• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • About
  • Contact Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Dinner at the Zoo

  • All Recipes
  • Dinner
  • Appetizers
  • Dessert
  • One Pot Meals
  • Slow Cooker
  • Asian Food

Home » Dinner » Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic and Herbs

Published: February 28, 2019 Last Modified: March 3, 2019 By Sara 46 Comments

Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic and Herbs

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe | Roasted Chicken Drumsticks | Garlic and Herb Chicken #dinner #chicken #garlic #glutenfree #lowcarb #keto #cleaneating #dinneratthezoo

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.

Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe | Roasted Chicken Drumsticks | Garlic and Herb Chicken #dinner #chicken #garlic #glutenfree #lowcarb #keto #cleaneating #dinneratthezoo Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe | Roasted Chicken Drumsticks | Garlic and Herb Chicken #dinner #chicken #garlic #glutenfree #lowcarb #keto #cleaneating #dinneratthezoo

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!

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 baked 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.

  • Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
  • Homemade Rice-A-Roni
  • Bacon Green Bean Bundles
  • Glazed Carrots
  • Roasted Maple Sweet Potatoes

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!

Baked chicken drumsticks flavored with garlic and herbs, then garnished with lemon wedges and parsley.
Print Pin
5 from 15 votes

Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic and Herbs

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!
Course Main
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 307kcal
Author Sara Welch

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
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @DinnerAtTheZoo or tag #dinneratthezoo!
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Dinner

FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

    ​
    ​

    Still hungry? Follow Dinner at the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest for more great recipe ideas!

    « Pork Carnitas Recipe
    Pasta e Fagioli Soup »

    Comments

    1. Murray says

      January 24, 2022 at 11:34 pm

      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.

      Reply
    2. Liilii says

      March 27, 2021 at 4:45 pm

      On the Mexican variation, would you exclude the garlic and parsley? Same with the Asian variation?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        March 28, 2021 at 9:24 pm

        You would want to still use the garlic but can omit the parsley!

        Reply
    3. Suelin Chin Soong says

      January 12, 2021 at 6:39 am

      Can I use lime in place of the lemon

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 13, 2021 at 5:26 pm

        That should work!

        Reply
    4. Sophie says

      September 19, 2020 at 6:22 pm

      5 stars
      Nice flavor with this recipe. I did thighs and legs to make everyone in my family happy and they were HAPPY!

      Reply
    5. Joanne says

      August 8, 2020 at 6:14 pm

      What about using breasts?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        August 9, 2020 at 7:52 pm

        That should be fine, they’ll need to cook for less time so that they don’t dry out!

        Reply
    6. Joy Putnam-Fabiano says

      March 9, 2020 at 3:13 pm

      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!

      Reply
    7. Linda Watkins says

      March 8, 2020 at 12:09 pm

      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.

      Reply
    8. TK Dhaliwal says

      January 14, 2020 at 5:50 am

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

      Reply
      • Sara says

        January 14, 2020 at 8:40 pm

        The herbs and butter are fine, not sure that the ginger would be a good flavor match!

        Reply
      • Elizabeth says

        January 11, 2023 at 11:23 pm

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

        Reply
    9. Sanjana says

      November 23, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      Hi! I want to make this recipe ahead of time for guests, but can it be reheated? Or kept warm for 4 to5 hours?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        November 24, 2019 at 7:24 am

        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.

        Reply
        • Sanjana says

          November 25, 2019 at 5:58 pm

          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!

          Reply
    10. Mayra says

      October 22, 2019 at 8:51 pm

      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!

      Reply
    11. Gary Mann says

      October 18, 2019 at 10:51 am

      Big hit. Kids love it .

      Reply
    12. Linda says

      October 8, 2019 at 5:07 am

      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.

      Reply
    13. Emily Liebert says

      September 24, 2019 at 2:11 pm

      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?

      Reply
      • Sara says

        September 24, 2019 at 11:08 pm

        Yes you can use oil instead!

        Reply
    14. Jessica says

      September 22, 2019 at 6:05 pm

      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!

      Reply
    15. Anne Marie says

      September 18, 2019 at 4:51 am

      Trying this recipe today, thank you so much for sharing

      Reply
    16. Amanda says

      September 4, 2019 at 8:05 am

      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!

      Reply
      • Sara says

        September 4, 2019 at 9:20 pm

        I’ve never tried it with bottled juice, but I think it would be ok!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    With 3 young kids, dinner can feel like feeding time at the zoo! I'm a mom on a mission to create easy, healthy and family friendly recipes ...Read More

    Winter Soups

    A bowl of chicken stew with celery, potatoes, green beans and peas.

    Chicken Stew Recipe

    Manhattan clam chowder with tomatoes, potatoes, vegetables and bacon.

    Manhattan Clam Chowder

    A pot full of beef barley soup made with beef stew meat, barley and vegetables all simmered together.

    Beef Barley Soup

    A bowl of beef chili topped with cheese, sour cream and green onions.

    Beef Chili Recipe

    A pot of turkey chili served with cornbread.

    Turkey Chili Recipe

    A bowl of black bean soup topped with salsa, avocado and cheese.

    Black Bean Soup

    More Posts from this Category

    Featured Recipes

    A bowl of rice topped with Korean ground beef and mixed vegetables.

    Korean Beef Bowls

    This recipe for chicken ranch tacos is grilled chicken with bacon, homemade ranch sauce, cheese and fresh vegetables, all stuffed inside warm flour tortillas. A family friendly meal that's simple to make and fun to eat!

    Chicken Ranch Tacos

    Earthquake cake is a gooey delight loaded with chocolate, pecans and coconut.

    Earthquake Cake

    This recipe for chicken caprese is grilled seasoned chicken, topped with fresh mozzarella, ripe tomatoes, basil and balsamic reduction. A quick and easy dinner that's easy enough for a busy weeknight but special enough to serve to company!

    Chicken Caprese

    FREE TOOLKIT: 5 Secrets to Meal Planning

    Learn my 5 Meal Planning Secrets & get my Meal Planning Toolkit...FREE!

      ​
      ​

      Categories

      Sites I am featured In
      PRIVACY POLICY ACCESSIBILITY STATEMENT © Sara Welch and Dinner at the Zoo® LLC, 2015-2022.
      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • RSS
      • Twitter
      • About Me
      • Contact Me
      • All Recipes
      • Dinner
      • Appetizers
      • Dessert
      • One Pot Meals
      • Slow Cooker
      • Asian Food