The secret to these juicy, flavor-packed baked chicken drumsticks is in the marinade! Loaded with Mediterranean flavors including lemon, garlic, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil. This easy chicken dinner is makes weeknights a snap.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The meat is tender and juicy; never dry.
- It’s easy and mostly hands off.
- It’s affordable. Drumsticks are one of the least expensive parts of the chicken to buy.
Chicken legs are of the most convenient, inexpensive ingredients for an easy dinner, no matter if you’re grilling or baking them like in this recipe. And you’ll love how versatile this baked chicken drumsticks recipe is.
These lemon garlic chicken legs with a pop of earthy spices including oregano, coriander, and cumin, is something you find in a Mediterranean kitchen. Pair it with an easy side like Greek fries, baked zucchini or a big three bean salad and dinner is done (probably with leftovers for lunch.)
Key Ingredients
The secret to juicy, flavor-packed chicken drumsticks is in the marinade, which is made of some Mediterranean pantry essentials like extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, lots of fresh garlic and a few spices.
- Chicken Drumsticks: You’ll need 10 to 12 bone-in, skin-on drumsticks for this recipe.
- Spices: Greek oregano gives it that citrusy flavor paired with black pepper, coriander, sweet paprika, and cumin for earthiness and a little depth.
- Extra virgin olive oil: slathering your chicken drumsticks in olive oil will keep them moist while cooking. I use Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil because it has a rich taste that I just love wiht this chicken.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Lemon makes the marinade bright and fresh tasting.
- Garlic adds a little kick and pairs well with lemon, oilive oil and oregano.
How to Make Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Prepare the drumsticks. Pat 10 to 12 drumsticks dry. Season with kosher salt both ontop of and under the skin. If you have the time, arrange the chicken on a tray or a shallow dish and chill in the fridge uncovered for a few hours or overnight. Air drying is optional, but it does create really crispy skin. If you have the time it’s worth it.
- Prepare the marinade. Place the drumsticks in a large ziptop bag. In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon oregano, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 1/2 teaspoons coriander, 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Add the spices to the bag with the chicken, along with 12 garlic minced garlic cloves, the zest and juice from 2 lemons, 1 medium yellow onion cut into wedges, 1/4 cup olive oil. Zip the bag shut.
- Heat the oven. When ready, heat the oven to 450°F. Lightly oil a baking dish and arrange the chicken drumsticks. (Yes, include the onions and the marinade.) Arrange lemon slices in between.
- Bake. Bake for 35 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and its juices run clear (internal temperature of chicken should register 165°F using an instant read thermometer). If you like, broil for just a few minutes until skins are crispy to your liking.
Tips for Making the Best Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Even if you choose to remove the skin before eating the drumsticks its best to cook them with the skin on to help keep the meat tender and juicey. Crisping up the skin before serving is also looks nice.
- This recipe doesn’t require a long overnight marinade. Even if you only have 30 minutes for the chicken to sit in the marinade, it will impart the chicken with flavor and help tenderize it. If you have time to let it marinate for 3 hours that works too.
- Alot of recipes call for coverin the chicken in the oven, but I don’t find it necessary. The marinade and the chicken skin protect the meat so it doesn’t dry out, but the skin gets nice and crispy.
- When salting chicken always lift the skin and salt the meat under the skin and on top for maximum flavor.
- For extra crispy skin, arrange the chicken in a baking dish or tray and keep uncovered in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. We use this same trick in our Whole Roasted Chicken recipe.
- Allow at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours for the chicken to marinate. Make sure to shake the bag and flip it on different sides from time to time to distribute the marinade evenly. No drumstick left behind!
- For even crispier skins place the chicken under the broiler briefly, but watch it carefully so it doesn’t burn.
Make it a Meal
This chicken drumsticks recipe goes with almost everything. A fresh salad? Yep! Crispy roasted potatoes? Absolutley! Here are a few of my favorite pairings:
- Stovetop sides like: Sauteed Green Beans, Sauteed Asparagus or a Mediterranean vegetable medley.
