Chicken Legs are one of the least expensive parts of the chicken to buy and one of the easiest to cook. Tender, juicy, and flavorful on the inside and perfectly crispy on the outside, these Slow-Roasted Chicken Legs are seasoned to perfection and baked together with tender potatoes, tons of fresh garlic, and lemon slices.
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Whole Oven Roasted Chicken Legs Recipe
Chicken legs are fast becoming my favorite easy weeknight dinner. Loved by the whole family, they’re budget-friendly, versatile, and so yummy. Oven-baked in a simple seasoning, simmered low and slow in your favorite stew, or marinated overnight (as I did in this Jamaican jerk chicken recipe), it’s hard to mess up this hearty dinner staple.
Easier than roasting a whole chicken, these slow-roasted whole chicken legs result in a crispy, crackling outer skin and tender, juicy melt-in-your-mouth inside. Baby potatoes, whole garlic cloves, and fresh lemon are baked right alongside the chicken, making this one truly unforgettable dinner.
Why Slow-Roast?
There is magic in slow roasting – if you have the time. In this case, it will take about an hour to an hour and a half, but the reward is tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat and caramelized potatoes.
What are Chicken Legs? How are they Different from Drumsticks?
Chicken legs consist of two parts– the thigh and the drumstick. Put another way, chicken legs include the entire upper part of the leg (the thigh) and the lower part of the leg (the drumstick). Drumsticks, on the other hand, are a portion of the chicken leg, specifically the lower part of the leg, from the knee joint to the foot.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Whole Bone-In Skin-On Chicken Legs: This recipe calls for the whole leg with the skin on. Leaving the skin on locks in the juices and helps prevent the outer part of the chicken from drying out. I do not recommend making this recipe with chicken breasts.
- Herbs and Spices: This recipe calls for a simple seasoning blend of paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Whole Heads of Garlic: For flavor. The garlic will soften as it bakes with the chicken and potatoes.
- Baby potatoes: Perfect for baking alongside the chicken.
- Lemons: Adds freshness and flavor to the chicken and the potatoes.
- Olive oil: The olive oil helps prevent the chicken and potatoes from burning as they bake in the oven.
- Butter: A generous brushing of melted butter toward the end of cooking helps pull out the flavors and helps crisp the skin.
How to Make Slow-Roasted Chicken Legs with Potatoes
1. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Lightly coat the inside of a large baking dish (or rimmed baking sheet) with non-stick cooking spray or parchment paper. (You may need to use two pans to prevent overcrowding.)
2. Remove the chicken legs from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature (if time allows). Pat them dry with paper towels.
3. In a small bowl, combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix thoroughly, then sprinkle both sides of the chicken legs with the seasoning mixture.
4. Transfer the chicken legs to the prepared baking dish. Tuck the heads of garlic (cut side down), halved potatoes, and lemon slices around the chicken. If things are getting crowded, use two pans; otherwise, your chicken skin won’t turn out crispy, and cooking may be uneven. Drizzle a little olive oil over the chicken and potatoes, using your hands to ensure everything is evenly coated.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the baking pan and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush the tops of each chicken leg with melted butter, and return the pan to the oven. Continue to roast the chicken slowly until its internal temperature reaches 165°F, as measured by a digital meat thermometer.
6. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest for 5-10 minutes before spooning the pan juices over the chicken and potatoes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Feel free to swap the potatoes for your favorite oven-roasted veggies, such as carrots or squash, but keep in mind that their cooking time may be different from that of potatoes.
At the very end of cooking, set your oven to broil. Place your chicken and potatoes under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Be careful, though; this happens super fast.
You can, but I do not recommend it. Even if you prefer not to eat the skin, keep it on and remove it after your chicken has been cooked. Chicken skin helps keep the meat moist as it cooks, helping prevent it from drying out.
How to Serve Baked Chicken Legs with Potatoes
It’s easy to find different ways to serve this oven-roasted chicken legs recipe. Served as is, with a side salad or tender roasted asparagus, and consider dinner done. A drizzle of fresh lemon juice is highly recommended.
For anyone who prefers a side dish of mashed potatoes (in place of roasted potatoes), feel free to leave out the baby potatoes and make a big batch of creamy mashed potatoes, four-cheese mashed potatoes, or even these low-carb cauliflower mashed potatoes (no one will notice any difference).
Shred leftover chicken and enjoy it in your favorite green salad, casserole dish, or pasta, or wrapped in a large flour tortilla with homemade hummus and roasted veggies, including cauliflower, eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes.
More Chicken Recipes,
- Cornflake Chicken
- Crack Chicken Casserole
- Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
- Easy Greek Lemon Chicken Thighs
- Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Legs with Potatoes
- Baked BBQ Chicken
Browse all of my Chicken Recipes.
