These Easiest Five Ingredient Chicken Drumsticks are the bomb! Gluten free, healthy, easy to prepare, and made with pantry staples. I hope you have leftovers for lunch the next day.
Okay, so this easy recipe is almost a non-recipe it's such a no-brainer. All you need is five pantry staples and fresh chicken drumsticks. If your family loves chicken check out my 30 Easy Gluten Free Chicken Recipes here.
You can think ahead and marinate it in the morning or you can marinate it thirty minutes prior. Either way, it's a family fave. I am so happy when all my kids eat my healthy dinner.
I love to keep this in the fridge for weekend lunches or lunch boxes during the week. Don't we always need new easy, healthy, delicious recipes for chicken that can be ready in under 30 minutes? I do!
Your best bet is to marinate this when you start your day. Put all marinade ingredients in a big ziplock with the drumsticks. I bought organic chicken and try to whenever I can. I know it's expensive but it's worth it when you can afford it.
Alternatively, you can buy a whole chicken and cut it into pieces. You can use this marinade on any chicken pieces your family likes but you will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Ingredients for Five Ingredient Chicken Drumsticks
- tamari (gluten free soy sauce) feel free to use regular soy sauce if you are not gluten free
- brown sugar - this makes a delicious topping on the chicken
- olive oil - I like to buy mine at Costco
- red wine vinegar - you could also use apple cider vinegar
- garlic - I sometimes buy mine in the jar already diced for quick use (you can also use 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- salt and black pepper
- chicken drumsticks/legs - stock up when they are on sale at your grocery store
Instructions for Making Five Ingredient Chicken Drumsticks
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place all marinade ingredients into a bowl and whisk. Put marinade in a ziplock bag with chicken drumsticks and marinate for at least thirty minutes or overnight.
- Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Place drumsticks on a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. I like to spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray so the skin doesn't stick. Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until done. Flip chicken legs halfway through cooking time. I always use a digital meat thermometer. Insert into the thickest part of the chicken leg. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Flip and cook on low broil for ten minutes. Watch carefully. This is an optional step but it really adds some much-needed browning to the tops of the chicken drumsticks. Feel free to sprinkle with more brown sugar before browning as this will add caramelization to the chicken skin. This helps to get crispy chicken legs.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cooking Chicken Drumsticks
- How long do I cook chicken legs in the oven? Generally speaking in a 400-degree oven it should take about 30-40 minutes for chicken legs to be fully cooked. I always use an internal meat thermometer when cooking meat and it has been life-changing. No more overcooked tough meat at my house.
- Do you need to flip chicken drumsticks when cooking in the oven? Yes, I always do to ensure even cooking.
- Are chicken drumsticks healthy? Yes, chicken drumsticks are mostly healthy. They are an excellent low-carb source of protein at about 10 grams per leg. Chicken is lean meat that is a great source of protein. The way you prepare them will determine if they are healthy or not. Clearly, deep frying them in oil or adding sauces that are full of fat is not going to be healthy.
- Can I use this Five Ingredient Gluten Free Marinade on other pieces of chicken? Yes! I do it all the time. It is great on chicken breasts. I like to pound mine out first and cut off any visible fat. I usually marinate the breasts all day then grill them on the grill. I skip the brown sugar for this recipe. I have also used this marinade on skin-on chicken thighs and then cooked them in the air fryer.
The magic is sprinkling the brown sugar on before cooking. It makes a sweet topping that appeals to kids. When you do the last few minutes under a low broil they turn a nice shade of brown and make the skin taste so yummy.
What to Serve with Five Ingredient Chicken Legs
Here are some sides my family likes to eat with chicken drumsticks:
- Roasted Mini Potatoes
- Spiced Sweet Potato Fries
- Seasoned Roasted Sweet Potatoes
- Easy Roasted Broccoli
- Keto Cucumber Salad
- Marinated Tomato Basil Salad
Need More Healthy Dinner Recipes in Your Life?
- White Chicken Chili with Sweet Potatoes
- Easy Balsamic Chicken
- Coconut Chicken Curry
- Chicken Fried Cauliflower Rice
- Skinny Thai Chicken Salad
Five Ingredient Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 2 cloves garlic
- salt and pepper
- 8 drumsticks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Place all marinade ingredients into a bowl and whisk. Put marinade in a ziplock bag with chicken drumsticks and marinate for at least thirty minutes or overnight.
- Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Place drumsticks on a sheet pan or cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. I like to spray the aluminum foil with cooking spray so the skin doesn't stick. Sprinkle chicken with brown sugar and bake in the middle of the oven for 30 minutes or until done. Flip chicken legs halfway through cooking time. I always use a digital meat thermometer. Insert into the thickest part of the chicken leg. It is done when the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Flip and cook on low broil for ten minutes. Watch carefully. This is an optional step but it really adds some much-needed browning to the tops of the chicken drumsticks. Feel free to sprinkle with more brown sugar before browning as this will add caramelization to the chicken skin. This helps to get crispy chicken legs.
Notes
Nutrition
Chrystal
Just wondering if your easiest recipe chicken drumsticks could be done in slow cooker? For how long? Any changes to recipe or steps?
Karen Kelly
Hi there, yes I think that would work fine. I would cook on low 4-6 hours then broil on low in the oven just a few minutes. That will make for some crispy skin. Let me know how it goes! Thank.
Chrystal
Thanks so much. Will do tomorrow & let you know