Baked Chicken Drumsticks (Mom’s Recipe)
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These baked chicken drumsticks are finger-lickin’ good! They are tender and flavorful with a crisp salty skin.
My Mom makes these all the time and uses the same recipe for bone-in chicken thighs. The marinade only needs 4 simple ingredients that everyone has in their pantry, but my Mom’s brilliant method will become your secret weapon for marinating all kinds of bone-in-chicken.
Baked chicken drumsticks are perfect for parties because they are inexpensive, easy to prepare, and satisfy a crowd.
Marinating overnight produces supremely tender and flavorful chicken drumsticks. The seasoning penetrates the meat resulting in perfectly seasoned chicken from the crispy skin to the tender center.
Ingredients for Baked Chicken Drumsticks:
4 1/2 to 5 lbs (1 large pack) chicken drumsticks
1 medium yellow onion, pureed*
2 Tbsp mayo
1 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp salt
Optional if you want a little spice: 1 to 2 Tbsp Jamaica me sweet hot and crazy sauce
*You can either puree onion using the star side on a box grater or chop into pieces and puree in a food processor or blender. Onion should be consistency of applesauce.
How to Make Delicious Baked Chicken Drumsticks:
1. In a small bowl, stir together: onion puree, 2 Tbsp mayo, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 Tbsp salt and hot sauce if using.
2. Place chicken drumsticks into a large mixing bowl or soup pot then pour on the marinade and toss to coat. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours or (preferably) overnight.
3. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and bake skin-side-up at 400˚F for 45 minutes then turn drumsticks over (skin-side-down) and bake another 15 minutes. For extra crispy skin, turn drumsticks again and broil 3 minutes or until skin is browned and crisp.
I garnished with chives for effect 🙂
Tips for Speed Marinating: We’ve tested marinating 4 hours and the meat wasn’t as tender and tasty as overnight marinating. However, if you have a foodsaver, you can marinate in an airtight bag and have it done in 2 to 4 hours. Did you know that a foodsaver can marinate foods faster? Removing the excess air forces the marinade into the meat. We’re absolutely in love with our foodsaver.
Here’s the Print-Friendy Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe:
Mom's Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 to 5 lbs 1 large pack chicken drumsticks
- 1 medium yellow onion, pureed*
- 2 Tbsp mayo
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 Tbsp salt
- Optional if you want a little spice: 1 to 2 Tbsp Jamaica me sweet hot and crazy sauce
Instructions
-
In a small bowl, stir together onion puree, 2 Tbsp mayo, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 Tbsp salt and hot sauce if using.
-
Place chicken drumsticks into a large mixing bowl or soup pot then pour on the marinade and toss to coat the drumsticks. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 6 to 8 hours or (preferably) overnight.
-
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and bake skin-side-up at 400˚F for 45 minutes in the oven then turn drumsticks over (skin-side-down) and bake another 15 minutes. For extra crispy skin, turn drumsticks again and broil 3 minutes or until skin is browned and crisp.
Recipe Notes
*You can either puree an onion using the star side on a box grater or chop onion into chunks and puree in a food processor or blender. Onion should be consistency of applesauce.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Can you use the Airfryer/Toaster Oven with your Mom’s Extra crispy chicken wings/legs?
Hi Beverly, I imagine it should work but I cannot advise on the timing. Please share with us how it goes if you experiment.
I made these drumsticks marinating overnight. Took out an hour before baking. Made them for a church dinner. I had to make 96. Easy and so very yummy. These will be on our menus again soon. Everyone loved them.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Linda! Wow, 96 is a lot! I’m so glad it all worked out!
Such an easy recipe and it delivers great flavor! Added 1Tbsp sriracha instead of hot sauce and otherwise followed the recipe exactly, marinading for 10 hours. Cooked perfectly on foil sprayed with cooking spray. The family loved it, and I will definitely make this again!
Siracha is a great substitute, thanks for sharing. I’m glad your family enjoyed this recipe!
Hi! Is it too spicy if you add hot sauce to it or it just blends in and you can’t really taste it. I have young kids who can’t take spice so just wanted to gauge it before adding it.
Also, can I use this recipe for boneless chicken thighs? Should I still marinate overnight? Thank you!
Hi Pokey, it blends in nicely, but if you’re worried you can try adding a bit less.
Is it possible to keep drumsticks in the marinade for two days?
Most recipes for marinating meat and poultry recommend six hours up to 24 hours.
Made tonight and everyone loved the flavor, need to ramp up the hot sauce … but was a lovely taste and new technique I never did before, so thank you and thank you Natasha’s Mom
You’re so welcome! I’m glad it was a huge hit!
I have made this a few times but had never marinated it for more than a couple of hours. Last time, I marinated it overnight, and added some sriracha sauce to the marinade. More than worth the extra marinating time! It is a wowser, and is now our favorite chicken recipe. Never any leftovers!
It really is the best! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
YES SIRACHA, just posted saying next time I am adding siracha so thank you Patricia for your post 🙂
This recipe was amazing thanks for sharing
Great to hear that you enjoyed it, Dianne! Thank you for your review.
Even though i dont cook much anymore i enjoy your videos. All look delicious!
Hello Gayle, good to know that you’re enjoying watching my videos. I hope you can go back to cooking again.
I have made this twice now with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Your Mom’s recipe is wonderful. Many years ago The Frugal Gourmet had a quick appetizer for impromptu guests which was Mayonaise & chopped onion spread on French bread! Great Marinade too! I’ve made many of your recipes Natasha and they are absolutely delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Do you take the excess of the marinade off the chicken or leave it on when u go to cook it?
It depends and both would work fine. I usually take it off if there’s too much marinade.
Sister!!! Your Mama is a genius! I haven’t tried it but I’m a BIG fan of baking almost every poultry/meat with onions – that flavor profile the onions add is fabulous and super flavorful. Can’t wait to try it puree’d! Thank you so much for sharing your talent, I’ve tried a few of your recipes and have nothing but love and gratitude for it. 🙂 Mahalo! BTW: Thank you for cracking me up, your lovable quirkiness is sooo refreshing, keep up the great work to you and your ohana! Blessings 🙂
Hello Tima, thank you for your kind words and good feedback. I hope you love this and every recipe that you will try!
