17 Easy Chicken Leg Recipes with 5 Steps or Less

December 14, 2020

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These easy chicken leg recipes are a delicious option for dinner tonight. Whether you use the thigh, the drumstick or keep the leg together, chicken is easily adapted to whatever spices or sauces you want to use. Recipes like Sheet-Pan Orange-Apricot Drumsticks and Loaded Potato Bowl with Chicken & Broccoli are healthy, flavorful and have just five steps or less.

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Sheet-Pan Orange-Apricot Drumsticks

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In this easy sheet-pan dinner, a sweet-and-savory glaze and a colorful medley of vegetables transform ordinary drumsticks into a satisfying meal.

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Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks

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These chicken drumsticks are coated in breadcrumbs with oregano, paprika, and pepper and are oven cooked rather than deep-fried. This recipe is incredibly easy to prepare, making it a perfect party appetizer for any occasion.

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Filipino Chicken Adobo

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Perhaps the most famous dish in the Filipino repertoire, chicken adobo has as many versions as there are cooks in the Philippines. Some recipes omit garlic, others add coconut milk, some feature brothy sauce, and others reduce that liquid to an intense glaze. Try this healthy recipe first (with plenty of white rice), then the next time around, go wild.

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Slow-Cooker Honey-Orange Chicken Drumsticks

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This slow-cooker chicken recipe makes a perfect alternative to standard tomato-based barbecued chicken. Both kids and adults will devour these drumsticks, doused in a honey-sweetened sauce spiked with orange, ginger and garlic.

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Oven-Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Potatoes

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Use your favorite dried herb blend to season both the drumsticks and the sauce in this healthy sheet-pan dinner. A garlic-and-herb mix is crowd-pleasing, but something with a little more heat, like Cajun seasoning, would be delicious too. Whichever way you go, opt for a salt-free version to keep the sodium down in this quick and easy chicken recipe.

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Garlic Chicken

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Whole garlic cloves are mild when simmered with chicken in a simple white wine-mustard sauce in this garlic chicken recipe. Serve with smashed potatoes with buttermilk and sautéed green beans.

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Oven-Barbecued Asian Chicken

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This Asian “barbecued” chicken made in a casserole dish is truly finger-licking good! You can make this with 2 bone-in chicken breasts (about 12 ounces each) instead of thighs and drumsticks, if you prefer. Remove the skin and cut each chicken breast in half on the diagonal to get 4 portions about equal in weight. Serve with sautéed chard and whole-grain rice pilaf.

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Slow-Cooker Chicken & Honey-Glazed Root Vegetables

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This beautiful slow-cooker chicken dish should be a standby for day-of decisions to host dinner. In the spring, substitute baby white turnips and baby carrots for the regular varieties. To reduce prep time, cut the vegetables the night before; refrigerate. Place in the slow cooker with the browned chicken the next day.

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Loaded Potato Bowl with Chicken & Broccoli

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Cauliflower and potatoes mash into a creamy puree that has fewer calories than mashed or baked potatoes alone. Here, we top the puree with chicken and broccoli to make a satisfying and complete meal. The cheese, sour cream and bacon toppings make this easy dinner resemble a lower-calorie loaded baked potato.

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Crispy Ranch Drumsticks

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This easy kid-friendly dinner pairs healthier oven-fried chicken with crisp, raw vegetables and a homemade ranch dressing for dipping.

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Coconut Chicken Curry

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Chicken drumsticks are marinated in yogurt with curry spices, then baked and served with a creamy coconut sauce with eggplant and brown rice for a taste of India from your kitchen.

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Slow-Cooker Sticky Sesame Chicken Drumsticks

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Skip the takeout and make amazing Chinese food at home! Broiling the drumsticks after they slow-cook caramelizes their glaze and gives them their satisfying sticky, sweet quality. To make these slow-cooker chicken drumsticks gluten-free, use gluten-free soy sauce.

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Arroz con Pollo

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Arroz con pollo, or chicken cooked with rice, is a common dish in Spain, Latin America and the Caribbean. We use quick-cooking brown rice here to help you get this on the table in just 40 minutes. Serve with a mixed green salad tossed with cilantro-lime vinaigrette.

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Louisiana Chicken Drumsticks and Tomatoes

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Get a taste of the south with this chicken drumstick recipe. Thyme, hot sauce and black pepper lend flavor to this perfect weeknight dinner option.

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Garlic-Clove Chicken

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It's hard to believe this chicken recipe uses a whopping 25 cloves of garlic, but cooking garlic within the clove's casing imparts only a mild garlic flavor to foods cooked with it.

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Caramel-Lime Drumsticks with Shaved Celery Salad

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A super-easy caramel sauce brushed onto oven-roasted chicken drumsticks makes this an impressive fast weeknight dinner or go-to party appetizer. A cool shaved celery salad spiked with lime juice keeps things refreshing and simple. Serve with rice noodles tossed with sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce.

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Greek Braised Chicken Legs

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Slowly braising chicken legs in your slow cooker leaves them falling-off-the-bone tender-making them the perfect vehicle for the Greek spices recommended here.

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