Sick and tired of the same old chicken breast recipes? Chicken legs and drumsticks can make amazing meals too.
The humble chicken leg can transform into a star ingredient. Being tastier than white meat, you might find yourself loving dark meat more! They are low-cost, but big on flavor!
1. Baked Chicken Legs
Made with just a few simple ingredients, these easy-baked chicken legs are juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. Just sprinkle some salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika over the drumsticks and pop in the oven.
2. Baked Chicken Legs with the Best Marinade
Unlike the previous recipe, these legs are baked with a zesty and savory marinade that includes garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and parsley for a unique flavor that you probably haven’t tried! Chill overnight so the drumsticks absorb all the amazing flavors.
3. Air Fryer Tandoori Chicken
You can make this tasty Tandoori chicken in as little as 15 minutes! A classic Indian dish, it’s full of robust flavors like garlic, Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric, ginger paste, and dried fenugreek leaves for the best drumsticks ever.
4. Easy Jamaican Jerk Chicken Recipe
Smothered in brown sugar, ginger, onion powder, and paprika, these juicy Jamaican jerk chicken legs will have you tasting all the best flavors of the Caribbean in less than an hour! Serve these with rice, beans, or mac and cheese!
5. Braised Chicken and Kale with Paprika & White Wine
This easy braised chicken and kale recipe is a healthy (but flavorful) alternative to traditional fried chicken dishes. Featuring bold flavors like rosemary, maple syrup, dry white wine, and paprika, this unusual dish will quickly become a family favorite!
6. Honey Soy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
If you love General Tso’s chicken, then you’ll love this easy recipe for honey soy-baked chicken drumsticks. The drumsticks are marinated in honey, minced garlic, soy sauce, and sesame oil for a unique Asian spin on drumsticks.
7. Lemon Roasted Chicken Drumsticks
Chicken and lemon garlic are a beautiful pairing, so if you love this combo, you’ll also love this recipe for what’s soon to become a recipe on repeat! Drumsticks are covered with garlic, paprika, and lemon juice, then baked to perfection.
8. Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Instead of dipping chicken into honey mustard sauce, why not slather it on top of the chicken so it bakes into every bite? Easy to make, this marinade-free recipe simply calls for covering your drumsticks in honey and Dijon mustard.
9. Easy, One-Pot Coconut Thai Chicken Curry
If you love bold Thai flavors like red curry paste, turmeric, and coconut milk, this recipe will become a staple of your dinner rotations. Everything is thrown together in a pot; make sure you trim the fat off your chicken!
10. Roasted Greek Chicken Drumsticks
This simple-to-make recipe includes olive oil, sage basil, garlic powder, and lemon juice. When it’s done, the meat is so tender, it’ll just fall off the bone.
11. Pollo Guisado Recipe
A classic recipe in Latin America, this chicken stew is full of robust flavors like onion, pepper, garlic, olives, and sofrito. The star is the Adobe seasoning, but it’s hard to choose what makes it so delicious – it’s all so good!
13. Mouth-Watering Chicken
A staple of Sichuan cuisine, chicken legs are laid on a bed of minced garlic, toasted sesame oil, homemade chili oil, and chicken stock for a spicy bite that is unique and flavorful. Cover with crushed nuts for added texture.
If you have drumsticks or chicken legs lying around and aren’t too sure what to do with them, these recipes can help. Though they may be most known for being fried, these recipes prove that there are so many unique uses for drumsticks that will fit any palette.