Easy Crispy Chicken Drumsticks

If you love crispy chicken but hate babysitting a frying pan, these drumsticks are the weeknight hero we’ve been eating on repeat. They’re oven-baked (or air-fried if that’s your thing), shatter-crisp on the outside, juicy in the middle, and seasoned with a smoky-salty-garlicky situation that makes you want to lick your fingers and then go back for one more. Minimal oil, pantry spices, nothing fussy—just that wild, crackly skin and a dinner that basically cooks itself while you chase your people around.

My little crew is obsessed. My husband hovers by the oven like a golden retriever waiting for a tennis ball, and the kids do that feral-drumstick-in-each-hand thing that should be annoying but is somehow very charming when dinner took 10 minutes to prep. We’ve had these on T-ball nights, cozy Sunday afternoons, and one chaotic Tuesday where the smoke alarm went off because I got a little too excited with the broiler—still ate every last one.

Why You’ll Love This Easy Crispy Chicken Drumsticks

– The skin goes glassy-crisp without deep-frying. Like, you can hear the crunch.
– Budget-friendly dark meat that stays juicy, even if you accidentally overbake by a few minutes.
– Pantry spice blend. No running to the store at 5:42 p.m.
– Works in the oven or air fryer. Pick your adventure.
– Kid-approved, game-day-approved, leftover-lunch-approved.
– Five minutes of hands-on time. The oven does the heavy lifting.

How to Make It

Grab about 8 drumsticks (roughly 2 pounds). Pat them dry like you mean it—paper towels, every nook, because moisture is the enemy of crisp. Toss them in a big bowl with a tiny spoonful of baking powder (yep, baking powder), some olive oil, kosher salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne if you like a whisper of heat.

Crank the oven to 425°F and set a rack over a foil-lined sheet pan so air can circulate. If you don’t have a rack, it still works—just flip halfway and don’t crowd the pan. I let the coated drumsticks hang out for 10 minutes while the oven finishes preheating; the baking powder kind of wakes up and does its magic.

Bake for 20 minutes, flip, then go another 15–20 until the skin looks blistery and the internal temp is 175–185°F. Dark meat loves a higher temp—it gets more tender. If you want extra crunch, broil 1–3 minutes at the end, watching like a hawk. Rest a few minutes, then either eat them as-is (crispy heaven) or toss with hot honey, buffalo, or your favorite BBQ glaze if you’re in a saucy mood.

Ingredient Notes

This module dynamically pulls in recipe-specific ingredients. Follow this exact bullet styling (HTML bold labels only).
– Chicken drumsticks: Skin-on, bone-in—the skin is the crisp factory. About 8 pieces (2 lb) feeds 3–4 humans around here.
– Baking powder: The secret crunch hack. Use aluminum-free if you can. Not baking soda—ask my salty, weird-tasting mistake of 2021.
– Kosher salt: Coarse stuff clings and seasons better. If using fine salt, use a little less.
– Smoked paprika: Adds that warm, roasty vibe without a smoker. Sweet paprika works too; you’ll just miss the campfire note.
– Garlic + onion powder: Pantry MVPs. They won’t burn like fresh garlic and keep the skin crisp.
– Black pepper + cayenne: Pepper for backbone; cayenne for a soft kick. Skip the cayenne for kiddo mouths.
– Olive oil: Just enough to help the spices stick—like 1–2 tablespoons. Too much and you lose the crunch.
– Optional sauces: Hot honey, buffalo, BBQ. No honey? Warm sugar with a splash of water works. Tamari swaps in for soy if you want gluten-free salty-sweet vibes.

Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425°F; line a sheet pan with foil and set a wire rack on top.
2. Pat drumsticks very dry; trim any loose skin and optionally score the thickest part once.
3. Mix 1 tsp baking powder, 1–2 tbsp olive oil, 1½ tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, ½ tsp black pepper, and a pinch cayenne; toss to coat chicken and rest 10 minutes.
4. Arrange on the rack with space between each piece.
5. Bake 20 minutes; flip and bake 15–20 minutes more until 175–185°F internal. Broil 1–3 minutes for extra crisp.
6. Rest 5 minutes; eat plain-crispy or toss in warm hot honey/BBQ/buffalo and serve.

