Chicken Leg Recipes: Flavorful and Delicious!

Want an easy and tasty meal that packs a healthy punch? Simple: go with chicken legs. They’re inexpensive to buy, versatile to make, and easy to cook with. In this article, we have rounded up a list of fantastic chicken leg recipes just for you!

Best Chicken Leg Recipes

Oh chicken legs, they can be made crispy, crunchy, or absolutely tender.

1 of 8

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo Recipe

Chicken drumsticks are the star of today's Instant Pot chicken adobo as they're a healthy protein choice with little saturated fat.

Get the recipe.

2 of 8

1 of 8

Instant Pot Chicken Legs Recipe

Our Instant Pot chicken legs recipe will liven up your dinner routine with simple ingredients you might already have on hand.

Get the recipe.

3 of 8

A saucepan containing cooked chicken drumsticks and chopped scallions in a brown stew sauce

1 of 8

Brown Stew Chicken Recipe

Embracing the colorful diversity of Caribbean cuisine, this brown stew chicken recipe creates great flavor complexity. The deep, caramelized sweet sauce seamlessly harmonizes with the subtle aromatic and savory spices, giving you a downright irresistible and comforting main course to enjoy on cold nights.

Get the recipe.

4 of 8

1 of 8

Chicken and Potatoes Recipe

Today’s chicken and potatoes recipe features moist flavorful chicken drumsticks baked with gorgeous Hasselback potatoes—a beautiful weeknight staple for a satisfying meal.

Get the recipe.

5 of 8

1 of 8

Chicken Afritada Recipe

Our chicken Afritada recipe is a perfect choice for everyday cooking. It’s delicious when served with rice, yet really quick and easy to make.

Get the recipe.

6 of 8

How Our Air Fried Chicken Is Made Better

1 of 8

Air Fryer Fried Chicken Recipe

Our air fryer fried chicken recipe will help you make the perfect crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside chicken drumsticks.

Get the recipe.

7 of 8

1 of 8

Air Fryer Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe

If you are bored of the standard oily deep-fried chicken, today’s air fryer buttermilk fried chicken recipe will become a fast favorite.

Get the recipe.

8 of 8

1 of 8

Air Fryer Chicken Legs Recipe

In today’s air fryer chicken legs recipe, we kept the chicken skin on so you won’t miss out on that golden and crispy exterior.

Get the recipe.

Found what you like? With chicken legs, the possibilities are endless.

Reasons to Love

Chicken legs have always been a classic cut on the plate. Here are four solid reasons why it’s so easy to fall for these:

Chicken legs are downright delicious. Being dark meat, chicken legs are extra juicy and meaty, thanks to their high fat and muscle content. If you care most about flavor, you will definitely savor every bite.
They can be made into a variety of dishes. You can bake, grill, steam, boil, or fry these succulent chicken legs. From golden crunchy fried drumsticks to tender roasted chicken leg quarters, your next scrumptious meal is only one chicken leg away.
They are very cost-effective. The good news is, you can keep your budget in check when it comes to chicken legs. They are a great source of protein and are a cheaper alternative to chicken breasts, beef, or seafood.
They are extremely easy to cook with. It’s hard to go wrong with chicken legs. There are no special skills required when it comes to these ‘easy-going pals’. Unlike their chicken breast counterparts, which can become too dry if not cooked properly, you can yield moist and tender results with chicken legs almost every time.

Best Ways to Cook

Again, chicken legs are super versatile and can be prepared in a number of different ways. Check out these cooking methods along with some helpful tips for juicy tasty chicken legs!

1. Baking

Oven-baked chicken legs never go out of style.

The trick is to set the temperature low, around 350 °F, for about 2/3 of the cooking time so that the chicken legs are cooked thoroughly, then increase the temperature up to 425 °F and cook for the rest of the time. This should give your chicken a beautiful golden brown color.

2. Grilling

Grilling gives your chicken legs a gorgeous charred exterior and a delicious smoky flavor.

For this method, it’s best to use a marinade instead of a dry rub to avoid burning, since the chicken flesh comes in direct contact with flames.

If you want your chicken to be flavorful, marinate the meat overnight or a couple of hours before grilling for better absorption.

If possible, set aside some marinade, simmer it to thicken a little, then brush it over your chicken legs as they cook for a boost of color and flavor.

3. Boiling

You can always get a bunch of health benefits out of boiled chicken, since there is no cooking oil required for this method.

However, the key to flavorful boiled chicken legs is not in the meat itself, but in the broth! Make sure to season the water with herbs and spices while boiling so that the chicken can take all in the flavors.

4. Pan-frying

Crunchy golden fried chicken legs, if done right, are hard to beat.

Season the chicken legs with a dry rub, then roll them through a flour mix before frying for flavorful results.

The heat of your cooking oil is also important, make sure it is hot and ready when you place the chicken in. After that, turn the heat back to medium to avoid overcooking.

And if you’re looking for that amazing crunch, simply fry your chicken twice. Place the fried chicken on a rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess grease, then fry them one more time.