Baking Chicken Legs And Thighs

How Long To Bake Chicken Leg Quarters

Its no secret that I love chicken legs, and Ive found that many of you do, too! One of the by-far-best and most popular recipes on my blog is this one for The Best Baked Chicken Legs — its even been shared more than 250K times! Along with being a reader favorite, its also one of my familys. Its safe to say that chicken legs, and other dark meat cuts like chicken thighs and chicken leg quarters, are a staple in my home.

But have you ever wondered WHY its so good? Whats different between dark meat and white meat? How long to bake chicken leg quarters to have the best-tasting meat? Or maybe youre wondering what the heck a chicken leg quarter is? Im here to help you, and maybe even convert you to the dark side — of chicken meat, that is!

How To Make Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks:

Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°. Prepare a rimmed baking pan by drizzling a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan.

Mix the dry ingredients with olive oil in a large bowl. Take a paper towel and pat the chicken pieces dry and place them in the oil mixture.

Use your hands and mix the thighs and legs into the oil mixture making sure they are completely covered.

Place the thighs and legs onto the baking pan with the skin side up. Bake for 40 minutes. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature that its 165° or make a cut into the thickest part of a thigh and that the juices run clear.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving and dont cut any other pieces. This will help keep the juices in the chicken.

Baked Chicken Legs Recipe Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh parsley leaves
• 4 green onions, root ends trimmed, cut into thirds
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp salt , or season as desired
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 10 large chicken drumsticks

Scroll down for printable option .

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Making Gravy From A Whole Chicken

If you bought a whole chicken to start with, the chicken may have come with the neck and gizzards . Use the chicken back and these giblets to make stock for gravy.

Chop up the back a little, and put the back, gizzard, and neck into a small saucepan and cover with water by a half inch or so. Bring to a simmer and let simmer while your chicken is baking. Then strain and use the stock for making a richly flavored gravy.

Heat the drippings from the roasted chicken with some stock or white wine for a simple gravy.

Is It Better To Bake Chicken Thighs At 350f Or 400f

You also wonder about this question, right? There are various recipes with different instructions, confusing you with having the suitable recipe for your dish. Let me help you figure it out.

I can say that either 350°F or 400°F does work, but baking at 350°F will be easier for you to monitor the doneness and lower the risk of drying chicken thighs out .

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How To Bake Chicken Leg Quarters In The Oven

This section shows how to cook chicken leg quarters in the oven, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique. For full instructions, see the recipe card below.

FYI: Drying the chicken helps the skin get crispy.

TIP: Line the pan with aluminum foil if you like.

Lining the pan is not required, but makes for easier cleanup.

What Should I Serve With Them

• They also go great with baked beans, garlic butter noodles, or Parmesan orzo!

No one can resist these crispy-skin chicken legs! Once you try them Im sure youll make them again and again. Theyre so easy to make and turn out perfect every time I make them. Theyre so delicious!

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

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Baked Chicken Leg Quarters

You’ll love this simple recipe for baked chicken leg quarters in the oven! You only need a few simple ingredients for perfectly juicy, crispy roasted chicken leg quarters every time.

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• Baked Chicken Leg Quarters

Much like chicken drumsticks and chicken thighs, these easy baked chicken leg quarters in the oven make for a simple and versatile dinner. Seasoned with basics from your pantry, they have a delicious golden and crispy skin youre going to love them! Serve the roasted chicken leg quarters with a healthy side dish and your healthy meal is ready to go.

Is It Okay To Leave The Skin On

Because chicken skin is very fatty, some people prefer to remove it. It really comes down to your personal preference on texture and meat. I was raised not eating a lot of fat or skin so I’m still getting used to more tender cuts of chicken and meat. However, it can be beneficial to leave the skin on because there’s often more flavor. This is because the extra fat helps to keep moisture inside of the meat as it cooks.

Also, chicken bones release moisture. As a result, when you cook boneless, skinless chicken thighs, keep in mind that they tend to dry out more quickly. You really have to watch your cooking time with boneless thighs.

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Bake Covered And Uncovered

The Baked BBQ Chicken Legs and Thighs will first bake covered at 350° for 3o minutes. Once the time is up, you’ll pull the aluminum foil, increase the oven temperature to 375° and allow the chicken to bake for an additional 15 minutes.

This additional 15 minutes at a higher temperature, uncovered, will allow the BBQ sauce to thicken, bubble and better adhere to the chicken.