- Fresh Salads: Greek salad works great with the lemony flavors in this chicken drumstick recipe, but you could also go with something really simple like maroulosalata.
- Get Saucy: If you’re like me a creamy sauce with chicken is practially a requirement and Greek tzatziki is the logical choice for this drumstick recipe.
The secret to these juicy, flavor-packed baked chicken drumsticks is in the marinade! Loaded with Mediterranean flavors including lemon, garlic, oregano, and extra virgin olive oil.
Ingredients
- 10 to 12 chicken drumsticks bone in, skin on
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 head garlic, about 12 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion cut into wedges
- 3 lemons, Zest and juice of 2 lemons + 1 lemon sliced
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil I used Private Reserve Greek olive oil
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken. Pat chicken dry and season with kosher salt on top of and under the skin. If you have the time, arrange the chicken on a tray or a shallow dish and chill in the fridge uncovered, for a few hours or overnight (optional).
- Marinate the chicken. Place the chicken in a large zip bag. In a small bowl, combine the oregano, black pepper, coriander, paprika, and cumin. Add the spices to the bag with the chicken.
- Finish the marinade. Add the garlic, onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil. Zip the bag shut. Toss chicken around and massage it to make sure it is well coated in the marinade. Let the chicken marinate for about 30 minutes, or if you have the time, refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- Preheat the oven. When ready, heat the oven to 450°F.
- Arrange the chicken. Lightly oil a baking dish and arrange the chicken drumsticks. (Yes, include the onions and the marinade.) Arrange lemon slices in between.
- Bake. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and its juices run clear. The internal temperature of chicken should register 165°F using an instant-read thermometer. If you like, broil for just a few minutes until skins are crispy to your liking.
Video
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: For the best flavor, allow the chicken legs to marinate in the fridge for 2 to 4 hours, or 30-minutes at room temperature.
- Make Ahead: To save time, you can absolutely work ahead (one night in advance) on this chicken legs recipe. One of the things I like to do is prepare the chicken and allow it to marinate in the fridge overnight; that way, it’s ready to bake after a long workday. It helps to take it out of the fridge for a bit before baking so it’s not too cold and so it cooks more evenly.
- Leftovers: If you have leftovers, let the chicken cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 days. If you want to freeze the cooked chicken drumsticks, place them in a freezer bag and put them in for up to 6 months. Thaw before re-heating.
- Visit our Online Shop to browse Mediterranean ingredients including extra virgin olive oils, spices and more!
Nutrition
Calories: 155.6kcalCarbohydrates: 4.1gProtein: 11.7gFat: 10.5gSaturated Fat: 2.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.8gMonounsaturated Fat: 5.7gTrans Fat: 0.03gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 67.3mgPotassium: 206.1mgFiber: 1.1gSugar: 0.9gVitamin A: 127.1IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 27.5mgIron: 0.9mg
Tried this recipe?
Mention @Themediterraneandish Or Tag #Themediterraneandish!
Build Your Own Spice Bundle
Stock your spice cabinet with the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean. Buy 4 or more spices and save 5%. Buy 8 or more spices and save 8%!
I love all of Suzy’s recipes, but this one, this one got a plea for more from not one, but both of my awkward, eat like a sparrow 3 and 4 year old kids.
Hats off to you and thank you for another top notch meal x
Awesome! Thanks, Sam!
I showed this recipe to my son and he made it for dinner using split chicken breasts (it’s what we had on hand) and cooked them in the air fryer. They were wonderful! Loved the carmelized lemon with the chicken. Air fryer kept the chicken moist.
Awesome! Thanks for sharing that, Laura!
Beautiful recipe!! Can you share the baking dish you used? I love that it’s deeper than most. Thanks!
