Paprika Chicken Drumsticks

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These garlic paprika chicken drumsticks are a very easy chicken drumstick recipe.

I love baked chicken drumsticks as you can pop it all in the oven, leave them to do their thing, without any stirring etc. Let's face it if you have young kids, stirring at a hot stove can be tricky sometimes!

Woman's hand holding a chicken drumstick above a family dinner table.

Why This Recipe Works

  • A simple recipe gluten-free with only 5 ingredients.
  • Baked in the oven, you literally throw the drumsticks into the oven and walk away.
  • A great recipe that is suitable for so many different dietary requirements, egg, dairy, and gluten-free. Paleo, Keto, and whole 30.

Ingredients you will need

You only need 5 basic ingredients to make my paprika chicken drumsticks: Chicken drums, paprika, olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest. Oh, and salt and pepper to season if you desire.

Ingredients for paprika chicken drumsticks laid out on a bench top with text overlay.

The flavours in this paprika chicken drumstick recipe are already pretty kid-friendly, to make it even more, kid-friendly you could leave out the lemon rind.

Paprika gives a lot of colour but little to no spice/heat. This recipe is delicious with either sweet or smoked paprika, but if you are using smoked, the flavour is a lot stronger. Personally, I prefer it, but if your family are not used to smoked paprika I would try sweet paprika first.

Sweet paprika may just say paprika on the box/jar, smoked is usually identified with the word smoked or Hungarian


 How to Make Chicken Drumsticks in the Oven

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius approx 400 Fahrenheit
  2. Line a baking pan with baking paper (you don't have to but it does make clean up easier)
  3. Place the drums in the roasting pan, or baking sheet with lip, keep them single layer with just a little space between each (photo 1). If your chicken drumsticks are quite wet, you can pat them dry with a paper towel.
  4. In a small bowl whisk together the marinade, oil, paprika, garlic, lemon rind, and salt (you can use a whisk or fork, you just want it well combined (photo 2).
  5. Pour the marinade over the drums, I use a brush to spread it evenly (photos 3-4).
  6. Bake in the hot oven for 45 mins, if you like crispier  skin, at the 40 min mark baste the drums with the pan juices and pop your oven on grill for the final 5 mins of cooking
  7. Season with salt and pepper, Serve.
A four photo collage showing the process steps to make paprika chicken drumsticks.
Baked paprika drumsticks in a baking paper lined blue oven dish.
A close up shot of baked paprika marinaded chicken.

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How I Serve these Drums

I serve these paprika chicken drumsticks with mash. My favourite family mash is a 50:50 blend of potato and cauliflower. I just boil the potato and cauliflower together then mash with a little butter, milk and salt.

Add a dish of green veggies and you have a winning family meal.

Family dinner meal with a platter of  chicken drumsticks, bowl of broccoli and a bowl of mash.
A platter of paprika chicken drumsticks in the foreground with broccoli and mashed potato in the background.

Top Tips

Here is how you can make these chicken drumsticks perfectly every time!

  • If your chicken drumsticks are quite wet when you remove them from the packaging, pat them dry with a paper towel before marinating them.
  • Use a hot oven, and make sure it is pre-heated to the correct temperature before cooking the chicken drumsticks.
  • If you like chicken drumsticks with crispier  skin, at the 40 min mark baste the drums with the pan juices and pop your oven on grill for the final 5 mins of cooking

FAQs

How to cook chicken drum sticks?

For me, I find the easiest way to cook chicken drumsticks is to bake them in the oven. Often like in this recipe I will make up a quick marinade to add extra flavour and yumminess to the chicken legs.

How to bake chicken drumsticks in the oven

Dry (with a paper towel) and oil your drumsticks before I baking them, this helps the skin crisp. You can either add some seasonings as I do in this recipe, or you can just bake them plain.

What temperature should to bake chicken drumsticks?

When baking chicken drumsticks I recommend a hot oven. For me that's 200-220 degrees Celsius this will ensure you end up with crispy skin and not awful rubbery skin. I believe 200-220 degrees celsius converts to around 400 to 420 Fahrenheit  

Should drumsticks be covered in the oven?

