My super crispy oven-fried chicken recipe gives me everything I love about fried chicken, without the mess (or extra calories) of deep frying! I start with a yogurt marinade for super tender meat, coat it in a simple seasoned flour, then bake the chicken in my oven until it’s perfectly golden. Whether you prefer chicken legs, drumsticks, or thighs, you can have your favorite piece of oven-baked fried chicken ready in no time!
Top Reader Review
Very good recipe.
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Crispy Oven-Baked Fried Chicken Legs
Fried chicken doesn’t always fit into my weeknight dinner routine, but boy do I crave that crispy, crunchy skin. So the real question is: how do I turn standard baked chicken into something that tastes like it came from KFC? Well, I think I’ve perfected my simple method, tips, and tricks to create the juiciest, crispiest fried chicken in the oven, without all the grease and oil!
First, I use a seasoned flour mixture to give my oven-fried drumsticks a light “breading” that adds a satisfying texture to the skin. And baking chicken legs on top of a wire rack is key to make sure the hot oven air circulates around each piece, so you’re not left with soggy spots. Trust me, one bite of this chicken and you’ll forget about the actually-fried stuff!
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Crank Up the Heat for Extra-Crisp Skin
For ultra-crispy oven fried chicken, I like to start my drumsticks on the middle rack at 350°F for most of the cook time, then move them to the top rack and crank the oven to 425°F for the last 5-7 minutes. This mimics the high heat of a fryer at the end of cooking, quickly rendering any remaining fat under the skin and setting the coating so it stays crunchy even after resting.
Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks (*)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons ground paprika
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter (¼ stick**)
Instructions
Marinate:
- Add the Greek yogurt and kosher salt to a large bowl and mix well with a spoon.1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the chicken and toss to fully coat in the marinade.6 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and marinate for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator.
Cook:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Mix well.1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons ground paprika, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Remove a drumstick from the marinade. Pat thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess marinade and moisture.
- Place the drumstick into the bowl with the flour, coat it thoroughly in the mixture, then place on the prepared rack.
- Repeat the process with the remaining drumsticks.
- Drizzle the melted butter over the prepared drumsticks.2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked through to 165°F.
Notes
- Marinate for 2-4 hours for best results, or up to 12 hours.
- Use a rimmed baking sheet; there will be butter in the pan and chicken fat that renders out during cooking.
- Try adding smoked paprika or cayenne to the flour mix for a subtle smoky or spicy twist.
- For extra crunch, you can coat the chicken in Panko breadcrumbs, and/or do a full dredging process with egg.
- You can coat the chicken and let it sit on a baking sheet while you’re waiting for the oven to preheat.
- You can use a pastry brush to apply the butter for more even coverage.
- If the drumsticks brown a bit too much, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven, cover the drumsticks with aluminum foil, and continue baking.
- Crank up the heat to 425°F (or turn on your broiler) for the last 5-7 minutes of baking for an extra crispy crust.
- Properly cooked chicken drumsticks should reach 165°F at the thickest point.
- Drumsticks: 35-40 minutes
- Bone-in Thighs: 40-50 minutes
- Boneless Thighs: 25-35 minutes
- Leg Quarters: 60-70 minutes
- Boneless Breast: 30 minutes
- Bone-in Breast: 35-40 minutes
Note: Water, salt, pepper, oil, and broth are not counted as ingredients on this site.
Foolproof Tips
- Don’t forget to dry the chicken before breading. After marinating, thoroughly dry the skin of the chicken to remove excess moisture. This helps the flour coating stick and crisp up in the oven. Skipping this could lead to a soggy texture instead of crispy.
- Don’t forget to adjust the oven temp. As I detailed above, start baking the fried chicken at a lower heat, then raise the oven temp right at the end. Cooking chicken on high heat for too long will leave you with dry meat and burnt skin.
- Don’t cook breaded chicken directly on the baking sheet. This tends to leave you with soggy spots and a less crisp result. Instead, cook the chicken on top of a wire rack, so the air can circulate around the full piece.
How to Bake Fried Chicken in the Oven Step by Step
Marinate the Chicken: Add 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to a large bowl, and mix well with a spoon. Add 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks and turn to coat. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and marinate for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator. The longer you marinate the chicken, the juicier it will turn out — up to 12 hours.
Mix the Breading: When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 350°F, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, and place a wire rack on top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl or shallow dish, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of ground paprika, ½ teaspoon of onion powder, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Mix well.
Dry the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the yogurt marinade, and pat dry with paper towels to remove moisture. This will help the seasonings stick better and prevent the chicken from turning soggy.
Coat the Chicken: Place the chicken drumsticks into the bowl with the flour, and coat it thoroughly with the mixture, then place on the prepared rack.
Repeat Coating: Repeat the process with the remaining chicken pieces.
Butter the Chicken: Drizzle 2 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter evenly over the prepared drumsticks. You can also brush it on with a pastry brush for more even coverage. The better the coverage, the crispier the drumsticks will get.
Bake the Chicken: Bake your breaded chicken legs in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and fully cooked through to 165°F. I like to move my chicken to the top rack and crank up the heat to 425°F in the last 5-7 minutes of baking to really get that skin crisp!
How to Store, Freeze, and Reheat
Let oven-baked fried chicken fully cool before storing in an airtight container or resealable bag. If it’s still warm when placing it in the fridge, moisture will accumulate on the skin, which will leave you with a less appetizing result when reheating.
- Fridge: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let thaw in the refrigerator before reheating for best results.
- Reheat: I highly recommend reheating fried chicken in the air fryer (6-10 minutes) or oven (15-20 minutes) at 350°F to get a crispier texture. Flip halfway through the reheating time.
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