Hi, Rita! I picked the dish up a few years back from Crate and Barrel. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Made this tonite… OMG !!! it is soooo good!!! I’m very discerning and don’t often give out top ratings (in fact, I rarely enjoy restaurants because what I cook is usually better), but this one is a winner.
I reduced the recipe to 4 cuz its just the two of us; and used 2 chicken legs with back attached. Left the salted chicken to air dry in the fridge for 3 hours, then marinaded in spices and lemon mixture for 1 1/2 hours. Served with Greek lemon rice and Greek salad. Will definitely be making this again. Highly recommend you try this recipe … and DON’T use chicken breasts, use dark meat. If the other recipes on this site are this good, I’m a fan for life, lol. Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
Thank you for taking to time to leave this lovely review and feedback, Lou! I can’t wait to hear what else you try!
Delicious! I marinated the chicken in everything but the lemon juice a night in advance, and squeezed it over the chicken about an hour before cooking. Turned out amazing!
Great to hear! Thanks, Ania!
Hi Suzy!
Made this for dinner tonight, and it was SO good! I’ll definitely be making it in the future and may try with thighs for company.
This is the 3rd dish from your site I’ve made (Greek red lentil soup and Greek salad), and all were delicious! Looking forward to trying more recipes as I love all types of Mediterranean food. My grandfather was a chef and originally from Greece, but sadly, he died when my father was 7 so I missed out 😩!
I purchased sumac for a recipe I wanted to make but forgot to bookmark which one, so I’ll be on the hunt to find it. Looking forward to seeing what this spice is about.
Thank you for sharing your recipes with others.
~ Melissa
Hi, Melissa! So glad you are finding recipes that you enjoy here! Can’t wait to hear what it is you try with the sumac! Just an FYI… it is also a great spice so sprinkle on eggs, salads, just to mention a few other uses :).
Suzy , yet another outstanding recipe! Every one of your recipes I’ve made has been wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes and taking our family on a delicious Mediterranean journey. I look forward to making more.
My family preferred chicken breast. How long do I leave it in the oven?
Hello! If you’d like to make this with chicken breast, I recommend checking out my Italian Baked Chicken recipe as a guide for cooking time. Remember, chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
My guests loved this dish and asked for the recipe. I substituted basil for oregano and added some Italian spice mix I have with crushed red pepper to give it a little heat. The tips to salt and refrigerate overnight and how to freeze leftovers were very helpful. I will definitely put this recipe at the top of my go to meal list. Thank you!
Awesome! Thanks, Nancy!
Great recipe. Can I freeze the chicken raw in marinde?
Thanks
Dilara
Hi, Dilara. I have never tried that personally, but I think it should work.
Thanks Suzy. I tried freezing other chicken marinade recipes so I thought it would work but wanted to make sure.
These were sooooooo good! I took them to a small potluck dinner party tonight and they were quite a hit. The only thing I have to remember for next time is to leave enough time for the broiling/browning step. I didn’t do it and the skin on the drumsticks was soft. I also won’t pour all the marinade into the baking dish either, that really kept the skin from crisping (don’t know what I was thinking!).
I will DEFINITELY make these again. 😋
Thanks so much, Mindy!
Can you cook this in the grill instead?
Hi, Cheryl. Sure, I think that might work. We have actually have a grilled drumstick recipe that you can use as a guide: Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
I made this today and OMG it was delicious. It will become a regular. Thank you for this recipe. I had to cut it in half and it was still great.
Thanks, Arleen!
Such a great flavor! Easy.
hi there,, i was wondering if i can omit the coriander? is there any substitute for that?
Hello! Yes, you could just omit the coriander here.
Made this using chicken thighs, really lovely. The thighs were soft and juicy, when the skin was taken off there was a fragrant Lemmon and spice flavour in the meat. Served with Greek roasted potatoes and a Greek salad. Definite winner.
Thanks for sharing, Jane!
This was super tasty! I’m saving this recipe and I’ll make it again and again
Wonderful! Thank you, Luana!