serve with extra barbecue sauce for dipping, and this recipe might just become a weekly staple!

Eight chicken drumsticks in a tray next to spices and BBQ sauce.
Ingredients You‘ll Need: smoked paprika, garlic powder, chicken drumsticks, salt, BBQ sauce.

Welcome to My Kitchen! Let’s Bake Chicken Drumsticks

Jump to Recipe Instructions
A hand mixing red and white spices in a bowl with a spoon.
Mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
Raw chicken drumsticks seasoned with spices in a baking dish.
Sprinkle each chicken leg with the spice mix.
A hand brushing barbecue sauce onto baked chicken drumsticks.
Bake for 30 minutes then brush with BBQ sauce.
Baked chicken drumsticks covered with glossy barbecue sauce in a dish.
Bake another 10-15 minutes.
Eight drumsticks covered in glossy barbecue sauce in a dish next to a bowl of BBQ sauce.
Allow the drumsticks to rest 5-10 minutes.
Corn, black beans, and chopped tomatoes on a plate next to two BBQ drumsticks.
Serve with BBQ sauce brushed on top or on the side.

Tips on Making this Crowd-Pleaser Oven Baked Chicken

  • Meat Thermometer: I highly recommend using a meat thermometer for this recipe (those basic, inexpensive ones do the trick!) We want the chicken almost totally baked before we add the BBQ sauce and finish baking. This prevents the sauce from burning while still allowing it to caramelize and crisp up (yummm).
  • Check the Temp: The size and thickness of drumsticks varies greatly depending on where you buy them. For best results, use that meat thermometer to check the temperature at the meatiest part of the leg, not touching the bone.
  • Extra Sauce: Serve leftover BBQ sauce brushed on top of the drumsticks once they come out of the oven, or on the side for dipping.
A half-eaten chicken drumstick next to corn, black beans, and chopped tomatoes on a plate.
Chicken drumsticks covered in glossy barbecue sauce laid out on an oval dish.
5 stars (2 ratings)

Incredible Baked Chicken Legs (4-Ingredients!)

Developed and tested by A woman with long blonde hair, smiling, holds and pours a bottle of oil in a modern kitchen setting.Robyn Conley Downs
Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 3 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Succulent, juicy, oven baked chicken legs have never been easier with just 4-ingredients and 3-minutes of prep. This simple dump-and-bake recipe is always a crowd-pleaser so get ready for succulent, fall–of-the-bone chicken drumsticks every time!
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Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 pounds chicken drumsticks (about 8)
  • ⅓ cup BBQ sauce

Equipment

Instructions 

  • Heat the oven to 425F.
  • In a small bowl, mix together the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
  • Spray a 9X13 ceramic baking dish with cooking spray or line with parchment paper. Sprinkle each chicken leg with the spice mixture and place evenly in the dish.
  • Bake until the meat is 150F at the thickest part, about 30 minutes depending on the size of the drumsticks.
  • Remove from the oven and brush evenly with ¼ cup barbecue sauce.
  • Place back in the oven and bake until the internal temperature reaches 160-165F at the thickest part not touching the bone, about 10-15 minutes.
  • Allow to rest 5-10 minutes, then serve with the remaining BBQ sauce brushed on top or served on the side for dipping.

Notes

  • Cook time: The size and thickness of the drumsticks you use will significantly impact the cook time. For best results, I highly recommend a meat thermometer, and to check the temperature at the meatiest part of the leg, not touching the bone. You want to get the chicken almost cooked before adding the BBQ sauce to avoid it burning.
Course: Appetizer, dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 (of 8), Calories: 143kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 14g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 70mg, Sodium: 493mg, Potassium: 207mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 185IU, Vitamin C: 0.1mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition disclaimer
Did you make this recipe?If you do, be sure to share it on Instagram and tag me at @realfoodwholelife so I can see!

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