This simple 5 ingredient recipe makes The Best Baked Chicken Legs I have ever had in my whole life! (And the masses agree – this recipe has been shared more than 250,000 times!) Just pop these legs in the oven, and you’ll have a crispy chicken dinner!
I’m no stranger to excellent baked chicken legs. Try these:Sweet and Spicy Baked Chicken Legs, Lemon Garlic Baked Chicken Legs and 4-Ingredient Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Legs.
Oven Baked Chicken Legs With Honey
Not only is this one of my kids’ favorite ways to enjoy chicken, but this recipe is also on its way to breaking the internet! For real. I knew it was delicious and easy, but after being shared more than 250,000 times with oodles of reviews from people who’ve made them (check ‘em out in the comments section), I almost can’t believe how much you guys are in love with this recipe!
I think what really knocks this recipe out of the park is the fact that chicken legs are so inexpensive and pack such incredible flavor, and the rest of the ingredients needed for this dish are probably ones you already have in your fridge and pantry. Score! They’re a little bit sweet and a little bit salty, with just a hint of garlic on that sticky exterior. I mean… What’s not to love?
Chicken with Soy Sauce Marinade
The sauce is truly addicting. You’ll want it on fried rice, steamed veggies, and maybe even in a cup with a straw to drink it — it’s THAT good. I’d love to know if you give this recipe a try and love feedback, so leave a comment if you give these a go!
Tips and Tricks for Making the BEST Baked Chicken Legs
Here for the right pan: Because these guys are thick and saucy, you’ll want a sheet pan with high sides to keep all the juices in and large enough so the chicken isn’t drowning in the sauce. To get the best caramelized texture, the chicken should stick out of the sauce a bit while cooking.
Foil it up: Make sure you carefully line the pan with foil so you avoid a sticky mess during cleanup.
Sauce, sauce everywhere: This sauce is so good you may be tempted to bathe in it. Fair warning. I recommend serving the chicken legs with rice and steamed vegetables, and douse those well in the sauce, too. (Although I doubt it’ll take much convincing.)
Check the temperature: To make sure the chicken is actually done, use this affordable instant read thermometer. Better safe than sorry!
Slow cooker friendly: Hallelujah, this recipe IS slow cooker adaptable. I use a ½ cup of ketchup, honey, and soy sauce instead of the portions in the instructions, and it turns out a little less sticky, but just as flavorful and heavenly.
Slow cooker friendly: Hallelujah, this recipe IS slow cooker adaptable. I use a ½ cup of ketchup, honey, and soy sauce instead of the portions in the instructions, and it turns out a little less sticky, but just as flavorful and heavenly.
How Long Does It Take for Drumsticks to Cook in the Oven?
This really just depends on how you’re cooking it. I like to start with a preheated 350 degree F. oven and bake them for 45 minutes, rotate the legs, raise the heat to 425 degrees F., and put them back for about another 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and everything looks caramelized. Turning the legs is key to getting the sauce on “top” of the chicken legs!
Is Chicken Drumstick Dark Meat?
Yep! The wings, thighs, and drumsticks are dark meat in chicken, and usually they have a much heartier, juicier flavor and more tender texture than white meat.
How to Cook Chicken Legs in a Slow Cooker
- Place all of the chicken legs in the bottom of a slow cooker (I have this slow cooker). Pour the sauce over the chicken legs. Slow cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the largest piece of chicken registers 165 degrees F. on an instant read thermometer.
- This option is great for all the reasons the slow cooker is great. You can start it in the middle of the day and have dinner on the table without much hands-on work during the busy evening. Or you can get the slow cooker going, leave the house, and come home to dinner. This is great for working parents, for Sunday dinner (it can cook while you are at church), or if you are running kids to practices or lessons in the evening. This option leads to flavorful moist chicken, but the outside and skin don’t crisp at all.
Here’s a video on how to make the best baked chicken legs at home for all you visual learners:
The Best Baked Chicken Legs
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 min
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
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This simple 5 ingredient recipe makes The Best Baked Chicken Legs I have ever had in my whole life! (And the masses agree – this recipe has been shared more than 250,000 times!) Just pop these legs in the oven, and you’ll have a crispy chicken dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds chicken legs (about 10 legs)
- 3/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 heaping teaspoon of preminced garlic)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the chicken legs out in a foil-lined baking dish with high sides (the foil is to make clean up easier — it’s not essential but helps a whole lot). A high-sided sheet pan is the best option because it has sides to keep everything in, but it is big enough that the chicken isn’t drowning in the sauce. It will caramelize best if half of the chicken is poking out of the sauce while cooking.
- In a glass measuring cup, measure out the honey, soy sauce, and ketchup. Add the minced garlic, and stir. If the mixture doesn’t combine well, microwave it on high for 30 seconds and stir again. Pour the honey mixture over the chicken legs.
- Put the chicken legs in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Take the chicken out of the oven, and rotate it so that the bottom that was in the sauce is now on top, out of the sauce.
- Put the legs back in the oven. Raise the heat to 425 degrees F., and bake until the sauce is bubbly and starts to caramelize on the chicken legs. This should take about 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve the sauce the the chicken cooked in with the meal or over rice if you’d like.
