Baked Crispy Drumsticks are brined first and then baked at a high temperature, resulting in crispy, crunchy, and incredibly flavorful chicken drumsticks.
CRISPY SEASONED BAKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Each drumstick is bursting with flavor, delivering a delightful combination of crispy texture and mouthwatering taste that will keep you coming back for more.
After the holidays, I like to purge my freezer of the food that needs to be eaten. I usually have some idea of what is in my freezer, but some meats get pushed to the back, and I have to pull them to the front to eat first.
I realized that what I thought were chicken wings, which I kept pulling to the front, were actually a package of chicken drumsticks.
I had been saving the chicken wings to make our Texas BBQ Hot Wings for our Super Bowl weekend. But hey, why not make crispy chicken drumsticks instead? Ha ha!
The drumsticks sounded so good, and I have had this recipe in my head for a while. When I was thinking about the recipe, I knew brining would enhance the flavor. Wow, did it ever.
WHERE CAN I FIND THE RECIPE? TAKE ME TO THE RECIPE FOR BAKED CRISPY CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Below, under the next heading, I give a list of preferred ingredients, tips, and cooking instructions for Baked Crispy Chicken Drumsticks and similar recipe ideas you can have.
Or you can scroll down to the bottom, where you will find a full printable recipe card with amounts of the ingredients and complete instructions with notes.
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TIPS AND TIDBITS TO MAKE THE BEST BAKED CRISPY CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Brining solution. The rule of thumb for brining chicken legs is 1/4 cup of salt to 2 cups of water for 6-8 drumsticks. You leave the chicken legs in the brine for no longer than 4 hours and always rinse them with clear water before cooking them.
Use high heat. Baking at a high temperature helps the fat to be released from the drumsticks, creating a crispy texture. Flip the chicken drumsticks halfway through to ensure even browning.
Overcrowding the pan. Overcrowding the pan causes the drumsticks to steam and not bake, rendering sogging skin.
Layer the seasoning. I like to bake the drumsticks with salt, pepper, and garlic powder at first baking, and after flipping them for the final baking, drizzle with the butter and sprinkle them with the Montreal Grill Mate Chicken Seasoning.
Let rest before serving. Resting allows the juices to be redistributed, keeping the meat succulent.
Air Fryer. These golden beauties can be baked in an air fryer as well. Air fry them at 400 degrees for 20 minutes and flip. Follow the process of seasoning them as with baking them.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BAKED CRISPY CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
BRINING SOLUTION
Water
Salt
CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Paper Towels
Chicken drumsticks
Extra virgin olive oil
Garlic powder
Salt
Coarse black pepper
Red pepper flakes (optional)
Butter
HOW TO MAKE BAKED CRISPY CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
BRINING SOLUTION
Place the chicken drumsticks in a large deep dish container.
In a saucepan, heat 2-4 cups of water to boil. Add the salt, stir until dissolved, then cool to room temperature; set aside.
Once the salt solution has cooled to room temperature, add 4-6 more cups of ice water. Give it a stir, and then pour over the chicken drumsticks, making sure the brining solution covers all the drumsticks.
Place in the refrigerator and let set for 2-4 hours to brine. (How much ice cold water you add is determined by making sure they are completely covered with the ice water.)
Drain the chicken drumsticks and rinse the drumsticks with cool water.
CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven.
Pat all the drumsticks dry with a paper towel until they are completely dry.
Place the drumsticks on a baking sheet pan in a single layer, making sure the skin of the drumsticks covers the drumstick and is not folded. Let them set for 30-60 minutes to come to room temperature.
Drizzle the olive oil over the drumsticks, patting all around the drumstick. Sprinkle all over with salt, coarse black pepper, and garlic powder. Lightly sprinkle with red pepper flakes (optional).
Bake for 35 minutes. Remove and flip the drumsticks over.
Drizzle melted butter across the top of each drumstick.
Sprinkle with Montreal Grill Mate Chicken Seasoning.
Place it back into the oven and bake for another 10-25 minutes, golden brown.
The size of the drumsticks will determine how long to cook them longer. These were large drumsticks and required close to 25 minutes.