Would this work with skinless drums or thighs?
Hi Wendy, I would still use the baking instructions for thighs that I shared in this post. Otherwise, it would turn out a little overcooked and dry.
This is my new favorite chicken recipe. It came put even more moist and flavorful than the rotisserie chicken that you buy from the store! Thank you so much Natasha!!!
You are very welcome. Glad you found your new go-to-recipe!
Can someone recommend Spots & Stripes? Cheers xox
Hi Natasha. Third time making this recipe using legs and thighs. Comes out perfect every time and so easy. Just want you to know that you’re my go to for all new recipes on google. Enjoy all your videos, so informative. Thanks 🧑🍳
Thank you so much for your good comments and feedback, Ev. We appreciate it so much!
Hi Tammy, this may work with quarters but they are much larger pieces of chicken and may take longer to bake.
I thoroughly enjoyed this recipe – delicious. Thank you
You are welcome, Maria. Glad you enjoyed it!
These were awesome. I used thighs and drumsticks and they both came out great. Crispy, juicy and so flavorful. I used parchment paper and they didnt stick at all. I justed added a 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder to marinade. Hubby commented three times during the meal that they were great.
Love it! Thank you so much, Judy for sharing your great feedback with us. We appreciate it!
Will the results be the same if an instant pot is used instead of the conventional oven.
Hello Funkie, I haven’t tried using an instant pot for this recipe yet. If you do an experiment, please let us know how it goes.
What about grilling? Ever tried it? If air fryer, temp and how long?
Hi Jennifer, I haven’t tried it any other way to advise. I imagine it should work but I cannot advise on the timing. Please share with us how it goes if you experiment.
Can you put a link to the baking sheet you use for this many chicken legs? Thank you
You can find our favorite kitchen tools including this baking sheet in our shop HERE.
This recipe is absolutely a keeper! It’s so easy to prepare, baked it in my handy air-fryer and it turned out real tender and flavorful. Will be making this regularly! Thank you for this delicious recipe!
That is so awesome! Thank you for your great feedback.
I always smile when recipe says to marinade overnight like we will cook it for breakfast. Just teasing but do sort of wonder if you could do overnight and then leave it all day too or just wait till morning and marinade all day and cook for dinner.
Hi Lyn. That should work too it will be juicy and full of flavor!
Hi,
This is one of my very favorite recipes, and I make these drumsticks the time. I prepare them the night before, then leave them in the refrigerator all day, stirring them around a few times. Then I leave them sit out to come to room temperature, and bake them in the evening. They always turn out great!
I’m so happy to hear that Tom! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Natasha, have you had any luck freezing cooked drumsticks and then reheating? Thank you.
Hi Alena, I haven’t tried to freeze these since they don’t last in our house but here is what one of our readers posted “make recipes, freeze portions, vacuum seal, return to freezer. .. 20 minutes in boiling water.. DONE.. LOVE IT !!” I hope that helps.
Has anyone tried doing these in the air fryer?
Hi Conni, I honestly don’t have any experience making this recipe in an air fryer so I’m not sure. Maybe someone else has tried in an air fryer? If so, please let us know and thanks in advance!
Made these today and they did not disappoint. So flavourful and tasty. My family loved them. I will definitely be making these often.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Roberta. Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi Natasha, I had a question about the onion puree. I tried grating it to a paste like consistency but when I tasted it, it was really bitter. I thought something was wrong with the onion so I used a fresh one but that turned out bitter as well. How do I fix this? Thanks so much!
Hi Anya, did you use yellow onions?
Thanks for replying! Yes, I used yellow onions.
The recipe doesn’t specify a type of onion. Is there one that you prefer? 🙂
Hi Becky, I updated the recipe to specify. We usually use a yellow onion, but you can use what you have on hand.
Hi, how much do I change the recipe if I only want to make 3 lbs of chicken? Also can you use chicken thighs?
Hi DW, this recipe calls for 4.5- 5 lbs of wings which makes about 14 drum sticks. We have the recipe slider on the printable recipe towards the bottom of the post where you can adjust it to how many servings you would like. I hope that helps.
LOve your show and your recipes, hope you are putting out a cook book soon, copy off internet is not easy with all the advertisements getting in the way.
Hi Donna, if you scroll down to the bottom of the recipe post, there is a print-friendly (usually 1-page) concise recipe without any ads and just a single small photo. I hope that helps and thank you so much for the wonderful feedback.
I made these chicken legs last night and they were outstanding. What is simple and great recipe. The best thing about it is that a contains ingredients that almost every refrigerator and spice cabinet has on hand. Thank you Natasha love all your videos. You should have your own show on the Food Network.
#FoodnetworkNatashaneedsherownshow #100%
Thank you for sharing that with us and for that awesome compliment! We love how easy it is to make these!
I made this today and I let it marinade for a little more than 24 hours. It was DELICIOUS!
Thank you for sharing this amazing recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Yes, they were tender, but lacking flavor and didnt get crispy. I cooked them longer than suggested and then put them under the broiler. Also, marinated for a day and a half. I usually like your recipes Natasha, next time!
Hi Carol, did you change anything about the recipe? Did you use a different amount (or different kind) of onion than called for? Did you grate the onion as stated in the recipe? Normally these are very flavorful. Also, it does help to keep them spaced out on a baking sheet to get them to crisp up rather than stay soft from surrounding steam.
Used Blue Jean Chef cooking time to air fry
Scrumptious. Will make again
That’s so great! I’m so glad you enjoyed that.
I used The Blue Jean Chefs time chart for air frying
It was so delicious. This is a great recipe
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Patti! I’m so happy you enjoyed that.
I’ve never make anything that called for pureed onion – that’s an interesting ingredient. I can’t wait to try these. Did I tell you how much I love your recipes? I do you know.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing that with us & I’m so glad to hear you are enjoying our recipes.
