This is the easiest and most delicious Roasted Chicken Legs recipe! It’s juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside, and full of flavor. Perfect for a quick and healthy meal!
If you don’t already have a go-to chicken recipe, let me share mine! These Roasted Chicken Legs are my favorite thing to whip up for weeknight dinners. They’re quick, versatile, and always a crowd favorite.
Plus, this recipe is so easy to make and impossible to mess up! You simply toss the chicken with lemon, garlic, and a few simple spices, and let it marinate overnight. Then, let the oven take care of the rest!
Roasted chicken legs are great for all kinds of dietary preferences, too. Not only are they naturally gluten-free and low-carb, but they’re also whole30 and paleo friendly!
If you enjoy this recipe try my Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken (Web Story) next! I know you’ll love it as much as these Roasted chicken legs!
How To Make Roasted Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- Chicken legs — This cut is inexpensive and so easy to cook with! I like to use these free-range organic chicken legs.
- Seasonings — A blend of dried oregano, dried thyme, ground coriander, smoked paprika, salt and black pepper.
- Garlic — I use about 3 cloves, but feel free to add more if you like!
- Olive oil — A little extra virgin olive oil helps get the skin nice and crispy.
- Lemons — Freshly squeezed lemon juice plus a few lemon slices for garnish.
- Parsley — Finish the roasted chicken legs with fresh parsley.
Instructions
Marinate:
- First, add the chicken legs, seasonings, and garlic to a large container or bowl.
- Then, pour the olive oil and lemon juice over top and toss everything together.
- Cover the container and marinate the chicken legs overnight.
Roast:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the chicken legs on your baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes.
- Then, flip each one and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until they reach 165°F inside.
- When they’re done, garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices. Enjoy!
Olivia’s Recipe Tips
- If you’re in a rush you can marinate the chicken for just a couple of hours. But remember that the longer they marinate, the more flavorful they’ll be!
- Insert the meat thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken leg for the best temperature reading.
- I let the chicken legs rest for about 5 minutes before serving them to let the juices redistribute. This makes them SO moist and tender!
- Feel free to make as many chicken legs as you need. You can easily double this recipe to feed a crowd!
How To Store Leftovers
To Store: Store leftover chicken legs in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep them in an airtight container or portion them out for meal prep!
To Freeze: You can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months. I like to store them in a large freezer-safe bag to save space.
To Reheat: I like to reheat roasted chicken legs in the oven until they’re warmed through. They also heat well in the microwave!
What To Serve with Roasted Chicken Legs
Grains: You can never go wrong with a side of rice or quinoa.
Cauliflower: Cauliflower rice and mashed cauliflower are great low-carb options!
Roasted veggies: Whip up a pan of these easy roasted vegetables.
Asparagus: Save an extra lemon for this parmesan lemon asparagus skillet!
Salad: I love to pair roasted chicken legs with any salad recipe for meal prep.
Recipe Variations
Seasonings: This recipe is also fantastic with other seasoning blends like Cajun, BBQ, or lemon pepper.
On the grill: If you like roasted chicken legs, you have to try them on the grill next!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, chicken legs are considered dark meat, as well as chicken thighs.
I always recommend checking the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. Chicken legs are fully cooked when they reach 165°F, but it’s okay to let them go a little bit longer. They’ll still be tender and juicy!
I know it’s tempting to set it and forget it, but it’s important to flip the chicken legs so they cook evenly.
You can certainly use the seasoning blend on chicken breasts, but the cooking time will be different. See my roasted chicken breast recipe for instructions and tips!
Wondering what to do with your leftover lemons? Toss them in a green juice or green smoothie! They’re bright, refreshing, healthy, and SO good! I’ll be making these recipes all summer long!
Roasted Chicken Legs
Video
Ingredients
- 12 free-range organic chicken legs also called drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 lemon slices for garnishing
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley chopped, for garnishing
Instructions
- In a large container/bowl, season the chicken legs with dried oregano, dried thyme, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic.
- Pour the olive oil and lemon juice over the chicken legs. Toss everything very well. Marinate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast for 30 minutes or so until they begin to brown.
- Flip the pieces, and bake another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken legs reach an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- Garnish with chopped parsley and lemon slices.
Tips
- If you do not have smoked paprika, you can use regular or sweet paprika.
- Fresh lemon juice is recommended for the best flavor.
- Make sure to pat the chicken dry before seasoning and roasting.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.
If you like this Roasted Chicken Legs, please share it with your friends and family. Do you want to taste more? Subscribe to my newsletter, and follow Primavera Kitchen on Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for all delicious recipe updates. As always, I really appreciate you stopping by.
Moe Gerdes says
My whole family loves this recipe 👍👍 we serve it with herb roasted potatoes. Always turns out great☺
Olivia says
Mm… This recipe goes really well with roasted potatoes! Thanks for stopping by 😉
Anjelika says
This recipe made the BEST chicken legs ever! I did not have cardamom (I would have loved it if I had!) so I used curry powder. I also didn’t have lemons, but I used limes. It was so delicious! I highly recommend this recipe!
Olivia says
That’s absolutely awesome! Happy you enjoyed it 😉
Moe Gerdes says
This is a go to recipe for our family whenever we buy drumsticks. Tonight. I’m going to use this recipe on chicken breasts along with roasted herb potatoes ☺
Olivia says
So happy to hear that. You’re comment made my day 😉
Zinta says
I was desperate for a recipe that didn’t have any ingredients that I needed to go to the store for.
My husband had a rough day and came home to a wonderful meal and toddler who doesn’t eat much has never had this much chicken in her life. I thought she was going to burst!
Thanks for this!
Olivia says
You’re very welcome! Thank you for leaving your comment. It made my day 😉
Lisa says
Do you keep the skin on for this recipe? Can’t wait to try it !
Olivia says
I keep it on.
JMM says
I used this on 7 legs versus 12, because that is what I had. It was very good and I will make it again.
Olivia says
That’s awesome. Happy you liked it.