Baked Chicken Drumsticks: This recipe will make you reconsider ordering takeout because the drumsticks are mouthwatering, juicy, and perfectly seasoned.
These chicken drumsticks are flavorful and simple to prepare. You probably already have most, if not all, of the necessary seasonings in your kitchen, and you’ll be amazed to see how they complement the succulent drumsticks. They’re great for a quick and simple midweek dinner.
Can you bake chicken Legs frozen?
Technically, you can, but the seasoning for this recipe will undoubtedly be ruined. Baking frozen chicken takes much longer and comes with the risk that the interior won’t reach a safe eating temperature. Simply put, it’s too simple to under- or overcook chicken when baking frozen chicken.
Since 2002, David Grimes has worked as a chef professionally, holding positions as diverse as corporate caterer and sous chef in a Michelin-starred French restaurant. Since 2009, he has been publishing articles about food in the magazines “Time Out New York” and “Food and Wine.”
You can bake frozen chicken legs either plainly or with additional liquids and seasonings. In particular, this second choice is helpful if you can’t season the legs before freezing. Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In an oven-safe pan, place the frozen legs along with any liquid, seasonings, or root vegetables. Olive oil, minced garlic, oregano, marjoram, and lemon juice make a flavorful combination. Add potato and carrot pieces as you like. Use a combination of white wine, Dijon mustard, and minced garlic for less work. Cook the chicken in the pan on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes. Leave the chicken legs alone until they are cooked because skin-on chicken legs self-baste.
In a frozen state, chicken legs shouldn’t be seasoned or coated. The meat won’t absorb the flavors and aromas you’re trying to add to the dish if you season chicken legs while they’re frozen. Before freezing the meat, season or coat the legs with a marinade or dry rub. In a pinch, partially defrost the legs by heating them in the microwave for one to two minutes on the defrost setting if you didn’t season them before freezing them. This keeps the interior of the leg frozen while thawing its exterior. Season the legs, though they might not be evenly covered, and bake them right away.
Chicken legs make for a fast, nutritious and tasty meal. They frequently arrive frozen, and it can take a while to defrost the chicken legs. Safely cooking the legs by baking them in the oven from frozen is one way to save time. This saves you from having to defrost the legs, but there are some crucial considerations to make, including the ideal cooking temperature and properly seasoning the meat.
When chicken is left out to thaw, harmful bacteria thrive there. Cooking the chicken legs from frozen can help reduce this risk because the meat cooks as it thaws. Cooking chicken legs straight from the freezer is especially practical if you only need to cook one or two legs. In many cases, thawing the chicken legs before cooking them is more work than it is worth. Cooking chicken legs from frozen does, however, take longer. This calls for at least 50% more cooking time, if not more.
How do you cook drumsticks in Instant Pot?
We will show you how below. Remember that chicken skin won’t get crispy under pressure. For that, you would need to use our recipe for air-fried chicken. OR use this and then place them inside for a brief period of time.
You can see how we did just that here. If you’re not a huge fan of tiny kitchen appliances like I am, the oven will do just fine for this step. I adore the way we prepare our oven-baked teriyaki chicken drumsticks. Use whatever sauce you like for this.