I am making tonight. Do you have any suggestions for air frying time? Can’t wait to try
Hi Patti, yes an air fryer would work but the timing will have to be adjusted for the air fryer and I haven’t tested that to advise. I hope you love the chicken drumsticks!
Delicious. Air fryed worker great
Air fryer works well
I have never been able to cook chicken so that the skin is crispy before. I was so excited when they came out of the oven looking just as good as in the picture. And they tasted really good too. And one of the easiest dinners ever! Thanks so much for another great recipe
I’m so happy to hear that, Jenny! Thank you for that awesome review!
Tasty and easy. Didn’t use hot sauce but I’d like to try adding some garlic powder or fresh garlic to the marinade. The only problem I encountered was when using foil. The chicken stuck to it and was hard to flip. Parchment worked much better.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me Kendall!
use foil dull side up, to prevent sticking, and for good measure, spray it with Pam.
I read through your comments first but didn’t find an answer…do they reheat well…and what’s the best way
Hi Dianne, they do reheat pretty well and I recommend reheating foods the same way they were cooked and heating just until warmed through.
These are delicious! I’ve made them with legs & thighs and added some garlic powder to the mix. A family favourite for sure. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great feedback.
LOVE this recipe! My kids love these, it is always a hit with guests and so simple to make.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Vera!
HI, I’d like to ask if anyone has tried serving these cold? They sound great but I could be short of cooking time if they have to be eaten hot. They’d be part of an informal lunch buffet for a couple of friends.
Hi! I haven’t tested that cold but one of our readers wrote “I made these earlier tonight…yum, yum, yum, yum, yum! And I just discovered that they are also good eaten cold as a late night snack. Another great recipe, Natasha!” I hope that helps
What can I sub for the Jamaica me sweet hot and crazy sauce….
Any spicy sauce(liquid) or is it better powder.
Hi Karin, that is totally optional and we often make these drumsticks without the hot sauce. You can use any kind of your favorite hot sauce if you want to add a little spice and it will work
Sriracha~
after chicken marinates can you use an airfryer thank you
Hi Dorothy, yes an air fryer would work but the timing will have to be adjusted for the air fryer. I hope you love the chicken drumsticks!
This recipe sounds delicious and I’m always opened to trying new recipes. So I have like 2.66lbs of chicken drumsticks (8 in total), what would be the proportions for the ingredients listed?
Hi Bella! We have a serving slider at the top of the printable recipe. Where is says servings 14 (in red) drumsticks, click on the number and slide to adjust how many you need. I hope that helps.
I was honestly skeptical as the ingredient list is so simple but these were amazing!!! Big hit at family gathering.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite Melissa!
Do you think I can BBQ them as opposed to bake? This time of year that is our favorite method of cooking. Thank you!
Hi, I have had a few readers report great results grilling this and I don’t see why not! I hope you love theme as grilled chicken drumsticks!
Tried it today – super good! I made it with thighs though. The whole bunch was gone in about 10 minutes! Honestly, haven’t tried any of your recipes that my family or myself didn’t like. Your website is my endless source of ideas, whenever I have no clue what to cook or/and am tired of all my most cliche meals. Thank you for your moderately simple, yet very delicious recipes!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Kateryna! I’m so happy you discovered our blog and are enjoying our recipes! Thank you for sharing your thoughtful review with me!
How long did u cook the thighs??? Same time as in drumstiks??
Delicious!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Donna!
I made these mostly out of curiosity, because of the simple ingredients, and was blown away! Delicious; will make them regularly. Who knew what an onion and 2 tablespoons could do?
who knew what 2 tablespoons of mayo could do? Kudos to your Mom
Thank you Patricia!
Sounds like you found a new favorite, Patricia! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
Hi! Just wanted to say that you are awesome! I happened by your site about 2 months ago and made the chicken fettuccine alfredo. It was seriously the best I have ever had (much less made)! Then I tried your creamy chicken noodle soup (again it is the best chicken noodle soup I have ever had). We were going to have a bunch of family over tonight so I made this recipe (1st time). Everyone loved it and it was enough to feed 10 people. You are a life saver! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Jenn! That means a lot! I’m all smiles!
Hi Natasha, quick question, should I let my marinated drumsticks sit on the counter for a bit before I pop in the oven? They are marinating in the fridge of course 🙂
Hi Lauren, you are welcome to if you’d like but we just pop them right into the oven and they’re perfect!
Hi Lauren, it isn’t necessary to bring them to room temperature first. We just arrange them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven right out of the fridge.
Awesome, followed recipe (and straight to oven from fridge) and it turned out great. My one and three year olds loved it (I cut/shredded some of the drumstick meat for them).
Awww that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me :). I’m all smiles!
have you ever tried sour cream instead of the mayo
Hi Pat! We have only tried it with mayo. I haven’t tried that with sour cream or greek yogurt either so I’m not sure I can speak to that substitution. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I would not suggest it…mayo is why they brown beautifully, as they do when you use mayo on the bread for a grilled cheese sandwich!
Hi!
I will try it today 🙂 Can you freeze some of them? If yes, which stage?
Thx!
I haven’t tried to freeze these since they don’t last in our house but here is what one of our readers posted “makee recipes, freeze portions, vacuum seal, return to freezer. .. 20 minutes in boiling water.. DONE.. LOVE IT !!”
Thanks, I guess it’s the best if I freeze it after coating the drumsticks with the onion-mayo, but before cooking them. Am I right?
I think that would be best!
But don’t do the ‘boil for 20 minutes’
thing, if you haven’t baked before freezing…He meant baked, freeze; then thawed in the package in boiling water.
Thank you for such a yummy, versatile recipe. Because of time constraints and being away from home, I wasn’t able to cook them in the oven. So I threw them in the crockpot on high for 4 hours. When I got home, I put them on the grill for a few minutes so the skins could crisp up. They turned out amazing! Thanks again!
You’re so welcome, Natalie!
