Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Crunchy, crispy baked chicken is a hit with all ages. You don't have to spend hours making this dish. With this flavorful recipe, you'll have oven-baked and breaded chicken on the table in under 45 minutes.

By
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise Bauer
Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.
Learn about Simply Recipes' Editorial Process
Updated June 02, 2022
Elise Bauer
Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Cambrea Bakes

What's there not to love about chicken drumsticks?

They're dark meat (more flavor), relatively inexpensive (certainly compared to boneless skinless breasts), they cook up quickly (half an hour in the oven), and you can save the leftover bones for making stock.

They're kid-friendly (have you ever met a kid who didn't like drumsticks?) and they even come with built-in nifty handles (so you can eat like King Henry VIII).

Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Cambrea Bakes

Ways To Make Baked and Breaded Chicken

There are many ways to do breaded and baked drumsticks. This particular recipe uses a mayonnaise and mustard mixture as a first coating, then some breadcrumbs with chives for the breadcrumb coating.

You could just as easily use a beaten egg for the first coat (you need something for the breadcrumbs to adhere to), and a mixture of breadcrumbs, panko, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, tarragon, or thyme for the bread crumb coating.

You can also brown the drumsticks first on the stovetop and then transfer the pan to the oven (helps to use a cast iron pan if doing it this way).

Do you have a favorite way to prepare breaded drumsticks? A favorite breadcrumb coating combination? If so, please let us know about it in the comments.

Tips To Help Your Breading Stick

It's not hard to make sure breading sticks to drumsticks, but following these steps makes it even easier.

  • Start with fully defrosted chicken drumsticks.
  • Remove excess moisture from the drumsticks by patting them dry with paper towels. This is the most important tip. If your drumsticks are wet, the breading will slide off.
  • Coat the drumsticks in a thin layer of flour before dipping in the mayonnaise mixture in Step 4 to absorb any excess moisture the paper towels did not remove.
  • After coating the drumsticks in the mayonnaise and breadcrumb mixtures in Step 4, cover the drumsticks and place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill and set the breading. This is not a necessary step, but it can help the breading stick to the chicken.

How To Store and Reheat Chicken Drumsticks

Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

To freeze, place the baked drumsticks on a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer, uncovered, until they are just frozen though. Place the frozen drumsticks in a zip top bag, seal, and freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating.

To reheat the drumsticks, bake in the oven at 350°F until heated through.

The leftover, fully cooked chicken drumsticks are also enjoyable cold, straight from the refrigerator.

Need More Chicken Recipes? Try One of These Favorites

From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 60 mins
Servings 4 to 6 servings

Recipe adapted from a Deviled Drumsticks recipe in Bon Appetit, March 2001.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup Dijon or whole-grain mustard

  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

  • 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or green onion greens

  • Kosher salt

  • 6 large chicken drumsticks, about 1 1/3 pounds

  • Extra virgin olive oil

Method

  1. Preheat the oven, prepare pan:

    Place rack on upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat the bottom of a shallow roasting pan or baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.

  2. Prepare the coatings:

    Mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl. Mix together the breadcrumbs and minced chives in a separate medium bowl.

    Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks
    Cambrea Bakes
  3. Coat the drumsticks:

    Sprinkle each drumstick with salt. One by one, dip each drumstick in the mayonnaise mixture, turning to coat. Then dip the drumstick in the breadcrumbs mixture, turning to coat. Place the drumsticks on the prepared roasting pan.

    Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks
    Cambrea Bakes
    Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks
    Cambrea Bakes
  4. Bake:

    Bake chicken at 425°F for 25 to 45 minutes, until just cooked through when a meat thermometer in the thickest part of one of the drumsticks reads 165°F. Or, cut into the thickest part of one of the drumsticks to ensure it's opaque and firm, not rubbery.

    Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks
    Cambrea Bakes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
329 Calories
19g Fat
11g Carbs
26g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 329
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 597mg 26%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 26g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 47mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 328mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.