RECIPE CARD
Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Legs with Potatoes Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 whole bone-in skin-on chicken legs - with the thigh and drumstick attached
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2-4 whole heads garlic - root end sliced off
- 1 pound baby potatoes or small Yukon gold potatoes - halved
- 2 lemons - washed and cut into slices
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- fresh herbs (parsley, oregano, thyme, etc) - for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly coat the inside of a large baking dish (or rimmed baking sheet) with non-stick cooking spray (you may need to use two pans to prevent overcrowding).
- Remove the chicken legs from the refrigerator and pat dry using paper towels. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine the salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix thoroughly to combine. Generously sprinkle both sides of the chicken legs with the pre-mixed seasoning and set aside. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature (time allowing). This should take approximately 20-30 minutes.
- Transfer the chicken legs to the prepared baking dish. Tuck the heads of garlic (cut-side-down), halved potatoes, and lemon slices around the chicken. If things are getting crowded, use two pans, otherwise, your chicken skin won't turn out crispy and cooking may be uneven.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and chicken legs. Use your hands, if necessary, to ensure that everything is evenly coated in oil.
- Transfer baking pans to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rotate the pan and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush the tops of each chicken leg with melted butter, and return to the oven until chicken registers an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove from the oven, and allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes before spooning pan juices over the top of the chicken and potatoes. Serve with fresh minced herbs, if desired.
Jessica’s Notes
- Feel free to use chicken drumsticks or even chicken thighs (or a combination of the two) if you can’t find whole chicken legs at your local grocery store. Cooking time may vary, however, so keep an eye out for doneness and always use a digital meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken.
- For this particular recipe, I highly recommend using bone-in, skin-on chicken legs to guarantee the best flavor and juiciest chicken. If you choose to go boneless or skinless, keep an eye on your chicken as it cooks to make sure it’s not burning. If it starts to brown, tent with foil.
- I expect that these baked chicken legs would also cook beautifully on a bbq, grill, or even in an air fryer. If you try either of these methods, please leave me a comment and let me know, I’d love to hear how it turned out.
- Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and place in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutritional Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
Easy recipe with great flavors. I took advantage of the time after brushing on the butter to up the temp to 375 degrees and get some more color on the skin. Once the chicken and potatoes were out of the pan, I put the pan on the stove top to reduce the liquids. It became a delicious sauce that could be spooned on the chicken and potatoes as wanted. Thank you!
Thanks for the delicious feedback, Sharon ๐
If you just cook the chicken how do you serve the garlic and lemons?
Its all cooked together to bring out the flavors and aroma of the garlic and lemons – its not coked separately ๐
I have made this umpteen times and is devoured with great relish. My grandchildren love this and ask for it every time they visit. It is super delicious and so simple to make. Thank you !! Greetings and Salaams from Islamabad, Pakistan ๐ต๐ฐ ๐คค๐คค๐
Thanks for coming back, Ranna ๐
I love hearing that your grandchildren continue to love and bond over this recipe!
We loved it! I used only legs! It was delicious take a bite of chicken and lemon and garlic and potato all together! Definitely will make again!
Thanks for the delicious feedback Roselyn ๐
My grandchildren over for the weekend….. their demand, you guessed it, baked chicken legs for lunch! Thank you so much for this delish recipe. ๐
I love hearing that your grandkids continue to love it that much ๐
Hello ! From Pakistan ๐ต๐ฐ! 5th round of baking. Now with skin on. I love this recipe. It’s a hit at my house and friends and family love it. My grandchildren demand it now ๐๐๐ฅฐ . Thank you again and again. Shukriya…… thank you in Urdu our lingua franca
Thank you for letting me know Ranna, I really appreciate it ๐
I’m making this for the second time today. Everybody loved it. It was delicious. I wish I could send you theimage. Don’t know how to do it. I’m IT challenged at my age of 70 years. My grandchildren devourrd it. Thank you for the superb recipes. I’ll cover it for the second half because I couldn’t get the chicken with the skin on. ๐๐
Thanks for the feedback Raana, I am glad to hear that your grandchildren devoured it ๐
Definitely a favorite in my house, have made on several occasions.
Thanks for the feedback Nilita ๐
I’m using a convection oven, what temp and time do you recommend?
That’s a great question, Tara. I would use the same temperature for the oven and use a digital meat thermometer to regularly check the chicken’s internal temperature until 165F. It will obviously cook a bit faster, but how fast depends on your convection oven ๐
Thank you! I’m actually going to try out my convection roast feature, and I’ll use my built in probe to keep an eye on the internal temp.
What a fantastic recipe! The roasted garlic cloves permeated the flavour of everything! I added some carrot chunks to the pan. A match made in heaven, and a definite repeat!
Thanks for the kind feedback Connie ๐ , I also love how the garlic adds to this recipe!
I tried this recipe and followed it exactly, but the chicken was severely undercooked! Not sure what happened. The temperature seemed very low to me; maybe it needs to be higher.
Thanks for the comment Susan. I am curious, was the chicken previously frozen?
Also, there is a very important last instruction at the end of step 5: ” and return to the oven until chicken registers an internal temperature of 165ยฐF.”
That last step makes it impossible for it to be undercooked ๐