Do you see a problem marinating a couple days? What about subbing Greek yogurt for mayo? Thank you!
Hi Steve, I have marinated up to 24 hours but I think it should work to marinate for a couple of days. I haven’t tried with Greek yogurt so I’m not sure I can’t speak to that substitution.
I wanted to let you know that I ended up making them for lunch, so they marinated a day and a half with no problem. I also used Greek yogurt instead of Mayo and it worked great. Moist, flavorful and falling off the bone. This is a great recipe. Thank you!
That sounds healthier and amazing! Thank you for sharing this with us, Steve!
Hi Natasha! Thank you so much for such an easy and delicious recipe! I’ve made it the other day and my picky 4yr old loved it! so this definitely goes on our favorites list and will be made pretty often:-) thanks again!!!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. Thanks for sharing that with us, Luda! & thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi, love the recipe – can I make this with chicken breast?
Hi Irene, We always use it for dark meat bone-in chicken but one of my readers reported great results using it for chicken breasts which she grilled. I think the marinade would work but you would definitely have to alter the cooking time/method or the chicken breasts would be dry.”
Hi Natasha, I made these and they were gone instantly, so good!!! Thank you for all your amazing recipes. Can this marinade be used on chicken breasts? If yes, would it be a similar cooking method?
Awesome! Thanks for sharing your great review with us, Galina! We always use it for dark meat bone-in chicken but one of my readers reported great results using it for chicken breasts which she grilled. I think the marinade would work but you would definitely have to alter the cooking time/method or the chicken breasts would be dry.
This looks great and I can’t wait to try this next week! Would I be able to use light mayo instead of regular mayo?
Thanks!
Hi Taemee, light mayo should work as well 😀
I just made this for dinner with my parents and served it with grilled vegetables and rice pilaf. It was wonderful! The only thing I did differently was purée 2 jalapeños with the onions before adding in the mayo, salt, and pepper. I did end up using regular mayo because it was on sale. Delicious, simple recipe perfect for summer! I will be making again. Thanks!
You’re welcome! I’m happy to hear the recipe was a great success. Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers!
Natasha, this recipe looks amazing. I was wondering if it would do well in an air fryer? If so, any suggestions for air fryer use with this recipe?
Thank you!
Olivia
Hi Olivia, I honestly don’t have any experience in an air fryer so I’m not sure. Do you love your air fryer and what brand do you have?
Maybe someone else has tried in an air fryer? If so, please let us know and thanks in advance! 🙂
Just wanted to say that I LOVE this recipie. It’s part of my regular rotation. My husband asks for it all the time. Thank you!
You’re welcome Melissa! I’m glad to hear the recipe is loved enough to be put in the rotation. Thanks for sharing your great review!
I’ve marinated them for about 24 hours (due to working schedule) but let me tell you, drumsticks came out so flavorful, moist and tender, defiantly will be making them again, probably very soon! I’ll be serving them with some roasted garlic Parmesan asparagus! Thank you for this recipe
My pleasure Yana! I’m glad you love the recipe. Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Making these tonight!! Hoping they turn out yummy they sure do smell gold cooking.
I hope you love it, please let me know what you think Stacey!
This is my go-to recipe for drumsticks! I always marinate overnight. So delicious and perfect for making large batches to meal prep. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome Kasia! I’m happy to hear how much you love the recipe. Thanks for sharing your wonderful review!
i’m making these Today.. Bought
a 5lb package of Drumsticks.. YES.. The Foodsaver is the best invention EVER !!.. I have the Quick Marinating Dish.. Overnight marinating done in 12 minutes !! I have their containers, and Tons of Canning Jars.. I vacuum seal everything I can !! Great for Salad veggies… they last 2weeks +
I make recipes, freeze portions, vacuum seal, return to freezer. .. 20 minutes in boiling water.. DONE.. LOVE IT !!
Nice, I need me one of those! Please let me know what you think about the recipe!
Super easy & super yummy! I did marinade them over night. Looking forward to making these little babies again. THANKS!
You’re welcome Pam! I’m happy to hear how much you enjoy the recipe. Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Adoro coxas de frango ! Parece ótimo !
I hope you love the recipe! 🙂
Hi! This looks absolutely wonderful; however, my stomach no longer allows me to have anything with onion, so is there a way to make this so that it is still wonderful but without onion? Thanks so much!!
Hi Robin, with this recipe, since onion makes up the bulk of the marinade, it would be difficult to swap it for something comparable. You might consider this chicken drumsticks recipe – also very good! 🙂
I’ll bet if she sliced and soaked the onion in water for an hour before gratin, it would make them more mild. Can’t imagine a sub for onion.
Hi Natasha! I love this recipe! Would it work to make this without the mayo for lactose-intolerant guests?
Hi Monica, most real mayo’s are dairy free so they should not bother anyone who is lactose intolerant. Double check the label before buying it since there are some “light” mayo varieties that might add it for flavor but most mayonnaise is dairy and lactose free.
Made these tonight for dinner. Absolutely delicious! Easy to make because of excllent directions. Followed them exactly. My husband loved them. Will make again and again.
I’m glad to hear you both enjoy the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review Janet!
Natasha, do you think it will be chicken will be ok if I marinate it and put it in GE freezer? Then, just thawed it out and grill it. Have you tried anything like that before? Thank you for a great post!!!
Hi Mila, I do think that would work great. The chicken would marinate while it is defrosting. I would thaw overnight in the refrigerator for best results (no speed thawing) since you want the chicken to have ample time to marinate.
Hi Natasha, can I make with chicken thighs, really wants this recipe, not the one u recommend in your comments with BBQ, help me please, if it’s going to be something different, thank u so much
Hi Tanya, you can use chicken thighs for this and if they are bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, you can use the same instructions and baking times.
What about boneless and skinless??? Thanks a lot, so sorry for bothering
Hi Tanya, no worries! I would still use the baking instructions for thighs that I shared in this post. Otherwise, it would turn out a little overcooked and dry.
Delicious, I was somewhat skeptical given the simple ingredients but tried it out due to the fantastic comments.