Notes
- A pan slightly larger than 9×13 inch with sides is the best option because it has sides to keep all the juice in but is big enough that the chicken isn’t drowning in the sauce. It will caramelize best if half of the chicken is poking out of the sauce while cooking. My pan is 11×15 inches and it works best. If your pan is too large though your sauce will be too shallow, evaporate and burn.
- Lining your pan with foil makes clean-up much easier. I recommend it.
- The sauce that the chicken cooks in is delicious over cooked rice and steamed or roasted vegetables (like broccoli and cauliflower) to round out the meal.
- I like to use a little meat thermometer to make sure the chicken is done – better safe than sorry!
- This recipe is a LONG time favorite in our house and it is highly adaptable to the slow cooker (hooray!!!). I change the portions a bit (use a 1/2 cup of ketchup, honey, and soy sauce), but it still tastes great. It’s a little less sticky, but it’s simple and flavorful.
- How to cook chicken legs in a slow cooker: Place all of the chicken legs in the bottom of a slow cooker (I have this slow cooker). Pour the sauce over the chicken legs. Slow cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the largest piece of chicken registers 165 degrees F. on an instant read thermometer.
- This option is great for all the reasons the slow cooker is great. You can start it in the middle of the day and have dinner on the table without much hands-on work during the busy evening. Or you can get the slow cooker going, leave the house, and come home to dinner. This is great for working parents, for Sunday dinner (it can cook while you are at church), or if you are running kids to practices or lessons in the evening. This option leads to flavorful moist chicken, but the outside and skin don’t crisp at all.
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken legs recipe, chicken drumsticks recipe, baked chicken, easy chicken dinner recipe, how to bake chicken legs, best baked chicken legs,
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How great are these 2013 pictures! This is my most highly made recipe from the site, and I can’t wait for you to make it too!
Round Out this Meal with:
- The Best Cornbread Recipe
- Crispy Homemade Sweet Potato Fries
- Deli-Style Broccoli Salad
- Easy Baked Butternut Squash Recipe
- How to Bake a Potato (these can cook right in the oven with the chicken!)
Other Chicken Leg Recipes You’ll Love:
- Chicken Street Tacos
- Lemon Garlic Baked Chicken Legs
- 4-Ingredient Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Legs
- Crispy Panko-Crusted Baked Chicken Legs
- 5 Ingredient Slow Cooker Chicken Legs
- 8 Must-Make Recipes for Chicken Legs
- Crispy Baked Chicken Drumsticks with a Pretzel Coating
- Simple Oven Roasted Chicken Drumsticks
- Extra Crunchy Baked Chicken Strips (gluten free)
- The Best Oven Baked Chicken Leg Quarters
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings
This post was originally published in 2012 and has been updated and rephotographed in June 2019.
You are going to love this easy chicken leg recipe and make it over and over again! This is the post that gets so many comments, pins, and people send me emails and texts about how much they loved them when they are easy. PLUS with only 5 ingredients, you are going to make these again and again! ENJOY!
About Melissa
Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
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Do you cook these with the skin on?
Yes, that is preferred.
Has anybody made these ahead of time and then cook them on the grill at night?
Could I substitute stone ground mustard for the ketchup and add some lemon juice?
For sure, it’s very versatile!
Seriously the best chicken legs my family has ever ate! I’ve never EVER liked chicken legs in my entire life but now they are my favorite!
This recipe is award winning and most certainly a keeper!!!
Thank you for all your deliciousness Melissa.👌🏻
★★★★★
Perfect and yummy recipe for me who’s a beginner so I’m always searching for simple and easy recipes online. My husband loved it.
★★★★★
I really love this recipe. Made it many times. A staple in our house! Typically I make this recipe with x3 whole chicken legs. Thank you so much!
Thank you for leaving a review!
These came out great. But is it 559 cal for 6 pieces?
★★★★★
The issue with me recipe nutrition calculator is that it assumes you ate all of the sauce with the legs if that makes sense, which you didn’t. So it is off, but I’m never sure how to calculate something in a sauce.
I made these last night and it was really good! Have you ever tried using breast meat (cut in chunks)? I feel like that could be good too, but would obviously need a shorter cooking time.
It works great, and yep, just shortening the cooking time or it kinda falls apart!
Made this tonight followed the recipe as is. It came out great loved the sweet tany flavor. My son in law the picky eater ate 5 legs. Definitely a keeper!
★★★★★
That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing!
Super yummy! I made this last night with white rice and some of my home canned green beans, and hubby said it was the perfect meal. We did pour the sauce over the rice. VERY yummy! I was surprised at how much sauce it made, but the chicken cooked in it, which made it super tender and tasty. This is definitely a keeper.
★★★★★
Hi
Have you ever used any spices on the chicken in this recipe?
Oh yes, you can use what you like. I really like Montreal steak seasoning and a smokey lime one I have. If you are using a seasoning with salt in it, just reduce the soy sauce or use less sodium soy sauce so that it doesn’t get too salty.
Thank you!
Can these be made in the air fryer?
They could though I think I’d put them in a pan in the airfryer, the sauce is really saucy…