Baked Crispy Chicken Drumsticks

5 from 12 votes

Baked Crispy Chicken Drumsticks

Oven baked crispy chicken drumsticks are always a great crowd-pleasing meal. Perfect addition to a beach day and picnic. The chicken is marinated in seasoned buttermilk then dredged in a seasoned flour for a double layer of flavor. Baked not fried keeps this low-calorie.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 23

marinating 12

Total Time 38

Servings drumsticks

Calories 75kcal

Author eileen

Ingredients

10 pieces chicken drumsticks, skin removed 4 ounces each I also added some thighs
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

Buttermilk Marinade

2 cups low-fat buttermilk
4 dashes hot sauce
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Flour Mixture

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper option, if you like it spicy

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Buttermilk Marinade

In a large bowl add the buttermilk, hot sauce, smoked paprika, black pepper, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix to combine the ingredients. Add the drumsticks to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, overnight is preferred.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Once heated add the unsalted butter to a large baking sheet and place on the center rack of oven for about 2 minutes to melt the butter. Once the butter is melted, remove the rack from oven and set aside.

To Make the Flour Mixture

In either a large bowl or plastic storage bag, add the flour, smoked paprika, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and if using the cayenne pepper. Mix ingredients.
If using the large bowl, add the drumstick marinated pieces, shake excess marinade off before placing chicken in the flour mixture. Dredge the chicken in the flour and again, shake off excess flour. Place on the buttered baking sheet. Do this with all the chicken.
Using the storage bag method, combine 2 - 3 pieces at a time to the bag. Seal and shake to coat the chicken with the flour mixture. Remove the chicken from the bag and place on buttered baking sheet. Do this with all the chicken.
Once all chicken drumsticks have been dredged in the flour mixture and placed on the baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 185 degrees. Serve and enjoy

Notes

I prefer using low-fat buttermilk. Full-fat buttermilk (which is still not very fattening) can be used.
It is a personal choice about leaving the skin on the chicken. My family does not eat the skin, so I always remove. This recipe is based on skinless chicken drumsticks. Please adjust calories if not removing the skin.
I love the flavor of smoked paprika in this crispy baked chicken. Regular paprika works if you do not have the smoked paprika.
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.

Nutrition