Classic Oven-Fried Chicken Legs
Is there anything more delicious than Classic Oven-Fried Chicken Legs? I think not! Chicken legs are inexpensive, but they can be made to be so delicious. The recipe that I’m sharing is worth making more than once. The tenderness of the chicken is unlike any other recipe out there.
When my girls were little, I’d make fried chicken a lot. I loved that I could use any part of the chicken and make it into something delicious. When you need protein and something to fill up your family, this meal is where it’s at!
Related Topic: Chicken and Dressing Casserole
Items You Need in the Kitchen:
Ingredients – Classic Oven-Fried Chicken Legs – Buttermilk Marinade
- Chicken Legs: The chicken leg includes both the drumstick and the thigh. They consist of dark meat which provides a lot of flavor compared to white meat.
- Salt: Salt is used to help enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Smoked Paprika: Provides an intense smoky flavor and is very aromatic. Smoked paprika is made by smoking chili peppers over oak fires and grinding them into a fine powder.
- Garlic (minced): Garlic adds an almost nutty flavor. You can even bake them or eat them raw. They enhance the flavor of any dish. Raw garlic has a stronger flavor, and hence, smell. Minced garlic offers the most aromatic and pungent flavor, making it ideal for soups, salads, sauces, and other savory dishes.
- Buttermilk: The remaining milk after the cream has been churned into butter. Due to being acidic, it helps to tenderize the chicken legs while marinating. It provides added calcium which aids in strong bones!
- Lemon juice: It helps to enhance the flavor of the other ingredients and gives the marinade an extra boost of flavor we all love! It provides added Vitamin C to the recipe.
Ingredients – Classic Oven-Fried Chicken Legs – Breading
- Black Pepper: Pepper adds flavor and helps to bring all of the flavors together.
- Panko Bread Crumbs: Breadcrumbs that are made from crustless white bread which is ground down to light and fluffy flakes. They are drier than regular breadcrumbs which, when fried, helps to create a crispier and less greasy final product.
- Dry Grated Parmesan Cheese: A hard, dry cheese that has been finely grated. It is generally made from skim cow’s milk. It adds a robust, sharp, rich flavor to any dish.
- Salt: Salt is used to help enhance the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Dried Parsley Flakes: Parsley has a delicious slightly bitter taste that contrasts well with other flavors. Used to enhance the other flavors of the recipe.
- Paprika: Regular dried paprika is made by crushing dried chili peppers. It has a milder taste than smoked paprika. Also known as sweet paprika.
- Chili Powder: A spicy blend of herbs and spices – chili peppers, oregano, salt, cumin, and peppercorn. Adds a delicious kick to any dish!
- Garlic Powder: A spice that is created from dehydrated garlic. Also used to enhance the other flavors of the ingredients in the recipe.
- Onion Powder: A common seasoning made of finally ground dehydrated onions.
Classic Oven-Fried Chicken Legs
Why should you fret over dinner? You shouldn’t! I’ve made the recipe so you can either go buy fresh chicken or you can use frozen chicken legs and thaw them out. Chicken is a family-friendly meal, which means that most kids will eat it and love it too.
How to Make Oven-Fried Chicken Legs
The good news is that you are not going to be in the kitchen for an extended period of time. You can prep these chicken legs in the morning and then cook them in the evening for dinner. Keep reading to learn how to make oven-fried chicken. Don’t worry, it’s a simple recipe that anyone can make and eat.
Step One: Wash the Chicken Legs
Wash the chicken legs and drain them or pat them dry with some paper towels. In order to obtain the crispy skin that we are going for in this recipe, it is really important that the chicken legs are dry before marinading and then dredging in the breadcrumb mixture.
I clean my sink and countertop with bleach after washing my chicken. Here is what the CDC/USDA says about not washing your chicken. If you are careful to clean up after yourself then the risk is greatly reduced. I’d rather know that my chicken is clean.
I quote the CDC/Today: “USDA technical information specialist, told TODAY Food emphatically that you should not wash raw chicken due to the risk of potential cross-contamination of food-borne pathogens, like salmonella, which can be very dangerous.”