What to Serve It With

– Crispy potato wedges or sweet potato fries.
– Simple green salad with lemony dressing.
– Cornbread or garlic bread (for sauce mop-ups).
– Pickles, celery sticks, and ranch or blue cheese.
– Slaw—creamy or vinegary, your call.

Tips & Mistakes

– Pat it dry. Damp chicken = steamy chicken = sad skin.
– Don’t swap baking powder for baking soda. Different beast, bitter mess.
– Give them space. Crowded pan = soggy sides.
– Rack > no rack. Airflow is crunch’s best friend.
– Temp dark meat higher (175–185°F). It gets more tender, not dry.
– Watch the broiler. It goes from “bronzed” to “whoops” in 30 seconds.
– If saucing, do it after baking so the skin stays crisp.

Storage Tips

Fridge: Tuck leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days. Reheat at 400°F on a rack for 10–12 minutes or 350°F in the air fryer for 5–7 minutes to bring back the crunch.
Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze up to 3 months; reheat from frozen at 375°F for 20–25 minutes.
Also: Cold drumstick straight from the fridge? Zero judgment. Breakfast drumstick? Powerful move.

Variations and Substitutions

– Lemon-pepper: Skip paprika; add 1 tsp lemon pepper and finish with fresh lemon zest.
– Garlic-Parmesan: Toss hot, cooked drumsticks with 1 tbsp melted butter, 1 minced garlic clove, and 2–3 tbsp grated Parmesan.
– Buffalo: Warm 3 tbsp butter with ¼ cup hot sauce; toss at the end.
– Honey-garlic: Mix 2 tbsp honey (or 2 tbsp sugar + 1 tbsp water) with 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari and 1 grated garlic clove; simmer 1 minute and glaze.
– BBQ sticky: Brush on your favorite BBQ sauce in the last 5 minutes of baking.
– Spice swap: No smoked paprika? Use chili powder. No cayenne? Red pepper flakes. No baking powder? Try 1 tbsp cornstarch—it crisps, just a touch different.
– Air fryer: 400°F for 20–24 minutes, flip at 12 minutes. Smaller basket? Work in batches.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Crispy Chicken Drumsticks

These oven-baked chicken drumsticks are ultra-crispy on the outside, juicy inside, and ready in under an hour. A touch of baking powder and a simple spice rub deliver shatteringly crisp skin—no deep frying needed.

No ratings yet

Rate This Yum Pin This Recipe For Later! Share The Yum On Facebook Print

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

Main Ingredients

• ▢ 8 drumsticks chicken drumsticks skin-on, bone-in (about 2 lb)
• ▢ 1.5 tsp baking powder aluminum-free; not baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt
• ▢ 0.5 tsp black pepper freshly ground
• ▢ 1 tsp garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tsp onion powder
• ▢ 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ▢ 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper optional, for heat
• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
• ▢ 4 wedges lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top; lightly oil the rack.
• Pat the chicken drumsticks very dry with paper towels—dry skin is key for crispiness.
• In a small bowl, mix baking powder, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne (if using).
• Place drumsticks in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat evenly.
• Sprinkle the seasoning mix over the chicken and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
• Arrange drumsticks on the prepared rack with space between each piece. Bake for 35 minutes.
• Flip the drumsticks and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, until deeply golden and the thickest part registers 175°F to 185°F.
• Rest 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

For extra-crispy skin, chill the seasoned drumsticks uncovered on the rack in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. Use aluminum-free baking powder to avoid any off taste. Air fryer option: cook at 400°F for 28 to 32 minutes, flipping halfway, until crisp and cooked through.