These baked chicken drumsticks are marinated in a mixture of olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs, then baked to golden brown perfection. An easy dinner option that’s full of flavor and kid friendly too!

I love the kind of dinner where you can just stick a pan in the oven and walk away, it’s so much easier than a stove top dinner that requires more attention (and stirring!). When I need to have dinner on the table without a whole lot of fuss, I often turn to salmon foil packets, bacon wrapped chicken and these baked chicken drumsticks.

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Baked chicken drumsticks flavored with garlic and herbs, then garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.

We eat a LOT of chicken breast around here, and once in a while I feel the need to change things up a bit! When I’m looking for something familiar that the kids will happily eat, I often turn to chicken drumsticks. Drumsticks are inexpensive, readily available and my kids love them. These baked chicken drumsticks are marinated, then roasted until golden brown. It’s a dinner option that both the kids and adults will enjoy!

This recipe is perfect for when you want drumsticks. If you ever want some baked wings, try my lemon pepper wings, baked buffalo wings and classic baked chicken wings.

How do you make baked chicken drumsticks?

This recipe starts with a simple marinade which is made with garlic, olive oil, herbs, seasonings and lemon juice. The chicken drumsticks need to marinate for at least 2 hours, but you can marinate them for up to 24 hours if you have the time. The chicken goes onto a sheet pan and roasts until the skin is golden brown and the meat is tender and juicy.

A bowl of chicken drumsticks in a garlic and herb marinade.

Tips for baked chicken drumsticks

  • I use dried Italian seasoning in the marinade which can be found in the spice aisle of most grocery stores. If you don’t have Italian seasoning, you can mix together equal parts of dried parsley, basil and oregano for a similar flavor.
  • Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not the stuff in a bottle.
  • Periodically check on your chicken as it cooks – you want the skin to brown, but you don’t want the garlic and herbs on the outside to burn. If the garlic and herbs are getting overly dark, you can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

Marinated chicken drumsticks on a sheet pan, ready to go into the oven.

How long does it take for chicken drumsticks to bake?

It takes approximately 40 minutes for chicken drumsticks to bake in a 400 degree oven. If your drumsticks are on the larger side, you may need to increase the baking time to 45-50 minutes.

Baked chicken drumsticks on a sheet pan.

Baked Chicken Drumstick Variations

This is an Italian style marinade, but you can switch up the flavors to make this recipe your own.

  • Greek: Use 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1 teaspoon dried rosemary instead of the Italian seasoning.
  • Mexican: Use lime juice instead of lemon juice and substitute 1 tablespoon of chili powder for the Italian seasoning.
  • Asian: Combine the olive oil with 1/3 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon minced ginger and 1 teaspoon minced garlic.

Baked chicken drumsticks served with mashed potatoes and broccoli.

What to serve with chicken drumsticks

I often serve my chicken drumsticks over mashed potatoes or rice, and I always include a vegetable on the side! Here are some of my favorite dishes to pair with baked drumsticks.

I make these drumsticks almost every week because they’re a simple yet satisfying option with minimal prep work. You know it’s a good recipe when even the kids will happily eat it!

5 from 41 votes

Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic and Herbs

AuthorSara Welch
Baked chicken drumsticks flavored with garlic and herbs, then garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.
These baked chicken drumsticks are marinated in a mixture of olive oil, lemon, garlic and herbs, then baked to golden brown perfection. An easy dinner option that's full of flavor and kid friendly too!
Time
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Marinating Time2 hours
Total Time50 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Serves 6

Ingredients 

  • 3 pounds chicken drumsticks
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • cooking spray

Instructions 

  • Place the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
  • Place the chicken drumsticks in the bowl and coat them in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray.
  • Arrange the drumsticks in a single layer on the sheet pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  • Sprinkle with parsley, then serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 139mg | Sodium: 547mg | Potassium: 365mg | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1.4mg

Hello! I’m Sara!

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    My family will love this. It will be our last get together with our relatives before we head home for the summer. It will be so yummy. Thank you for an easy, tasty sounding recipe.

  2. 5 stars
    I’ve made this a few times and it’s really good. I’m making it again tomorrow. I use bottled lemon juice and it’s fine but probably would be even better with fresh lemons as per your recipe. Thank you so much Sara for your recipe.

  3. 5 stars
    Cut the recipe since I only had 4 drumsticks. Came out great. Turned my broiler on for about 3 min at the end to crisp them up. Will definitely make again!

  4. 5 stars
    Tried it today it was wonderful. One exception I used fresh herbs , everything turned out just like the recipe. I also had larger drumsticks and had to cook 20 minutes longer. Family lived it.

  5. Can I use fresh parsley basil and oregano Instead pf the dried? Can i replace oil with butter? And i add chopped ginger

    1. Ginger would taste lovely added! I do a similar marinade often using ginger root, garlic, lemon juice and spices. So so tasty.

    1. You could try keeping it warm in a crockpot. I think it would dry out a lot if you tried to keep it warm in the oven for that long. You can also reheat covered until warmed through, then uncover and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

      1. Thank you so much, Sara!! I baked it again for 5 minutes at a lower temperature, and it was perfectly succulent! This is the best drumstick recipe ever!

  6. 5 stars
    I just did this for dinner today and wow! Amazing! I’ve followed a few recipes and I just love that as long as you follow it step by step with the described quantity of seasoning the flavor is delightful! I’m so grateful you make me feel like a chef!

  7. 5 stars
    This was delicious! I made it with roasted broccoli and french fries. I used big fat chicken legs instead of drumsticks and they turned out super crisp.

  8. What can you use instead of cooking spray? I’m soy free and haven’t found one that is soy free. Can I rub the pan with olive oil or coconut oil?

  9. 5 stars
    I tried both the Greek and Asian versions and they were absolutely amazing; so much better than other recipes I’ve tried. They were so quick and easy to prepare as well. I loved baking them in the leftover marinade and eating it over brown rice. Thanks so much!

  10. So I am a beginner cook (just never really practiced or liked it). I would love to try this recipe but don’t have fresh lemon on hand. Will it work with lemon juice in the lemon container? Is that stuff no good? Thanks for the advice!