Crispy Chicken Drumsticks are a family favorite and an oven-baked swap for fried chicken!
These drumsticks come out with a crispy crunchy coating and extra juicy meat! Best of all, these are made in the oven, no splattering oil or deep frying is required.
A New Family Favorite!
- Juicy & crispy: Breaded and baked chicken drumsticks come out juicy on the inside with savory, crispy skin every time!
- Easy: An easy-to-make and easy-to-clean-up recipe mean homemade crispy chicken can be made even on busy weeknights.
- Make ahead: These can be breaded, placed on a rack over a baking sheet and lightly covered with plastic wrap up to 24 hours in advance.
- Oven Baked: We much prefer oven baked over deep frying, it’s healthier and less mess.
Ingredients
CHICKEN: Buy fresh or frozen chicken drumsticks by the pound. Choose drumsticks of the same size and intact skins.
EGGS & FLOUR: Eggs, milk, and flour make sure that the crumbs stick to the chicken. Be sure to season the flour so the chicken is seasoned throughout.
BREADING MIXTURE: We add 3 types of crumbs in this recipe.
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- Panko for crunch.
- Corn flakes for sweetness, flavor, and crunch.
- Seasoned breadcrumbs for even coating and flavor.
SEASONINGS: Add a handful of savory herbs that are probably already in the pantry, or try homemade Italian Seasoning, cajun seasoning, or your own favorites.
VARIATIONS: Make a signature seasoning blend with one of these special blends! Chicken Seasoning Homemade Poultry Seasoning, or a spicy Homemade Cajun Seasoning.
How to Cook Chicken Drumsticks
- Whisk the egg mixture together in a bowl. In another bowl, add salt & pepper to flour.
- Combine all of the breading ingredients in a third bowl per recipe below.
- Dip chicken into flour, then into egg mixture, then roll in the seasoned breading.
- Bake until crispy & golden brown on the outside. Serve hot!
How to Get a Crispy Coating on Chicken
- Dab the chicken dry before coating to help the crumbs stick.
- Ensure you remove excess flour and egg when dredging.
- Scoop a whole cup of cornflakes into a zippered bag and gently crush them with a rolling pin or use a food processor.
- Spray the coating very well with cooking spray so it gets nice and crispy. (I sometimes put a pat of butter on each drumstick too).
- If time allows, refrigerate the chicken for 30 minutes before baking (or lightly cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours). This helps the skin crisp.
- If you’d like, place the chicken on a rack before baking, this will help it to crisp all around.
- Once the chicken is cooked, broil for a minute or two for extra-crispy coating!
How to Store
Store leftovers in a zippered bag in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Eat cold or reheat under the broiler. Freeze chicken drumsticks in a zippered bag with the date labeled on the outside for up to 3 months.
More Chicken Favorites
- Shake and Bake – crispy and crunchy
- Chicken Parmesan – easy to make at home
- Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks – sticky perfection
- Baked Chicken Thighs – no fail recipe!
- Crispy Breaded Chicken – tender & juicy every time
- Air Fryer Chicken Thighs – 3 easy ingredients
- Chicken Cordon Bleu – favorite recipe
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken – our favorite way to fry chicken
Did your family love these Crispy Chicken Drumsticks? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Crispy Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks approx. 8 drumsticks
- 2 eggs beaten
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- salt and black pepper to taste
Breading Mixture
- 1 ½ cups Panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup cornflake crumbs
- ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Whisk eggs and milk in a bowl. Place flour in a second bowl and season with salt & pepper.
- Combine the breading mixture ingredients in a third bowl.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Gently toss the drumsticks in the flour mixture. Remove and shake off any excess flour.
- Dip into the egg mixture. Finally roll the drumstick in the breading mixture, gently pressing to adhere.
- Generously spray the drumsticks with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet (you can put a rack on the baking sheet if you'd like).
- Optional: If time allows, refrigerate the chicken for 30 minutes before baking. This can help the coating stick better.
- Bake 45-50 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F and the coating is crispy.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Excellent recipe
The only problem with the recipe was there was not oven temperature.
In step one, we preheat the recipe to 400°F. You can find the full recipe with ingredients and instructions towards the bottom of the post or by using the jump to recipe button at the top.
anybody having trouble getting this to stick it could be because you’re not doing step one and two slowly and carefully enough. I wrap my drum sticks in paper towel and take a little longer then necessary to pat them dry, and after flour I tap them with a spoon on all sides to get off excess flour. if you nail these 2 steps perfectly the rest falls into place.
I have been doing something similar for a long time but we remove the skin for a healthier version. Leaving the skin on even after trying to get it dry by putting it in the fridge means you need took it at a higher temp. With the skin off I cook the chicken pieces at 320 (good for breasts too) and do use the spray also. Give it a try.
Sounds great, thank you for the tip Mike!
Question: what is the serving size for the nutrition information provided? one chicken leg two?
The nutrition information is for two drumsticks. Enjoy Rose!
i love these chicken recipes thank you
I am so glad you are enjoying the chicken recipes Lillian!
Too bready and most of it was falling off. besides that it tasted delicious, and spicy because I added a lot of spices and seasonings into the flour.
queston?. I’d like 2 use Bone-in & skin-on chicken thighs or bone-in & skin-on chicken breasts.Will have to cook until internal temp.reaches 165 degrees F..Any approximate cook times for the thighs/breasts would greatly Helpful.Thanks for your help.
For bone-in chicken breast I cook at 425°F for 40-50 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F using this recipe and bone-in chicken thighs I cook at 425°F for 35-40 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F using this recipe.
Absolutely delicious! My husband has never liked drumsticks until I made these! Followed the recipe exactly thanks for sharing!
That is great, Lisa! So happy you both enjoyed this recipe.
Definately – this is something my family will enjoy, since none of us would ever eat (what we consider) to be ‘scrap’, and only good for making chicken stock. At least Drumsticks contain a good amount of meat to sink our teeth into. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome Angelina, enjoy!