Baked BBQ Chicken Legs

When you can’t grill, this Baked BBQ Chicken Legs recipe brings all the smoky, saucy goodness straight from your oven!

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Who doesn’t enjoy a good BBQ? In the summer, I’m at the grill several days a week. From grilled chicken wings to cod, protein tastes better over an open flame. Except, I live in Wisconsin, and while I have grilled during a snowfall or two, I don’t make it a habit. So when the temperature drops and I’m craving a finger-licking meal without firing up the grill, these baked BBQ chicken legs are just the ticket.

I’m not going to lie—I do love my grilled chicken. But the beauty of this dish is in its simplicity. For one, I use a simple collection of common cupboard spices—garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder. This gives the chicken a deep, robust flavor. After that, all you do is stick the legs in the oven, brush them with your favorite barbecue sauce, and watch that skin crisp up. Then, in about 45 minutes, you have yourself a summer-worthy meal in the dead of February. I won’t say that this oven-baked recipe is as good as the grill, but it gets pretty darn close!

Are Baked BBQ Chicken Legs Healthy?

Compared to the KFC variety, these baked BBQ chicken legs are pretty healthy. However, it also depends on what kind of barbecue sauce you use. Opt for a low-sugar sauce, or even better, make the sauce yourself—this low-carb, sugar-free barbecue sauce is a healthy alternative. You could also remove the skin if you’d prefer a leaner take on this dish. However, the skin does keep the meat juicy. It’s up to you!

Crispy Skin

If you take a gander at the recipe instructions, one of the steps involves patting the chicken legs dry. It’s one of those steps I used to ignore before I knew how important it actually was. Patting the chicken legs removes excess moisture, and less moisture equals crispy skin!

The high temperature also contributes to the skin’s crispiness. Feel free to turn up your oven’s dial to 425°F. Drumsticks contain plenty of fat and connective tissue, so they’re quite forgiving. Just be sure to keep an eye on it because BBQ sauce is prone to burn at high heat. Also, I should note that the sauce does affect the skin’s texture slightly. If you’re like me and prefer more crispiness, only lightly brush the sauce on and serve the extra sauce on the side!

INGREDIENTS

12 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Preheat oven, prepare drumsticks with seasoning.

Bake

Bake drumsticks, then apply BBQ sauce and bake until done.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store

You can prepare the chicken legs a day ahead! Pat the legs dry, season them, and put them in your fridge. When you’re ready to bake, pop the legs in the oven and follow the rest of the recipe. Store leftovers in your fridge for up to 3 days.

How do I prevent the sauce from burning?

A couple of ways—only add the sauce during the last 20 minutes. This way, it has enough time to caramelize without overcooking or charring. Also, don’t add too much sauce at once. A light, even coat is all you need to start. Remember that you can always add more after the legs have finished cooking.

Can I use a different cut of chicken, like thighs or wings?

Chicken thighs work great with this recipe and have a similar cooking time to drumsticks. However, chicken wings cook faster, so reduce the cooking time by about 10-15 minutes. Whichever cut you use, make sure the internal temperature is 165°F.

Serving Suggestions

These baked BBQ chicken legs are perfect alongside classic summer sides like coleslaw, corn on the cob, or the kid classic mac and cheese—with bacon! Mashed potatoes are another good pick and are easy to make. Or, if you want to keep it light, pair them with a simple cucumber and tomato salad or roasted vegetables. They’re also great for meal prep—just reheat and serve with something like this Greek orzo salad or with the best quinoa salad you will ever try!