Only managed to marinate for 4 hours but everyone loved it. A winner as a midweek dinner in our house, I think I’ll try it on a full roast chicken next!
Awesome, I’m glad to hear that Stephanie! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
I was researching how long to bake drumsticks when I came across your recipe. Definitely putting these on the grocery list for next week. Thanks!
You’re welcome Alina! Please let me know what you think of the recipe!
Such a yummy recipe! Added some garlic powder, turned out perfect!
Thanks!
My pleasure Lana! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your review!
I’m getting ready to prep to make these tomorrow. I’m a little nervous about the cooking time though, an hour at 400 seems like a long time to me??
Hi Dawn, since it is bone-in, skin-on chicken, it is pretty forgiving. I found this to be a great baking time for getting that little bit of crispy skin on top 🙂
This was absolutely delicious. Used srirachi hot sauce for some added spice and marinated overnight. Very easy and a big hit in our household.
I’m glad to hear everyone enjoys the recipe Lisa! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
I’ve made these several times, they are scrumptious. Make sure to use Parchment paper, like the directions say, and take the extra few minutes to crisp the skin on Broil – vkusnyatina!
I’m glad you enjoy the recipe Inga! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
Should the marinade be blotted a bit before baking?
Hi LC, blotting the marinade is not necessary 🙂
I tried the recipe this morning and the chicken stuck to the foil? What did I do wrong?
Hi Debra, I do prefer to use parchment for this recipe because it works a whole lot better as a non-stick surface and still makes it easier to clean than a silpat mat. If using foil, I would recommend using a commercial grade (thicker foil) to keep it from sticking or pulling up with the foil.
Natasha! I am so grateful for your blog! I recently found it and have been cooking with your recipes almost every night! I was looking for some new recipes for my boyfriend and I for dinners (it can be so easy to get into the same routines!) and this chicken really blew us away! My boyfriend kept asking for more (a rarity with my cooking!) and is taking leftovers for lunch! Thank you for sharing easy, creative, and delicious recipes! I can’t wait to continue to try more of your masterpieces!
My pleasure Monica! I’m so glad you both love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review and thoughtful comments!
Very love it! Keep doing it, and keeps turning very good;) Even we grilled it once, and it came out soft, juicy and yammie! Thank you, dear😍
Natalya, you are very welcome and thank you for sharing such a great review 😬
These came out great, and the marinade was super easy to make. My 2 year old loved them! Have you ever tried them on the BBQ after marinading them?
Hi Jeanne, I haven’t tried that personally, but three of my readers have reported very good results on the BBQ 🙂
Will this work for chicken thighs?
Hi Anastasia, Hi Lena, I would suggest using the baking instructions for thighs that I shared in this post. Bone-in drumsticks will take longer to bake than boneless chicken thighs.
Hi, can I use red onions? Thank you
I haven’t tried this with red onion but I imagine it would work fine. Red onion is a little milder but I think it will still provide great flavor.
Great! Can’t wait to try it out 🙂
I tried marinating them with red onions. They came out great. Juicy and tasty. Thank you for this recipe!
Awesome! My pleasure!
Can I use skinless boneless thighs? They are always available where I shop and on sale too.. I hate looking at the skin…or how about a whole chicken???lol
Hi Susie, I would use the baking instructions for thighs that I shared in this post. Otherwise, it would turn out a little overcooked and dry.
Hi Natasha, this was the first time I was cooking drumsticks; and they turned out amazing. Such a simple recipe and the results are finger licking.
I didn’t have the hot sauce, so I added cumin powder, cayenne pepper, garlic and black pepper.
My husband and kids loved it. Thanks for this recipe. Am gonna make it again… very soon.
YAY! I’m happy to hear that everyone loves the recipe! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review! 😀
Excellent recipe!
I’m glad you love it Rita! Thanks for sharing 🙂
If I marinate them overnight and don’t make them until the next evening, is that too long? That’s more like 20 hours. Is over marinating a problem?
Hi Angela, that is totally fine! Enjoy!! 🙂
I’m reeeaaally pressed for time and only have an hour to marinade the chicken, so i poked holes in the chicken legs with a knife and rubbed the marinade in to the chicken before letting it sit. It’s in the oven now. I hope it still works. BUt i definitely will try this again in the future, and will follow the specified hours 🙂
Please let me know how it turned out Ann! 🙂
These were BRILLIANT!!!!
My grocery had “50% off all cut and whole chicken” and I got 3 ‘family sized trays’ of drumsticks and did your “mom’s recipe” on them.
They got RAVE reviews from everybody, part of a potluck and I brought the legs, there were none left, so I can’t speak to how they are “leftover” LOL. Thank you very much for sharing!
You’re welcome Christopher! I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review 😀
Yummy! The onion did not become purée in my food processor. Also, I think I needed to reduce my cooking time. Regardless, I’ll be cooking these again at some point! They tasted great!
Hi Heather, were you using a food processor that was too small? You might try chopping your onion finer to get it to puree. I hope that helps! I’m so glad you enjoyed the flavor 🙂 I love my drumsticks to have crisp salty skin, but if you don’t mind softer skin, you can probably reduce the baking time about 10 minutes or so.
Hi!
Will these turn out if I don’t marinate them and cook them right away?
Thanks!
They won’t be the same. I’ve done 4 hours of marinating but they were still definitely better overnight 🙂
These are soooooooooo juicy! My husband who is as picky as they get, tried them at ur mom’s, loved them and I finally got to making them, they were a hit! Perfectly tender, and flavor throughout. Thank you ! Yummm , happy to have left overs for tommorow:)
You’re welcome! I’m glad you loved the recipe Anna!
I tried this for lunch today (having marinated the chicken overnight)
It was SO good!
I forgot to add less salt since I only had a small amount of drumsticks, but it still turned out good. I added 3 cloves of garlic, a kick of Tapatio and a sprinkle of Italian seasoning. I’ve never had drumsticks come out so perfectly cooked before! Thanks for the yummy recipe 🙂
YUM! That does sound good! You’re welcome and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
Giving this a shot. I’ve never thought to use onion puree and mayo in a marinade. I added garlic, basil and cayenne pepper to the recipe and I plan on using the grill and not the oven. Will let you know how it turns out!!