What Are Chicken Leg Quarters

A whole chicken leg is a thigh and a drumstick in one piece. Pictured above, an entire chicken leg is also known as a thigh-drumstick piece. When a thigh-drumstick part has a portion of the back attached, these cuts are chicken leg quarters.

Thigh-drumstick pieces and chicken leg quarters may be used interchangeably however, because chicken pieces vary in size, be sure to cook whichever cut you use long enough to reach a safe internal temperature of 175°F. Often, thigh-drumstick pieces are separated into two portions: the drumstick and the thigh. Sometimes, the separate drumstick portion is also referred to as a chicken leg.

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Roasting Or Baking Whole Chicken Legs In The Oven Couldnt Be Easier With This Recipe It Yields Crackling Crispy Skin & Juicy Meat

We recently started buying almost all of our meat from a local farm that raises chickens, pigs, turkey and finishes cows. Because were buying what they have, weve been getting used to using all cuts of the chicken, and whole chicken legs have been our new favorite thing.

I used to buy a lot of packs of chicken thighs and breasts, but now well have whole wings, whole chicken legs, and whole chickens in the fridge a lot more frequently. And honestly, not only is this 1000% times better for you its tastier, too.

Making Ahead Storage And Reheating

Making Ahead: Because this recipe doesnt use any acid, you can season the chicken and store it in the refrigerator for 24 hours. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the fridge 30 minutes before baking so it comes to room temperature before its placed in the oven

Storage: Leftover baked chicken drumsticks will keep, stored in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Reheating: Although you can enjoy chicken legs cold or at room temperature, drumsticks can be reheated in the microwave or uncovered in a preheated 350ºF oven for about 10-15 minutes. You can also use an air fryer for about 5-7 minutes at 375ºF

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Crispy Baked Chicken Legs

Baked in a hot oven, chicken legs emerge with wonderfully crispy skin and juicy meat.

It’s an easy hands-off recipe that practically bakes itself, and leftovers are good too, especially when eaten cold, picnic-style.

Chicken is not the most exciting meat one might eat, that’s for sure. But it’s tasty and affordable and my kids like it, which is always a good reason to make something .

These wonderful oven-baked chicken legs have crispy, delicious skin and juicy, succulent meat. Who says chicken can’t be a delicacy? It all depends on how you cook it. Another good reason to make this recipe? Leftovers are great. I love eating them cold!

Use Your Meat Thermometer When It Comes To Thighs And Drumsticks

No matter the cut of chicken, it needs to be cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F. This is the point that chicken is safe to eat. Theres really no other way to gauge that temperature without a meat thermometer, so break yours out when you bake chicken thighs and drumsticks.

Youll also want the juices to run clear, so let it rest for a few minutes.

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Dry Your Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks

You may have just marinated your chicken thighs or drumsticks, but youll still want to get them super dry before their trip to the oven. This is to ensure a crispy skin all-around.

So, take a paper towel and pat your chicken completely dry before baking. It will still carry all those delicious flavors from the marinade, but with crispy skin. Yum.

Baking Chicken Thighs In The Air Fryer

Air fryer-fried chicken thighs are just as delicious as oven-baked ones. Lets check out the easy steps below!

Step 1: Preheat Air Fryer To 350°F

Leave the air fryer preheated for 5 minutes. It depends on your preference you can also raise the temperature to 375°F or 400°F.

Step 2: Prepare The Seasoning

The seasoning recipe is the same as when using the oven for baking. With all the ingredients you have, stir the spice mixture in a bowl. However, for the air fryer, it requires no oil in the mixture.

Step 3: Coat The Chicken With Seasoning

Coat the chicken thighs with olive oil first, then the spice mixture. Oil will help to lock the spice on the chicken thighs and add more fragrance to the dish.

Step 4: Arrange The Chicken Thighs In The Air Fryer Basket

Try to arrange the chicken thighs in the basket in a single layer. Cook the chicken thighs uninterruptedly in the air fryer for 12 minutes, then flip and continue cooking the other side for another 10 minutes. Skinless chicken requires 2 4 minutes fewer.

Step 5: Check The Doneness And Rest Before Using

Use the thermometer to check if the internal temperature reaches 165°F. After the cook is done, rest it for 5 minutes, and top with fresh cilantro, thyme, or parsley.

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Reheating Oven Baked Chicken Thighs

To reheat bone-in chicken thighs, preheat your oven to 350°F . Place the thighs in a baking dish with a few tablespoons of broth or stock for moisture and cover the dish tightly with foil.

