This easy chicken drumsticks recipe is not only a delicious meal, but it is a low-cost dinner as well! Kids love to eat chicken drumsticks because they are a food you can eat with your hands!
They are ready in under 30 minutes, making it perfect for those busy weeknights. If you love easy dinners, this healthy chicken legs recipe was something my mother made a few times a month.
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You are going to love this chicken drumstick recipe because it has simple ingredients and cooks together in just one pan.
That makes clean up a breeze! One thing I remember about this recipe growing up is that you can use any vegetables that you have in your refrigerator. This recipe is gluten free, dairy-free, paleo, and whole30! I love using fresh herbs in my recipes. If you love fresh herbs, here are some tips to use fresh herbs in your cooking.
Why this drumsticks recipe is so great:
This healthy chicken legs is quick and easy to make in a skillet, or you can bake them in the oven if you are not in a hurry for dinner. Not only are drumsticks less expensive, but they are so fun for kids to hold to eat. This recipe is great for picky eaters!
Another great bonus about gluten free chicken legs is that they cost a lot less than other parts of the chicken, even for organic! If you need to feed a crowd, serving this easy chicken legs dinner is a great way to do it.
What you need to make this recipe:
(*You can use chicken thighs if you don't have drumsticks on hand!) If you like bread with your meal, give these Gluten Free Cornmeal Fontina Scones a try!
This is one of the easiest drumstick recipes to make. If you love chicken as much as we do, you will want to check out ALL of my delicious Gluten Free Chicken Recipes.
Recipe step by step directions:
Step 1: Saute the chicken in a cast-iron skillet. I like to sauté using olive oil, but avocado oil works really well too.
I had to use my large 12-inch cast iron skillet to fit in all of the chicken legs. (My son loves leftovers so this big pot of chicken legs will last two days at the most!) It gets really heavy so I try not to move it around that much.
Step 2: Add in the vegetables and continue to cook. After about 10 minutes, I flip the chicken legs and cover it with a lid. Cook until your chicken is at an internal temperature of 165º F.
If you are looking for another great chicken legs recipe, give this easy Slow Cooker Curry Chicken Legs recipe a try!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ:
The more veggies the better! Sweet potatoes, corn, green beans, red peppers, and mushrooms.
Use a cooking thermometer and insert it into the thickest part of the chicken. I love this digital cooking thermometer, it is handy in the kitchen and when we cook on our grill too!
These chicken legs will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
More ways to cook chicken legs
I have so many easy recipes with chicken drumsticks!!
- Bake them!
- Sautéing chicken legs is a great way to keep them moist and delicious.
- You can also toss the chicken legs into a slow cooker or a pressure cooker!
- Cook the drumsticks in your air fryer!
Delicious gluten free dinner recipes to try:
- The whole family loves this Gluten Free Fried Chicken recipe because it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!
- I love to use fresh herbs when cooking and the flavor really stands out in this Herb Roasted Chicken recipe.
Tools:
- A large cast-iron pan. This pan is perfect on the stove, or in the oven!
- This vegetable chopper makes cutting veggies a breeze!
📖 Recipe
Easy Chicken Drumstick Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 drumsticks * see note
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup low sodium chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup carrots chopped
- ½ cup zucchini chopped
- 1 onion chopped
Instructions
- In a large cast iron skillet, add olive oil, garlic and onion. Saute until the onions become clear.
- Add chicken legs and seasonings, and saute 8 minutes on each side.
- Pour in chicken broth and add vegetables.
- Continue to cook in the pan, or move the pan to the oven and bake at 375. (You can cook these either way!)
- The chicken legs are done when their internal temperature is 165 degrees.
Notes
- You can use any chicken part. If you use chicken thighs, it will take less time to cook.
- This is a great recipe to avoid food waste. Use the vegetables you have on-hand.
- For this recipe you can use dried herbs or fresh.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn't test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Diana
I loved the recipe but instead of mushrooms and zucchini I added yellow squash and sweet potatoes. It tasted soooo good!!!
Thank you!
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad you loved this. I bet the sweet potatoes added really nice flavor!
Roseanne Sullivan
I wish I had some guidance on how long to cook the dish. The cook time at the top says 2 minutes!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Roseanne, Sorry for the confusion. I am not sure why it said 2 minutes and I did fix that. The post directions talked about 30 minutes total time. Thank you.
Marlynn | Urban Bliss Life
This is such a great reminder that chicken legs can make for incredible meals, too! We get so stuck in our routine of always using skinless, boneless chicken thighs and chicken breast that the poor drumsticks get forgotten. But we love them, and I can't wait to try this dish with my family!
Sandi Gaertner
You summed that up beautifully. Glad to know you love drumsticks too 🙂