Please do Matt!
Wow! Loved these! So did my 2yr. old,she kept requesting “more chicken!” Thank you for your amazing and inspiring recipes! I am definetly a fan!!!
Awww! I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂
Anyone make these with wings? What time frame to cook and temp?
I haven’t. Maybe someone else has? Thanks friends!! 🙂
Hi Natasha, what can be substituted for Jamaica Me sauce? I’ve never had it, so I don’t know what it tastes like. I don’t think I’ve seen this one in stores around where I live…
Hi Loretta, that is totally optional and we often make these drumsticks without the hot sauce. You can use any kind of your favorite hot sauce if you want to add a little spice and it will work 🙂
I’m cooking this tonight. I added hot chilli powder to the marinade. Just wondering if adding cayenne pepper would be nice or whether using rosemary in instead of chilli would work.
I haven’t tried rosemary so I can’t speak to that but my Mom is always adding hot sauce to the mix (Tabasco, or that “Jamaica me sweet hot and crazy” sauce that she likes so much from Costco – what a crazy name for a sauce! lol) Anyways, I do think any kind of hot spice you add would work fine. It’s one of the things I love about this is you can tweak it and introduce new flavors, but I just haven’t tried rosemary so I’m not certain about that one.
Hi Natasha!
I love this recipe, but I always have problem with too much blood coming out of the bones of drumsticks. I even keep them in salty water for a few hours before marinading, but it doesn’t help. Yours don’t look like they have any dried blood at the ends. Do you have this problem with blood?
Hi Olga, to be honest, I don’t recall having that issue. Have you tried getting your chicken at a difference source/store to see if it changes? Also, could it actually be pink juices which are normally seen in chicken if it is undercooked? Oftentimes people mistake pink cooking juices for blood. I always suggest cooking chicken until the juices run clear and with the lengthy cooking time for these drumsticks, it’s definitely safe to eat the chicken in terms of food safety.
I’m trying this tonight. I followed the recipe exactly, no alterations. I’m nervous because the smell of the marinade is very off-putting with all that onion. I DID remove excess marinade from the drumsticks prior to putting them in the oven after they soaked for about 4 hours in it. I’m also using a cooking rack to elevate the drumsticks a bit. Now I wait, anxious to hope dinner is not a bust. Its very difficult for me to get past this smell.
Hi Tes, you must be very sensitive to the scent of onions. No worries, once the drumsticks are in the oven and have roasted for the time specified, you won’t even know there was onion in the marinade :). Let me know how you like it when it’s all done 🙂
I have these marinating in the fridge right now – I ended up adding some harrissa as that’s just what I happened to have (other than sriracha) and I also added in some garlic and olive oil as per some of the other comments I read. I did eyeball it, so not sure if I added in the right amount of salt.
However it smelled amazing and I had to have the hubby take the kitties into the other room, as they go nuts when they smell chicken.
Will report back once I’ve baked these for dinner tonight!
I would love to hear how the family liked them 😀. My mom made these again for today’s lunch!
They were great! Super moist and tender. When I do this next, I’ll definitely add more salt and more harrissa.
My husband and I ate these with a side of salad (quickly did up a spinach salad with apple, cucumber and red onions with a frankenstein-d vinaigrette which was a mixture of a multitude of things), so super tasty and healthy. We also tried it with bbq sauce and sriracha sauce which was delicious too.
I had a few extra drumsticks that wouldn’t fit in the oven tray, so I let them marinate over night and we’re going to have them for lunch today, too!
Love to hear reviews like this! Thank you for sharing Shannon! 🙂
So I decided to make these today and overlooked the marinade time, but I’m still planning on making these today, what is the quickest amount of time I can marinade these for a good taste result? (Husband decided to come home early today, so I don’t have much time left to marinade).
Hi Viktoria, the quickest I’ve done it is 4 hours. If you put them in a food saver and remove any excess air, you might get away with marinating 2-3 hours. A food saver works well because it pulls the air out and in a way forces the marinade into the chicken. I hope that helps!
Wow, all my years of scratch cooking and it never occurred to me to use as base–let alone marinade base–pureed onion. That is brilliant, Miss Natasha.
I enjoyed the heck out of the drumsticks.
I did it your way except: added one garlic clove to puree. Didn’t think the mayo alone would be enough of a binder, so added 1 TB of oil to the puree. I stirred into the marinade leftover salsa and some homemade chili powder. The salt and pepper alone were not doing it for me.
The beauty of your recipe is it’s easy to do it “my way”. At the end of the day, the onion flavor is the star regardless.
Great chicken, recipe, and result. Thank you.
I am so glad you like it Brent! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Turned out amazing!! My first time making this recipe and I will definitely be making this more often.
Awesome! So glad to hear you enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing Inna 🙂
If I’m using chicken thighs, do I need to turn them over also after 45 min?
And is cooking time stays the same?
Hi Lena, I would suggest using the baking instructions for thighs that I shared in this post. Drumsticks take longer to bake because of the bone in them.
let me tell you, best chicken i’ve made so far. so easy and delicious!
I’m so glad you liked the recipe Tanya. You might have a new favorite chicken recipe 😋.
I have about half the amount of drumsticks. Should I change the amount of marinade and time in the oven? In one of the comments you mentioned the onion smell wears off if it’s long enough in the oven.
Hi Alena, the bake time would be the same but you could cut the marinade in half if using only half the drumsticks.
Turned out soooooo delicious!! Happy birthday by the way!
Thank you Alena 😊.
Has anyone tried grilling this kind of recipe? How did it turn out?
Hi Marina, 3 of my readers have reported great results with grilling the chicken 🙂
made these babies ) turned out yummy)
but i ran out of parchmebt paper on time)
lol
so i used foil to line the baking sheet. followed the instructions and they sticked a bit. but it my fault. i should have sprayed it. otherwise they were quick and delish!
thanks, Natasha🤗
Vicroriya, you are very welcome and thank you for the great review 😀.
