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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 mayonnaise
- 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.
Notes
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
My mini food processor did not blend the onions to look like purée. They were not the texture of applesauce. Could I add liquid to processor to get them the tight texture or boil them first?
Hi Margaret. You can try adding a little water to see if that would help.
I have to watch my sodium intake so 1 Tablespoon is way to much salt for me. Is the salt necessary? Could I back it off to maybe 1/4-1/2 teaspoon?
Hi Jackie! Sure, if you prefer to have it less salty, you can use less salt in the recipe or season it with a sodium-free seasoning of your choice for flavor.
I was a little curious how this would taste after making the sauce. But!!!! It came our really Juicy and flavor was really good. Thanks natasha for sure great flavors.
Hi Marie! That’s wonderful. So glad to hear that.
Great recipe!!! Only got to marinate for 6 hours and was a little worried if they would be tender. They came out amazing and looked just like the picture… was going to send my picture when the family started eating them and saying how delicious!!
Natasha you are my go to on any new things I want to try… thank you !!
Will send picture next time a make them
Hi Nancy! I’m so glad they were a hit! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hi! I don’t have mayo on hand. Is there anything I can substitute for that?
Thanks
Hi Marci, I always use mayo, but I think olive oil might work well instead.
So good! I have made this recipe so many times, always a hit
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Lei!
Can the recipe for baked chicken drumsticks be adapted for an air fryer?
Hi Sandra, I haven’t tried 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.
Hello Nathasha
I was wondering if I could make this recipe, put it in the oven and reheat in the oven the next day. Would it taste as good?
I’m having a dinner party, but we’ll all be away in the morning, so it’s impossible to cook the same day!
Thank you so much!
Hi Andree! We love these freshly made because they are the most juicy and tender. If you need to make them ahead and reheat them in the oven, I would cover the pan in foil (with a little opening for steam) so they don’t dry out too much.
Thanks Natasha
I’m going to arrange to arrive earlier to put them in the oven the same day. I wouldn’t want to spoil the recipe. Perhaps you have a better suggestion for a recipe for drumsticks to be baked the day before and reheated the next day.
You’ll get a few messages from me as I had a lot of trouble sending my message, I thought it hadn’t worked and had to start again 2 or 3 times, I’m really sorry.
In the last message, I asked you if I should put everything on the rack in the middle of the oven…
Thanks again!
Andrée
The middle rack will work great. I see your messages on my end. Thank you for your question, I hope you love it!
Hi Natasha. We will be having these for Saturday afternoon, if I marinate it Thursday evening it should be fine in fridge for 2 nights ?
Hi Alina. You can marinate these longer than overnight, that would be fine.
We’re trying this recipe for tonight’s dinner. If marinating in a foodsaver bag, is 4 hours the max time?
Hi Alice, you can marinate longer if need be. I hope you love this recipe!
Love this recipe will be making it often for my family. Have you ever used wings instead of legs
Hi Dianne, I imagine this may work with wings. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I have made this recipe several times it is delicious every time we love it
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Dianne!
I made this and my husband and dad loved it. My Dad is 88 and he asked for the recipe so he could make it at home!
Looking forward to your cookbook one day!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m happy you all enjoyed this recipe, Barb!
Sounds yummy. Can this be made with ckn breast? My husband and son do not like dark meat.
Hi Charlene! We always use it for dark meat bone-in chicken but one of my readers reported great results using it for chicken breasts that 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.
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 🙂