Chicken legs are often one of the least expensive cuts of chicken. Coincidentally, they are also my favorite part on a rotisserie chicken because that dark meat is just so juicy and tender! Since I loooove rotisserie chicken, I decided to try to make Oven Roasted Chicken Legs that were close in texture to the moist and tender rotisserie chicken that I so love. How would I accomplish that? Low and slow heat, my friends. Low and slow.
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How to Keep Roasted Chicken Moist
When meat is cooked slowly at a low temperatures it stays juicy and tender. The connective tissues soften and break down into a tasty gelatin. The whole process is meat magic. You’ll also want to cover the meat tightly to prevent moisture from evaporating, and baste once or twice while the chicken legs baste. Easy enough!
What Temperature Do you Roast Chicken Legs at?
The method I use requires two phases: a low 300ºF for one hour (that’s the “low and slow” part), and then finishing off the chicken without a cover at 425ºF for about 30 minutes to crisp up the skin. This two phase method gives you the best of both worlds–tender juicy insides and crispy brown skin.
Can I Use Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts?
This low and slow roasting method is designed for bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces only. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook much faster and will dry out using this method. For instructions on how to cook boneless, skinless chicken breasts, see my recipe for Garlic Herb Baked Chicken Breast.
How Do You Season Roasted Chicken Legs?
As far as seasonings go, you can use just about anything! I used my favorite blend du jour, lemon pepper seasoning, but you could also use any of these seasoning blends:
- Poultry Seasoning
- Chili powder
- Steak seasoning
- Curry powder
- Taco seasoning
- Cajun seasoning
- Chipotle pepper
- Herbs de Provence
- Za’atar
There are so many options. I smeared my chicken skin with a little butter first, which also makes a huge difference. That little bit of creamy butter mixed with the chicken juices made the most incredible sauce ever. Sure, you can use olive oil or coconut oil instead, but butter… yeah, butter is just special.
What Do You Serve With Roast Chicken?
These Oven Roasted Chicken Legs go great with: Vinaigrette Slaw with Feta, Spinach and Feta Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli Cheddar Casserole, or Lemony Cucumber and Couscous Salad, Roasted Carrot and Feta Salad.
Oven Roasted Chicken Legs
Servings 2 to 4 servingsIngredients
- 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken legs ($4.20)
- 1 Tbsp butter (room temperature) ($0.11)
- 1/2 Tbsp lemon pepper seasoning* ($0.15)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Lightly coat the inside of a casserole dish with non-stick spray.
- Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, then smear butter over the surface of the skin. Sprinkle the lemon pepper seasoning liberally over both sides of the chicken pieces. Place the seasoned chicken in the casserole dish.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for one hour at 300ºF. Baste the chicken once half way through. After one hour, remove the foil, baste again, and turn the heat up to 425ºF. Continue to bake the chicken at the higher temperature for 20-30 minutes, or until the skin has achieved the desired level of brownness. Serve with the juices spooned over top or with bread for dipping.
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Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!Scroll down for the step by step photos!
How to Make Oven Roasted Chicken Legs – Step by Step Photos
Since I’m trying to buy higher-quality meat while staying in budget, I have to be really careful about what cuts I buy. These chicken legs were $2.99/lb., which is good for this particular store. I bought four whole legs (thigh and drumstick connected), and froze two for later.
The two that I froze I simply wrapped back up very tightly in the plastic and wax paper that they came in, then sealed it off in a quart sized freezer bag (labeled and dated, of course).
Anyway, back to the two that I cooked for the Oven Roasted Chicken Legs… Preheat the oven to 300ºF and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Smear about 1 Tbsp of room temperature butter over both pieces (1 Tbsp total, not per piece). Then season each side liberally with lemon pepper seasoning, or your favorite seasoning blend. Place the seasoned chicken in a casserole dish coated with non-stick spray.
I love this stuff because it’s kind of a one-stop-shop. It has salt, pepper, and lemon, which is my FAVORITE. Anyway, regardless of what seasoning you use, make sure to be aware about whether or not it has salt. If the seasoning is salt-free, you’ll want to add a pinch or two to the meat.
Cover the dish tightly with foil, then bake in the preheated 300ºF oven for one hour. Baste the chicken half way through (spoon the juices over top). After an hour, the meat should be quite tender, but the skin will be soft and blonde, like the photo above. To achieve that nice brown crispy skin, remove the foil and turn the oven temperature up to 425ºF.
