Home > Main Course > Chicken > Breaded Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Breaded Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

A plate of breaded baked chicken drumsticks garnished with lime wedges and cilantro

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH…These breaded, baked chicken drumsticks are crunchy on the outside and super tender on the inside. The garlic mustard sauce takes these over the top. There’s no need to marinate or wait since the breading seals in all of the amazing flavor so it basically bastes itself. 

This is a no-nonsense recipe and these drumsticks also re-heat really well. I tossed them onto a lightly oiled skillet the next day and toasted over medium heat until they were crisp again. Seriously just as good as the moment they came out of the oven. My son devoured his drumstick without prompting and told me he loved it. Serves 8-12; because

I think most people buy large packs of drumsticks (and it’s perfect for game day!) but it can easily be cut in half to feed a smaller crowd.

Ingredients for Breaded Baked Chicken Drumsticks:

4-4.5 lbs. chicken drumsticks (about 14-16)
Sea Salt & Pepper
1/2 cup dijon mustard (grey poupon is my favorite)
1/2 cup real mayo or vegenaise
4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 cups seasoned italian-style bread crumbs (I used Progresso brand)

Chicken Drumsticks

How to make the tastiest Breaded Baked Drumsticks:

Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with foil if you want to save yourself some clean-up time.
1. Rinse chicken in cold water then pat dry with paper towels and season both sides of the drumsticks with salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chicken Drumsticks-4

2. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup dijon with 1/2 cup mayo and 4 pressed garlic cloves.

Chicken Drumsticks-2

Take a whiff of this sauce. Oh. Yum.

Chicken Drumsticks-3

3. Place 2 cups seasoned breadcrumb in a separate bowl with a wide enough base to accommodate a drumstick. Now you have your assembly line ready.

Chicken Drumsticks-5  

4. Roll or Brush your mustard mixture onto all sides of the drumsticks and double roll each of them into just the bread crumbs to get a nice coating on them.

Chicken Drumsticks-6

Chicken Drumsticks-7

5. Transfer breaded drumsticks to a baking sheet keeping them somewhat spaced (don’t crowd them or they won’t crisp on the bottom like they should; for extra crispness on all sides, bake on a wire rack set inside of a rimmed cookie sheet) and bake at 350˚F for 50-60 min (mine were in there 55 min + 3 min broiled).

Bake until chicken is cooked through. If you want the skin crispy, put it under a hot broiler 3 min or so or until desired crispness (not blackness) is achieved.

Chicken Drumsticks-8

Chicken Drumsticks-10

Chicken Drumsticks-13

Chicken Drumsticks-2-2

Crunchy on the outside; super tender and bursting with flavor on the inside.

Breaded Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

4.95 from 37 votes
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
A plate of breaded baked chicken drumsticks garnished with lime wedges and cilantro
These breaded, baked chicken drumsticks are crunchy on the outside and super tender on the inside. The garlic mustard sauce is delicious! There's no need to marinate or wait since the breading seals in all of the amazing flavor so it basically bastes itself. Crunchy on the outside; super tender and bursting with flavor on the inside. This is a no-nonsense recipe and these drumsticks also re-heat really well. I tossed them onto a lightly oiled skillet the next day and toasted over medium heat until they were crisp again. This recipe can easily be cut in half to feed a smaller crowd.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 58 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 8 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 -12
  • 4-4.5 lbs. chicken drumsticks, about 14-16
  • Sea Salt & Pepper
  • 1/2 cup dijon mustard, grey poupon is my favorite
  • 1/2 cup real mayo or vegenaise
  • 4 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 2 cups seasoned italian-style bread crumbs, I used Progresso brand

Instructions

  • Preheat Oven to 350˚F. Line a baking sheet with foil if you want to save yourself some clean-up time.
  • Rinse chicken in cold water then pat dry with paper towels and season both sides of the drumsticks with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup dijon with 1/2 cup mayo and 4 pressed garlic cloves.
  • Place 2 cups seasoned breadcrumb in a separate bowl with a wide enough base to accommodate a drumstick. Now you have your assembly line ready.
  • Roll or Brush your mustard mixture onto all sides of the drumsticks and double roll each of them into just the bread crumbs to get a nice coating on them.
  • Transfer breaded drumsticks to a baking sheet and bake at 350˚F for 50-60 min (min were in there 55 min + 3 min broiled) . Don't crowd drumsticks or they won't crisp on the bottom like they should; for extra crispness on all sides, bake on a wire rack set inside of a rimmed cookie sheet). Bake until chicken is cooked through. If you want the skin crispy, put it under a hot broiler 3 min or so or until desired crispness (not blackness) is achieved.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Breaded Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Final Final Picmonkey Hashtag banner

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the creator behind Natasha's Kitchen (established in 2009), and I share family-friendly, authentic recipes. I am a New York Times Best-Selling cookbook author and a trusted video personality in the culinary world. My husband, Vadim, and I run this blog together, ensuring every recipe we share is thoroughly tested and approved. Our mission is to provide you with delicious, reliable recipes you can count on. Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy you are here.

