These oven-baked chicken drumsticks are so incredibly easy to prepare and are beautifully golden brown and crispy on the outside and moist and delicious inside. Seasoned with flavourful taco seasoning, they’re sure to be a family favourite!

Close-up of baked chicken drumsticks on a blue plate with green onion and barbecue sauce.

Move over chicken wings, there’s a new kid in town! Seriously, though, these crispy chicken legs are such a fun way to mix up wing night. Including the little spritz of cooking spray, there’s only four simple ingredients.

Admittedly, when we do have wings in our home, I’m the one who goes for the flat (or wingette) part and hubby goes for the drumette part — ha ha, no arguing over chicken pieces in our home! Just like when we roast a chicken, hubby always goes for the drumsticks.

Though, after making these oven-baked chicken drumsticks, I’m starting to think hubby may be onto something with the drumettes (and drumsticks). They’re so flavourful and meaty, and I just may have to reconsider my new favourite chicken piece.

And let’s not forget how inexpensive chicken drumsticks are compared to other chicken pieces, like chicken breasts and wings. I mean, winner, winner, drumstick dinner, am I right?

Uncooked skin-on chicken drumsticks on a square plate.

How To Make Crispy Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Here is an overview of how to make crispy chicken drumsticks in the oven (full details are in the recipe card below):

Place cornstarch and taco seasoning in a resealable food-safe plastic bag. Seal and shake to combine.
Open the bag and add half of the chicken drumsticks, seal, and then shake to coat them in the cornstarch mixture. Place the drumsticks onto a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Do the same for the remaining chicken drumsticks. Give them a little spritz with cooking spray.
Bake the drumsticks.
Partway through cooking, flip the drumsticks and give them another spritz with cooking spray. Continue baking until they’re fully cooked through. There ya have it, crispy chicken drumsticks ready to be devoured!

Seasoned chicken drumsticks on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan before cooking.

Chicken drumsticks being turned over with a pairs of tongs partway through cooking.

Baked chicken drumsticks on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.

Do the Drumsticks Have to Be Covered?

Nope, not at all! Just place them onto the prepared sheet pan and bake. They turn a lovely golden brown colour that way.

When Are Chicken Drumsticks Cooked?

The chicken drumsticks should reach a minimum internal cooking temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (check using an instant-read food thermometer — it’s your best friend here).

Having said that, I often find dark meat chicken is best when cooked a tad more, so I like to cook chicken drumsticks to about 175 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.

Spatula serving a chicken drumstick from a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.

What To Serve With It

Like with wings, I love to serve chicken drumsticks with a sauce for drizzling and dunking. Some of my favourites are hot sauce, barbecue sauce and ranch dressing. What’s your favourite sauce to serve with baked chicken drumsticks?

As for sides, drumsticks pair deliciously with homemade fries, wedges or potato salad. If you want something lighter, a green salad is another great option.

Hand holding a chicken drumstick that has been drizzled with ranch dressing and barbecue sauce.

More Yummy Chicken Recipes

If you make this easy baked chicken drumsticks recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Dawn | Girl Heart Food

Print Recipe Save Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 50

Total Time 1

Course Main Course

Servings 4 servings (approximately)

Ingredients

2.5 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
2.5 pounds skin-on chicken drumsticks, about 10 to 12 drumsticks depending on their size
Cooking spray
Chopped green onion, garnish to taste (optional)
Hot sauce, barbecue sauce, and/or ranch dressing, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the cornstarch and taco seasoning in a resealable food-safe plastic bag. Close the bag and shake to combine.
Open the bag and add half of the chicken drumsticks to the cornstarch mixture, close the bag and shake to coat. Once coated, place the drumsticks onto the prepared sheet pan in a single layer (with a little space between them). Repeat with remaining drumsticks. Lightly spray the drumsticks with cooking spray.
Bake the drumsticks for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the sheet pan from the oven, turn the drumsticks and lightly spray again with the cooking spray. Return the sheet pan to the oven and continue to bake the drumsticks for another 25 to 30 minutes or until they're golden brown and crispy on the outside and fully cooked through (the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit when checked with an instant-read meat thermometer). I actually enjoy dark meat cooked a little more, to about an internal temperature of 175 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
Note: To check the internal temperature of the chicken, insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, all the way to the middle, without touching any bone, fat or gristle. Remove the thermometer from the chicken after checking the temperature.
Serve the drumsticks as is or garnish with green onion and serve with your favourite sauce (hot sauce, barbecue sauce and/or ranch are all delicious options). Enjoy!

A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

Keyword baked chicken, chicken drumsticks recipe

Tried this recipe?

If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!