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!
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.
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
I am an ambassador for Countdown supermarket, they support my blog by providing ingredients for recipe creation and testing. I used paprika, olive oil, free-range chicken drumsticks, and salt from their range in this recipe.
How to Make Chicken Drumsticks in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius approx 400 Fahrenheit
- Line a baking pan with baking paper (you don't have to but it does make clean up easier)
- 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.
- 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).
- Pour the marinade over the drums, I use a brush to spread it evenly (photos 3-4).
- 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
- Season with salt and pepper, Serve.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
Chicken drumsticks do not need to be covered when baked in the oven. Baking them uncovered allows the chicken skin to caramelize and crisp.
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.
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
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
Brenda says
I made this tonight with smoked paprika and Miss 4 and Miss 2 gobbled them down! I thought it was very tasty too. ?
Brenda says
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 ?)
Louise says
Made this for dinner last night, the whole family (including a picky eater) loved them!
Christine McEwan says
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!
Robbi says
Great recipe and so easy. It was really delish!
Elle Rodgers says
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
My Kids Lick The Bowl says
The marinade is what you make with the olive oil, paprika lemon rind etc. It's not a separate thing.