Growing up, like a lot of people, many of our dinners consisted of a meat and two side dishes, typically a vegetable and a starch. Sometimes our meals now look the same, a “meat and two” if you will, but sometimes they are one pot or one dish meals that consist of everything we need. Still, whenever I do have a meal that looks like this, it reminds me of the traditional Midwestern family dinners that I grew up on. These baked chicken legs are perfect paired with just about any vegetable and starch.
If you’ve been following me here for a while or on Instagram, you know that I tend to buy my meat when it’s on sale. When I meal plan through the week, I go through my freezer to see what I have from previous sales. It definitely saves money and it makes meal planning easier when I already have protein on hand. I always buy chicken when it’s on sale and while chicken breasts are very popular, I love chicken thighs and drumsticks just as much, if not more. This has been my favorite way to prepare them for years, and now you’re all lucky enough that I’m sharing the recipe with you!
These chicken legs have a delicious crunchy exterior and are baked, not fried. After dipping them in an olive oil mixture packed with seasonings, they go into breadcrumbs and onto a prepared pan. The oil and breadcrumbs make the best crunchy topping. Then when they are done baking and still hot, you drizzle them with a mixture of apple cider vinegar and honey. I know this may sound different, but trust me. The salty sweet combination brings these chicken legs to the next level.
Just look at that close up! I know it seems hard to believe that these are baked and not fried, but you can still get that delicious coating with time in the oven and the right ingredients. I love dinners like this, ones that require just a few minutes of prep time and can be popped in the oven while I play with the kids instead of spending time over the stove. Plan to get chicken legs next time you’re at the store and these are yours to enjoy!
- 3-4 lbs. chicken legs*
- ¾ cup olive oil
- 1 tsp. ground thyme
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 tsp. dried oregano
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 2 cups plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tbsp. honey
- 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a shallow bowl, combine olive oil, thyme, salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder.
- In another shallow bowl, add breadcrumbs.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Cover chicken legs in olive oil mixture then roll in breadcrumb mixture and place on prepared pan. Continue with remaining chicken legs.
- Bake for 50 minutes, flipping chicken legs over halfway through cooking time.
- In a small bowl, combine honey and apple cider vinegar.
- When chicken legs are done baking and still hot, remove from oven and drizzle with honey/apple cider vinegar mixture.
- Enjoy!
I am making these chicken legs tonight. when my kids saw and asked what we are having I told them and there was much rejoicing! It is pretty rare that there is cheering for a meal I make from a majority of our six kids! Claire, thanks for this super simple and super tasty dish!
That makes me so happy! I make these all the time and they are always a hit with my kids too!