Read more posts by Natasha

4.95 from 37 votes (22 ratings without comment)

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • jeni
    May 5, 2018

    tried this it was good
    replaced mustard with sriracha and blue cheese dressing

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      May 5, 2018

      I’m glad you enjoy it Jeni! Thanks for sharing your review and delicious suggestion with other readers!

      Reply

  • Emma
    March 29, 2018

    Just made these for dinner tonight, they were so good! They came out just perfect, crispy on the outside and juicy in the middle, great flavour. Will definitely make them again!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 29, 2018

      I’m glad to hear you enjoy the recipe as much as I do Emma! Thanks for sharing your wonderful review with other readers!

      Reply

  • Paula
    August 22, 2017

    Can i use something else besides dijon mustard….

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 22, 2017

      Hi Paula, you might try a different type of mustard like a honey mustard or grainy mustard.

      Reply

  • Fatima
    April 19, 2017

    Hey also if I don’t have bread crumbs can I still bake them without it ?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 19, 2017

      I haven’t tested it that way but I think that should work fine and now I honestly want to try it to! 🙂 It would result in drumsticks similar to my Mom’s drumsticks in onion marinade. I hope you love it! Let me know if you try without the breading.

      Reply

  • Fatima
    April 19, 2017

    Hi Natasha ,

    When baking do I need to drizzle some olive oil over the the breaded drumsticks ?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 19, 2017

      Hi Fatima, it is not necessary to drizzle olive oil with this recipe 🙂

      Reply

  • Yvonne
    March 30, 2017

    We made this for dinner tonight. I only have one word – DELICIOUS. Thank you for the easy and tasty recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      March 31, 2017

      You’re welcome Yvonne! I’m happy to hear you enjoy the recipe as much as I do! 🙂

      Reply

  • carina garcia
    January 14, 2017

    Would it work to grind up oats in a coffee grinder (to a near powder) and use that instead of the bread crumbs? I have a container of oats in my pantry and I’ve been trying to find recipes to use up the oats. I thought maybe I could substitute bread crumbs with oats.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 14, 2017

      Hi Carina, I haven’t tried that but from what I’ve read online, it sounds like it could work to grind it up and use as a substitute, although the texture might be a little different. Are they rolled oats? I think that would work better than something like steel cut oats which would be too coarse. Also since the bread crumbs I used were seasoned bread crumbs, I would suggest adding a seasoning such as garlic salt or your favorite seasoning so it’s not too bland on the outside. If you try it out, let me know how you liked it! 🙂

      Reply

  • Viktoriya
    October 27, 2016

    Hi, Natasha)
    i usually soak the bone in chicken parts in salty water to get rid of blood. do you have another method of how to get rid of blood in the meat? cuz if i dont soak it, the nasty chunk of blood comes out while it bakes.. ewwww…
    thanks)

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 27, 2016

      HI Viktoria, pink juices in chicken can be seen but blood is not normal. You should always bake your chicken until the juices run clear for food safety. I can’t recall experiencing seeing what you’ve described. Do you have this issue from a particular source that you purchase your chicken? You might talk to your butcher about that. You normally should not have to do that extra step if a chicken is prepared properly.

      Reply

      • Viktoriya
        October 27, 2016

        hmm….
        so you basically take the drumsticks out of the package , rinse and prepare as is?
        same thing with previously frozen drumsticks?

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          October 28, 2016

          Yes, but make sure that the meat is fully thawed.

          Reply

  • Steffanie
    April 27, 2016

    Can dijon be substituted with honey mustard instead?

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      April 27, 2016

      I think that would be a good substitute.

      Reply

  • Svjetlana
    January 17, 2016

    Hi Natasha!

    I am making this as I type and my oven`s temperate is off so I think this will take longer than 60 minutes. My chicken is at 140 degrees right now and it has been 65 minutes. The drumsticks were also half way frozen but I thawed them out in cold water prior to prepping them and baking. How will I know when it`s done ??? Should I just go by the internal temp instead of time cooked? By the way, everything I`ve made from your website has been a major success. Thank you!