Step Two: Combine Ingredients for Buttermilk Marinade
Combine the buttermilk, garlic, salt, paprika, and lemon juice and whisk until smooth. Pour the mixture over the chicken in a 9 by 13-inch dish. It is important to keep the bone-in and the skin-on the chicken legs! Marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
Step Three: Preheat Oven – Combine Ingredients for Breading – Bake
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line the 9-inch by 13-inch pan or baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and place a baking rack in the bottom of the pan. Spray the rack with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Combine the black pepper, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt, parsley flakes, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in a large bowl. You can salt and pepper them after placing them in the pan.
Remove the chicken legs from the buttermilk mixture and dredge each chicken leg thoroughly with the breading. Place each chicken leg on the rack in the pan as you go.
Spray the chicken legs lightly with vegetable or olive oil. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken leg registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees on your instant-read thermometer or meat thermometer.
Step Four: Allow Chicken Legs to Rest – Enjoy!
Let the chicken legs rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Classic Oven-Fried Chicken Legs Recipe
- 8 chicken legs-(Costco has some really plump raw organic ones)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon real lemon juice or 1/2 lemon squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons dry grated parmesan cheese
- 1-1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
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The best way to make this recipe is to marinate the chicken overnight with the buttermilk mixture.
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Buttermilk Mixture: Combine the buttermilk, garlic, salt, paprika, and lemon juice and whisk until smooth. It is important to keep the bone-in and the skin-on the chicken legs! Marinade overnight in the refrigerator.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
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Line the 9-inch by 13-inch pan with foil or parchment paper and place a baking rack in the bottom of the pan. Spray the rack with vegetable oil cooking spray.
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Combine the remainder of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
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Remove the chicken legs from the buttermilk mixture and dredge each chicken leg thoroughly with the breading. Place each chicken leg on the rack as you go.
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Spray the chicken legs lightly with vegetable or olive oil.
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Bake for 50-60 minutes uncovered or until the thickest part of the chicken leg registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees on your instant-read thermometer.
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Let the chicken legs rest in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.
How Long Can I Store Raw Chicken in the Fridge?
Raw chicken can be left in the fridge for around 2 days. Chicken shouldn’t be stored in the fridge for longer than this. If it spoils, you will be able to tell from the color and the smell.
Are Baked Chicken Legs the same as Baked Chicken Drumsticks?
Chicken legs are actually the drumstick and the thigh of the chicken. The drumstick does not have the thigh attached.
Can I use Chicken Wings instead of Chicken Legs?
I highly recommend using chicken legs! The chicken legs are a lot easier to eat. If you do decide to use a different part of the chicken than the leg the chicken wing would be the next best option. They both have the same flavor of meat and the chicken wing has a high fat content which helps to create the crispy coating which is so delicious.
How Long Can I Safely Store Oven-Fried Chicken Legs in the Fridge?
Anytime you are storing something in your fridge it needs to be stored in an airtight container. You can’t store chicken in the fridge without covering it up. It will easily dry out. Store the oven-fried chicken legs in the fridge for up to three days.
Can I Freeze Oven-Fried Chicken Legs After I Bake Them?
Yes, you can. Just place the serving size you desire in an airtight container or a freezer bag. Just thaw them in the refrigerator the night before you want to reheat them.
What are some side dishes that can be served with chicken legs?
- Easy Lemon Orzo
- No-Fail Soft Dinner Rolls
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- The Best Sweet Potato Casserole
- The Best Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Easy Quinoa Salad Recipe
- How To Make Baked Cheesy Macaroni You Will Love
- Mixed Green Salad
- Steamed Vegetables
Love Chicken? You Will Love These Chicken Recipes!
- Baked Chicken Legs Recipe
- Chicken Enchilada Recipe
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Poppy Seed Chicken
- The Best BBQ Chicken Legs Recipe
- Baked Chicken Thighs
- Chicken Tortilla Rollups
- Baked Chicken Breast
Final Word
I hope you try my classic oven-fried chicken legs recipes. I really love the buttermilk marinade in this recipe! It tenderizes the chicken legs and gets them ready to be dredged in the most delicious panko bread crumb mixture. The combination of the marinade, bread crumbs, and seasonings help to create the most tender, juicy, and flavorful chicken legs you’ve ever eaten! Please let me know if you and your family try this recipe! I hope it becomes a family favorite!
Let’s teach the world how easy it is to cook from scratch. If you raise chickens, I bet you fix chicken recipes a lot.
Please stay safe and healthy. Thanks for being prepared for the unexpected. May God bless this world, Linda