Hi Natasha,
Would this work just as well on skinless meat? That’s what I have right now? If the recipe would need to be adapted, how should I go about doing that?
Thank you!
Sophie
Hi Sophie, this recipe really works best with skin-on and bone-in chicken because of the long baking time. With that much onion in the marinade, I’m not sure I would do a lesser baking time because it may be too overpowering with the onion. With the longer baking time, the strong onion flavor bakes off and it just tastes amazing (even someone who dislikes onions would not complain). 🙂
Hey Natasha this is my second time making these! First time I used fresh meat and today I unthawed the drumsticks from the freezer but when I put them in oven to bake they were bleeding.. Is it normal for them to bleed when being baked? They’re half way done I’m hoping I can still eat them 🤔
Hi Angie, red or pink in the juices of chicken while cooking are normal. This is why they say to cook your chicken until juices run clear. This article will help to ease your mind about that.
Hi Natasha,
I am making these tonight, do you take the marinade off when putting in the oven or keep it on?
Eugene
Hi Eugene, you can put them into the oven with the marinade on. If there is excess marinade in the bowl, you can discard any excess.
So happy to have found this blog! I am making these drumsticks tonight for friends & am REALLY excited about it!
Chicken legs are one of my favorites! I forgot an onion so I added a little more mayo with some onion powder, let them sit overnight and baked the next day! They were so delicious and I will definitely make these again!!!
That’s great Ashley! Reading your comment is making me hungry 😋.
Hi Natasha,I want to try your your chicken drumsticks, but want to know if it will get my oven dirty by splashing, being uncovered the whole time? Thanks
Hi Tanya, I haven’t had that issue with this recipe 🙂
Hi Natasha! I haven’t made this yet but I’m really wanting to! I just have a few questions that I hope you can answer! So all I have is 6 chicken legs, would I still use the same amount of stuff for the marinade? And what would be the difference in cook time? And also since this is marinating in onion does it have a strong onion flavor once it’s finished? I hope you can answer all these for me so I can get started on them tonight! (:
Hi Kristin, I would cut the marinade in half since it sounds like you have about half the amount of chicken called for in the recipe. Also, the cook time will be the same and there is no strong onion flavor at all in the end. Folks who don’t like onion may not even notice it in the finished chicken 🙂 p.s. by chicken legs, I’m assuming you mean drumsticks and not thighs or quarters (much larger pieces of chicken may take longer to bake). Enjoy! 🙂
I made this for dinner and it came out fantastic. I didn’t have an onion so I added more mayo, onion powder and 2 cloves of garlic. I will definitely make this again!!!
Ashley, I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I’m not a fan of chicken drumstick but this recipie is amazing. I also used it on country style pork ribs with great results (much longer baking). Thanks!
You are welcome Gosia and I’m glad to hear that you had great results with pork ribs 😀.
So easy and delicious. I love how the recipe requires very basic ingredients and it still takes better than any other chicken I’ve had.
Inna, thank you for such a nice review, I will share your comment with my mom 😀.
Love the recipe! Do you think this will work with turkey legs? How much longer would I bake them for?. Thank you.
Hi 🙂 I think it would work well for turkey legs, but I’m not sure exactly how much longer you would need to bake for. It really depends on how large the turkey legs are and they can definitely vary in size.
Hi Natasha,
I’ve made these things four times in six weeks now; once I made a double batch for a party, and everybody really liked them. Thanks to your mom for coming up with this recipe, and thank you for sharing it! Man, I love these chicken legs!!
PS: I’m trying a lot of your recipes and haven’t been disappointed yet.
That is so awesome!! Thank you Tom :). I am all smiles reading your comment.
Did you cover them with aluminum foil to bake as well ?
Hi Lana, I only line the pan but I do not cover the drumsticks to bake 🙂
K thanks.
Made this today and it was a hit. Will be adding this to our favourites. Thanks for sharing.
Elaine, thank you for such a nice review and you are welcome 😁.
So, so good! Will be a staple in our house.
Hi Polina, I’m so happy you loved the recipe. 🙂
I made these earlier tonight…yum, yum, yum, yum, yum! And I just discovered that they are also good eaten cold as a late night snack. Another great recipe, Natasha!
Tom, I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
Natasha, this is the the best chicken drumsticks recipe ever! My husband grilled them instead of baking and it was outstanding! My 21 years old son, who actually pretty neutral towards drumsticks, gobled 5 of them, and my daughter quickly consumed 3, so between 4 of us the whole pack (big Sams club package) was gone in one supper, which never happened before. Thank you so much for your mom’s recipe! I am going to try it now for other types of meat, like chicken breasts and pork.
Ha! That’s awesome!! Thank you for sharing that with us 🙂
This is a great recipe…really easy too. My family eats chicken legs quite often, especially in the summer when they can be grilled. I marinated this like the recipe instructed, and then grilled them. Before we could all get started eating my daughter exclaimed “Oh, this is really good!” I want to try it on other chicken pieces, like breasts or thighs.
Laura, I love your idea of grilling the chicken. I’m so happy you all loved the recipe 😁.
Would the marinade work for boneless, skinless, chicken breasts?
Hi Mary, we always use it for dark meat bone-in chicken but one of my readers reported great results using it for chicken breasts which she grilled. I think the marinade would work but you would definitely have to alter the cooking time/method or the chicken breasts would be dry.
I love how easy this recipe is! Definitely a keeper! Thanks again for another great post!
I’m so happy you enjoyed it! You’re so welcome 🙂
I tried this today , was pressed for time so just pan fried it .. They were so juicy. Thanks for such a simple recipe .
You’re so welcome 🙂 Thank you for the great review! 🙂
It looks so delicious. I’ll try to make it at home someday. Thanks for sharing delicious recipe. Say hello for you Natasha from Indonesia.