Bake until the chicken is warmed through, usually about 15-20 minutes. *This will not yield crispy skin. To re-crisp skin, pop it back under the broiler for a few minutes, watching closely.

How To Cook Whole Chicken Legs

This whole baked chicken leg recipe is dry rubbed with a homemade spice mix and oven roasted at 425F for ~45 minutes.

Don’t like dry rubs? Cool, this whole chicken leg recipe can be baked with just salt and pepper and nothing else. Baked chicken drums and thighs are seriously that good that they don’t need anything else.

This recipe works with bone in whole chicken legs, drumsticks, or thighs.

Roasted chicken legs are easy to make and easy to eat and will become a regular household favorite. Just bake the chicken legs in the oven on a sheet pan uncovered and dinner is done.

The wire rack is optional for cooking chicken legs / thighs / drums. It’s nice to have air circulating around the bottom of the chicken but if you don’t want to clean it , then skip the rack.

Also, throw down a piece of aluminum foil on the sheet pan if you really don’t want to clean!

Turn the broiler on for the last ~2-4 minutes if your chicken skin is not crisp and brown.

Point is, watch and get to know your oven . Look half way through, if the spice mixture is smoking too much turn the oven down to 400F or 375F. If it’s not cooking at all, turn it up to 450F.

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Chicken Thighs Nutrition Profile

People prefer dark meat over white meat for its tenderness and addictive flavor, so they are often consumed in large portions. Chicken thighs have a good source of protein and deliver many calories and fat.

Lets take a look at its nutrition below for a serving of baked chicken thighs :

• Portion Size: 100 gram
• Calories: 231g

How Long To Bake Chicken Thighs

The size of the chicken thighs and the oven temperature at which you bake them will affect how long they take to cook. The USDA guidelines lists approximate cooking times of 40 to 50 minutes for 4-to-8-ounce chicken thighs roasted at 350 degrees. In our basic meal prep boneless chicken thighs recipe, they take about 25 to 30 minutes baked at 425 degrees F.

Youll know the chicken thighs are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. For the most accurate temperature reading, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, taking care to avoid touching the bone for bone-in chicken thighs . If you dont own an instant-read thermometer, use visual cues to assess doneness. Use a small, sharp knife to cut a small incision in the thickest part of the thigh the juices should run clear. Red or pink juices are an indicator that the meat hasnt finished cooking. The exterior of the meat should be opaque and golden-brown in color. Gently pressing the meat with your fingertips should yield a responsive, tender touch if the meat is too firm, its likely overdone.

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How Long To Cook Chicken Thighs And Drumsticks

The time needed to cook your chicken thighs and drumsticks depends on a few factors, including the size of the cut, as well as the temperature you use for baking your chicken. Many cooks swear by higher temperatures for the crispiest, juiciest results .

Heres a basic estimate for how long to bake chicken thighs and drumsticks at 400°F. Remember, the size of the cut will certainly add or decrease time. If youre using boneless, skinless thighs, decrease the time by 10 or 15 minutes.

• Bone-In Chicken Thighs: 35-45 minutes
• Chicken Drumsticks: 30-40 minutes

How To Make Baked Chicken Drumsticks:

These oven baked chicken legs are super simple and the seasoning blend is perfect!

Mix together the spices in a small dish.

Add your drumsticks to a plastic bag or large bowl and drizzle with oil. Sprinkle the seasoning on, seal the bag, and mush things around to coat the chicken.

Dump the chicken out onto a baking sheet and bake! The prep work here is so quick!

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Everyone Will Enjoy Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Once I found out how easy it was to cook chicken drumsticks, I started making these more frequently. I cant even get takeout in the amount of time it takes to cook this chicken.

I love being able to feed my family delicious meals while staying on budget. This recipe is a win all around.

The kids love it and the entire family asks for it all the time. It is frugal, easy and packed with flavor. What more could you want in a meal?

Make it today! You will be glad you did!

Why We Love This Recipe

One of our most popular recipes is our easy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks with honey soy. It was only natural for us to share with you another great chicken recipe to add to your repertoire!

• Easy: Quick prep, simple pantry ingredients and one sheet-pan to clean up!
• Crispy Baked Chicken: Roasting the chicken in the oven gives this recipe its crispy skin. You dont need frying or pan searing!
• Effortless: Let the oven do almost all the work! Oven roasting is a simple way to prepare a meal that wont keep you in the kitchen for long or tire you out!
• Budget Friendly: Bone-in chicken drumsticks, whether you choose skin-on or skinless, are inexpensive and a family friendly option that can certainly feed a crowd.

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