Chicken drumsticks do not need to be covered when baked in the oven. Baking them uncovered allows the chicken skin to caramelize and crisp.

What should I serve with chicken drumsticks?

Chicken drumsticks are delicious served with a creamy smooth carbohydrate such as mashed potatoes, cauliflower pureé or polenta, and a steamed green vegetable such as beans or broccoli.

How can you tell when drumsticks are done?

A good indicator for when your chicken drumsticks are done is when you notice the skin cracks and the tendons begin to shrink. Cut into one drumstick and ensure the juices run clear this will indicate the chicken legs are cooked.

Chicken Drumstick recipes

Chicken drumsticks are so popular with kids, I already have one other super drumstick popular recipe on my website Honey Soy Mustard Chicken Tray Bake

Because they are so popular I will particularly for kids I will be working on some more chicken leg recipes.

paprika-chicken-drumsticks on a platter with a large bowl of green vegetables and potato mash

If you made my paprika chicken drumsticks or any other recipes on the blog please :

  • leave me a comment and a star rating below to let me know how you got on, I love hearing from you.
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Woman's hand holding a chicken drumstick above a family dinner table.

Paprika Chicken Drumsticks

Paprika Chicken Drumsticks an easy baked chicken drumstick recipe, quick to prepare, succulent to eat. Family meal, kid-friendly
Print Pin Rate
Course: Family Dinner Ideas
Cuisine: American
Keyword: baked chicken drumsticks, chicken, chicken drumstick recipe, chicken drumsticks, chicken drumsticks recipe, chicken legs, drumsticks, easy meal, family dinner
Servings: 10 drumsticks
Calories: 228kcal
Author: Stacey

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4.46 from 383 votes

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Ingredients

  • 10 chicken drumstics
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 3 teaspoon paprika
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • rind of 1 lemon
  • salt

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius approx 400 Fahrenheit
  • Line a roasting pan with baking paper (you don't have to but it does make clean up easier)
  • Place the drums in the roasting pan, keep them single layer with just a little space between each
  • In a small bowl whisk together the marinade, oil, paprika, garlic, lemon rind and salt (you can use a whisk or fork, you just want it well combined
  • Pour the marinade over the drums, I use a brush to spread it evenly
  • Bake in the hot oven for 45 mins, if you like a crispier  skin, at the 40 min mark baste the drums with the pan juices and pop your oven on grill for the final 5 mins of cooking
  • Serve

Video

Notes

  • Paprika gives a lot of colour but little to no heat. This recipe is delicious with either sweet or smoked paprika, but if you are using smoked the flavour is a lot stronger. Personally, I prefer it, but if your family are not used to smoked paprika I would try sweet paprika first.
  • I serve this with a 50:50 cauliflower potato mash and green vegetables
  • If your chicken drumsticks are quite wet when you remove them from the packaging, pat them dry with a paper towel before marinating them.
  • Use a hot oven, and make sure it is pre-heated to the correct temperature before cooking the chicken drumsticks.
  • If you like chicken drumsticks with crispier  skin, at the 40 min mark baste the drums with the pan juices and pop your oven on grill for the final 5 mins of cooking

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 228kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 119mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @my_kids_lick_the_bowl or tag #MyKidsLickTheBowl!

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7 Comments

  1. I used this recipe tonight with smoked paprika and Miss 4 and Miss 2 gobbled it down! I thought it was very tasty too and quick to prepare (always a good thing ?)

  2. My goodness,,,, these were so delicious my husband and I and my girls 3 and 9mths absolutely loved it. Will very much become A staple in our house. Thank you!

  3. You keep using marinade in the directions; yet, I do not see it in the ingredients list. What kind of marinate? I don't even see a picture or image of it.
    I want to try this recipe, but I am very confused right now. Please clarify.
    Is it like a chicken broth or something?

    Thanks.
    Elle

    1. The marinade is what you make with the olive oil, paprika lemon rind etc. It's not a separate thing.