Bake the chicken for an additional 20-30 minutes at the higher temperature (you can leave it in the oven as it heats up to the higher temp), or until it develops the level of brownness that you like on the skin.
The liquid that ends up in the bottom of the casserole dish is PURE GOLD. It’s like, one of the best things I’ve ever tasted, so don’t let that go to waste. I like to spoon it over whatever I’m serving the chicken with (if serving with rice or pasta), or serve some bread to sop it up. You can also pour it into a skillet, add a little white wine, and simmer it until it’s reduced to make a delicious pan sauce. Something about that butter, lemon, and pepper is just per-fect.
Hi Beth! I’m curious if you ever got around to trying this recipe in the instant pot? Curious what settings to use and how it turned out.
We haven’t tried it in an Instant Pot. Sorry!
Followed the recipe EXACTLY … the best chicken that I ever had!!!
Discover this recipe 2 days ago, looking for oven roasted thighs and drumsticks. Followed your ingredients and instructions exactly, and the result was absolutely fantastic! Just like you said – almost like a rotisserie chicken. I am definitely adding this to my Favorites list – Thanks lots.
I make this once a week since discovering it last year. Just the bomb. Thanks for a great recipe! I make double and the next night it might be chimichangas or chicken and dumplings!
Used this recipe last night for 4 chicken leg quarters. The chicken came out amazing. Did not change a thing from recipe!
Oh happy to hear it Paula!
I make these 6 at a time and use that delicious sauce + water as a broth to cook my jasmine rice in. Best rice I’ve ever had.
If you were making 8 of these what you increase the cook time? If so to what?
Hi Lindsay! It would be the same amount of cooking time. Just make sure that the legs aren’t too crowded in the pan. Enjoy!
I cook my chicken thighs like this every time now, i do end up cooking it for 45 minutes at the higher heat then 20, and it still comes out tender and juicy. Using different seasonings every time and it always comes out super delicious.
Hooray!
So I plan on raising my own chickens for meat starting next year. In an effort to do so, and also by a stroke of luck that Aldi started carrying this, but I found organic ethically-grown whole chicken for around $11-13 per bird. To feed myself and my boyfriend for dinner and leftovers for lunch, I buy two. From this I get four wings, four legs, four breasts, and four tenderloins. I throw the wings in a freezer bag until I have about 12-16 wings. I have a couple of recipes that use whole legs and now I’ve added this super easy recipe to the mix (thank you!). I have to be careful to plan out what I make for the week, but usually I can about 3-5 meals out of two whole birds, enough for dinner and lunch the next day. I also make broth from the two carcasses and usually get SIX QUARTS! On broth day even my dog gets to chow down on the used organ meat and cooked carrots. It’s so much that I’ve had to start canning it and looking for recipes for that too! I thought you’d like to know my little “hack” to get more bang for your buck, even if it is a little extra work.
I meant to say, in an effort to get used to using whole chickens, I’ve been buying whole chickens!
The chicken pictured isn’t done.
Well, don’t keep us in suspenders, say what you would do differently. Swooping in to drop a negative comment alone isn’t helpful – it just makes you look like a food troll, and nobody appreciates that.
I believe the comment was made because some of the chicken still looks a little pink in some areas, ie: near the joint. It could just be the camera, but it does look a tad raw in that area. *shrug*
I am excited to try this recipe for dinner tonight. Do I need to cook longer if I use a larger baking dish and increase to 4 pieces instead of 2?
No, it should be about the same amount of time. :)
I’d never be able to retire paying that kind of price for meat. Otherwise, the recipe turned out fabulous.
@Cleaver — I agree that is outrageous. I just bought a whole cut-up chicken for $1.49 per pound and that includes two breasts which are the most expensive pieces. I cannot imagine paying $3.00 per pound for just legs and thighs :O
So true. I’m making a variation of the dish, but I paid 59 cents per pound for drumsticks. : )
Simple, tender, juicy, tasty. What more could you want?
I tried this today and it turned out great. I put my own seasonings on the chicken and we love it. I’ll be using this alot in the future.
How do ppl rate a recipe, when u deviate from the original recipe? Anytime u change anything from what is originally presented, it’s not the same recipe.
What is the green leaf lastly added? Sorry, can’t tell.
Just a little chopped parsley added for visual appeal only. :)