Hello to you as well! I hope you absolutely love the recipe. 🙂
They turned out really delicious!! My husband doesnt like drums so I used breasts instead and I added some pressed garlic sense we all love garlic lol.. but 1st time my husband has grilled them instead which turned out incredible but now I wanna try the oven way now. My 3rd time making them in 10days its so good!
Wow that must be a record! Awesome!! Thanks for sharing your review and it’s great to know that it works well for grilled chicken breast 🙂
Thank you for another delicious recipe! It was the most delicious chicken that was so simple to make, but the results were outstanding! The chicken was so moist and flavorful, it is definitely a keeper!
I’m so happy you loved the recipe and found a new favorite 🙂
Natasha, wondering if you can marinade frozen legs and thaw in refrigerator while marinating.
Hi Lee, I haven’t tested that to advise but it may work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
These were delicious!! I did marinate them for only 5 hours and they turned out super yummy (can only imagine marinating them over night). My husband, who is very honest about how dinner turns out, absolutely loved these! Will be making these again and again! Thanks Natasha!
I’m so glad you and your husband loved it! Thank you for sharing your awesome review 🙂
Natasha, your the best. I’m Ukrainian and a lot of the food you prepare reminds me of my moms. Thanks again.
I’m so happy to hear that and thank you for the awesome compliment 🙂
For bone-in chicken breasts, what would be the baking time?
Hi Chris, I haven’t tried this recipe for bone-in chicken breast so I can’t give you an exact time at that temperature. You might check for doneness 15 minutes sooner so your chicken breast doesn’t turn out too dry.
This looks sooo good😋
Do u bake it on the middle rack?
Yes, I bake drumsticks on the middle rack and leave them on the middle rack to broil for three minutes at the end.
Marinated overnight and baked them yesterday. The best drumsticks ever! Natasha, thank you for this great recipe!
My husband feels the same with me, he said 100 times maybe how delicious and flavorful the drumsticks were. The onion taste and smell was strong, but oh so good! Can’t wait to share the recipe with my mom. 5 stars!!!
Thank you Natalie! I’m so glad you both loved the recipe :). I agree the raw onion smell is strong before it’s baked but I love how it disappears into the chicken once it’s baked.
Hi Natasha I love your blog I tried almost every recipe that you are sharing it’s so simple and very easy ,very very tasty Tomorrow I will try drumstick chicken but my question is where I can find the Jamaican sauce??thank you
Alla, thank you so much for the compliment 😀. My mom bought Jamaican sauce at Costco. I haven’t looked anywhere else.
Natasha do I have to cover chicken with a foil or not? Thank you
No need to cover the chicken with foil 😀.
mmmm I love when it is a little burned ;). Looks so crunchy. Pinned to my chicken board ;).
Thank you for pinning Peggy 😀.
This is the best chicken I ever made!!!! It’s unbelievable how just a few simple ingredients can make this the best chicken ever! Please make more recipes like these!
I’m so happy you loved it! 🙂 My Mom is a genius 🙂
Mouthwatering dish !! This looks so crunchy and spicy. I will surely make this recipe and serve my family. Chicken drumstick is one of my favourites. Thanks for sharing this lovely recipe 😄
You’re so welcome 🙂
These look really good. Will definitely try. Would the marinade work for a whole chicken? Thanks!
Hi Sophie, I thought about that the other day. I haven’t tried it but I really think it would work well! 🙂
In case anyone is interested, i did try this on a whole chicken but it did burn some of the skin on top. I put it at the bottom of the oven half way through. Perhaps if I put it there from the start or had covered it with foil for the last 15-20 mins it wouldn’t have burnt. But the chicken was very tender and the onion flavor seeped into the meat. Yum! Will definitely try again but with pieces next time 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your experience!! 🙂
Do we really need a whole table spoon of salt? I’m about to try the recipe but wanted to make sure I’m reading it right. Thank you!
Yes, for 4 1/2 to 5 pounds of chicken drumsticks that is a normal proportion of salt. Also, a small portion of your marinade will stay in the bowl. Enjoy! 🙂
Wow Natasha awesome kudos and props to your mom am always looking for new chicken drum recipes omg this one looks like it takes the cake lol question am wondering if I can sautee the onion first let it cool then drain on a plate and then blend after or am I better off just chopping it raw and then blending straight up love hot sauce gives some foods a kick happy cooking always luv
Hi Tzivia, it won’t have the same potency as a marinade if you sauté it first. Also, after you bake the chicken with the marinade on it, you can’t even tell there is onion there. It just disappears into the chicken and tastes amazing! 🙂 I hope you love it!
Oh really so I guess it’s like a cook @ your own risk so to speak lmao I think I might just be better off chopping the onion straight up thanx @ always darlin so very helpful and really very extremely sweet @ well gnite
Natasha,
If I were to use a mix of drumsticks and thighs, would that work? Meaning, would the bake time still be the same?
Julia, yes, bone-in thighs will take the same amount of time to bake 😀.
I saw this recipe introduced via snapchat and new I needed to give it a go… I’ve had the chicken marinating since yesterday and can’t wait to cook it for dinner. Hoping it’s a tasty as promised!
Oh that’s awesome and you’re quick! I hope you LOVE it 🙂
I love the idea of grating the onion,will be super tasty and healthy too! I’m making it today, defrosting chicken thighs 🙂 Thanks Natasha!!
It really is a healthy way to make a marinade and it is great with chicken thighs. My Mom made them again the other day 🙂
Natasha, I baked the chicken thighs this morning after marinating all night, wow my kitchen smelled divine! BEST chicken I ever made, please thank your mom for this amazing recipe and please keep them coming ! 🙂
Hi Nina! I’m so happy you loved the recipe. I’ll be sure to let my Mom know 🙂
It never ceases to amaze me how often Mom saves the day with good recipes! When I’m clueless, I just give her a call and get the advice I need to “get it right” Your Mom’s drumsticks looks so yummy and browned perfectly….not to mention easy. My kids are gonna love these.
I completely agree – I call my Mom pretty often with cooking questions :).