    Reply

    • Svjetlana
      January 17, 2016

      Another thing; I am using Lawrey`s Southern chicken bread crums instead of Italian. We love the seasoning in these instead

      Reply

      • Natasha
        natashaskitchen
        January 18, 2016

        Thanks for sharing that with me! I haven’t tried that one but I’ll see if I can spot it in the store next time 🙂

        Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 18, 2016

      If they were still at all frozen, it would take a little longer to bake. If they were thawed, that should have been plenty of time for them to cook through. If you are at all concerned, test one by cutting into it. If juices run clear and it looks cooked inside, they are good to go 🙂

      Reply

  • Gidget
    October 24, 2015

    What’s the cut down for just 4 drumsticks???

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 24, 2015

      I would suggest making 1/4 of the recipe.

      Reply

  • Polina
    October 2, 2015

    Hi! Did you turn the chicken over halfway through cooking? I didn’t know if this was part of the recipe, so the bottoms of my drumsticks became golden brown but the tops were kind of… dry and breadcrumby (looked a lot like they did when raw)!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 2, 2015

      I did not have to turn it. Did you bake them in the center of the oven? Also, did you put it under the broiler to get it crisp? If you want the chicken to brown more, you can spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or bake on a wire rack, but mine browned without needing to do that. I hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply

    • LA
      February 20, 2018

      I made this! I substituted honey mustard and panko breadcrumbs because that’s what I had on hand, but everything else the same, and it was super tasty! I also had the soggy bottom problem though, might adjust my cooking method next time I make this, but so good anyway!

      Reply

  • Kimberly
    July 8, 2015

    Thank you Natasha for the awesome recipe!
    We all loved it will make it again.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 8, 2015

      That’s so great! Thanks for sharing that with me 🙂

      Reply

  • Kylie
    February 5, 2015

    Thank you for this recipe! I just got the thumbs up from all three kids – Miss 6, Master 4 & Master 3 (the tough one!). Makes dinner time so much more calm :> Thanks again!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      February 5, 2015

      I love how you refer to your kiddos. That’s adorable 🙂 I’m so happy they all enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply

  • Karen
    January 5, 2015

    I tried this because my friend asked for breaded chicken dark meat and I tried an extra piece. It was amazing! My friend loved it as well. It’s a new favorite – I highly recommend!

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      January 5, 2015

      Hi Karen! Thank you so much for the great review 🙂

      Reply

  • Mona
    November 10, 2014

    not so good and followed the recipe perfectly-better recipes out there

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      November 10, 2014

      Mona, what didn’t you like about? Did something not work out?

      Reply

  • Elizabeth
    October 28, 2014

    Hi! I plan on trying this for dinner tonight but I had a question….Can I use regular mustard or does it have to be dijon. ( I only have regular mustard.)

    Thanks

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      October 28, 2014

      I have only tested it with dijon and that is the mustard that I would strongly recommend. Regular mustard has a very distinct and different flavor and is very different from dijon. If you do use regular mustard, you might try using a little less of it.

      Reply

  • Oksana
    August 16, 2014

    Hey! 🙂 I’m having a party so I want to make these today to reheat tomorrow. Microwave should be good to reheat (party wings).. U think? Less hassle=better for me 😉

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      August 16, 2014

      We re-heated these on the skillet to keep them crisp. I’ve always been sensitive to how the microwave changes the taste of chicken so I try not to reheat chicken in the micro, but I think it’s do-able.

      Reply

  • Heather
    July 30, 2014

    I made this for dinner tonight and my husband and I both LOVED these drumsticks! Thanks for sharing! I just figured the recipe for two people and it turned out so tasty.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      July 30, 2014

      I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂

      Reply

  • Lyuda C Alaski
    June 21, 2014

    What would you suggest to use instead of Dijon mustard? I don’t have any on hand.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      natashaskitchen
      June 21, 2014

      Do you have any kind of mustard? You could omit it but it will taste completely different.

      Reply

      • Lyuda C Alaski
        June 21, 2014

        Yes i have regular mustard…

        Reply

        • Natasha
          natashaskitchen
          June 22, 2014

          You could try regular mustard and just use half as much since it’s a stronger flavor than dijon.

          Reply

As Featured On

Never Go "Hangry" Again!

Get weekly updates on new recipes, exclusive giveaways plus behind the scenes photos.