Best Chicken Legs Recipes

SPICY ROASTED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line baking sheets with foil.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the lemon juice, salt, black pepper, cayenne and garlic, and stir. Set aside.
• Rinse and pat the chicken legs dry. With metal tongs, dip them one by one into the butter mixture and place on the prepared baking sheets.
• Once all of the chicken legs are coated and on the baking sheet, take a pastry brush and give them one last coating of the butter mixture.
• Place them into the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, basting a couple of times during roasting. If they need a bit more color, turn on the broiler for a couple minutes and watch them closely.
• Remove them when they are nice and golden brown and fully cooked.

MOCK CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Crumble ground meat over mixture and mix well. Shape a 1/4 cupful of meat mixture around each Popsicle stick to resemble a 3-in. log., In a shallow bowl, whisk egg and milk. Place cornflake crumbs in another shallow bowl. Coat each leg in crumbs, then dip in egg mixture and recoat in crumbs. Let stand for 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°., In an electric skillet, heat 1/4 in. oil to 375°. Fry legs, a few at a time, for 1 minute on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. , Arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until no pink remains and a thermometer reads 160°, 15-20 minutes.

GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Mix all brine/marinade ingredients in a large bowl and then separate into zip lock bags and add chicken.
• Chill and marinade for at least 4 hours or more (I usually brine mine for 12 hours).
• Grill chicken on a well oiled grill until browned on all sides, turning only once, about 15 to 20 mins each side. (A good indicator that legs are being cooked well in the inside is by observing blood seeping out from the top of the legs).
• Since all grills run at different temperatures, (if possible) make sure that grill is covered first and allowed to raise to 400 degrees before uncovering the grill, oiling the racks, and placing the legs onto the grill. This will help your grilling off to a great start.
• Depending on your environment, grill your chicken without the cover as the sudden increase in heat can turn your legs to charcoal.
• Towards the end of your grilling(5-10 mins) liberally spread a bbq of your choice (I like "Sweet Baby Ray's") on to one side of the chicken. Then (if possible) place chicken legs on a top rack for indirect heat with the bbq side of the leg down and the none bbq'd side up.
• Spread the other side with bbq now and let the bbq really caramelize onto the legs for 5-10mins on indirect heat.(if you dont have a top rack, just reduce this time to 3 to 5mins).
• Now take the legs off the grill and Wah-Lah! You've just made some amazing BBQ'd legs. Bon Appetite!
• *All grills have hot spots so be mindful of these spots and switch your chicken around the grill as not to completely char them.

MOCK CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Combine ground pork, ground veal, salt, paprika, green pepper and pineapple. Shape like a chicken leg around a wooden skewer. Roll in bread crumbs, then in egg slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water and again in bread crumbs.
• Let stand 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Brown in frying pan in hot fat, add a little water, then reduce temperature. Cover tightly and let cook slowly for 45 minutes.

GRANDMA FLORENCE SLAGLE'S MOCK CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• 1. Mix all mock chicken leg ingredients together well. Form into chicken drum stick shapes.
• 2. Beat together the egg and milk. Dip the "drum sticks" into egg and milk mixture.
• 3. Put Bread crumbs in a bowl. Dip the "drum sticks" into the bread crumbs to totally coat them.
• 4. PAN FRIED METHOD: .
• 5. Fry the "drum sticks" in shortening in a medium-hot skillet. Turning to brown on all sides.
• 6. Pour the meat stock (or water) into the pan. Cover and simmer slowly on low heat for about 1 hour until "drum sticks" are cooked and a gravy has formed. 10 servings.
• 7. OVEN METHOD: .
• 8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use cooking spray to coat baking sheet.
• 9. Place coated mock chicken "drum sticks" onto baking pan. (Optional: sprinkle the "drum sticks" lightly with paprika). Bake 15 minutes. Turn "drum sticks" over and bake 15 - 20 minutes longer or until the "drum sticks" are browned and cooked through.
• 10. ***** Optional: You can form the "drum sticks" onto skewers or popsicle sticks to form "drum stick handles".

BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS AND LEGS WITH TOMATO

Steps:

• Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. Arrange the chicken thighs and legs on a tray in a single layer and season them with salt, to taste. Turn the pieces on their other side and season again. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, carefully add the chicken to the oil. Do not overcrowd the pan. Resist the temptation to move or turn the pieces. Allow them to brown on their first side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Use metal tongs to turn the chicken pieces to sear their second side, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a tray and set it aside.
• In the same skillet, add the cumin seeds and chili flakes, stirring rapidly to give them a quick toast, about 10 to 15 seconds. Add the onions, ginger and garlic and stir to combine. Season the ingredients with salt, to taste, then add the tomatoes, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Allow the mixture to cook and all the flavors to come together, about 10 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan, keep the heat low and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes. (Chef's note: If the sauce becomes overly thick or begins to stick to the bottom of the skillet, feel free to add some water, about 1/2 cup at a time.)
• When the chicken is cooked through, remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Taste for seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve alongside the braised cabbage, if desired.

CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Place chicken legs in a large bowl. Spread chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and salt onto the chicken; pour sauce over top. Mix thoroughly and transfer to a baking sheet.
• Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 45 to 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

DELICIOUS OVEN-BAKED CRANBERRY BARBECUE CHICKEN (OR TURKEY LEGS)

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
• Heat butter with oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet; cook on both side until lightly browned, then place the chicken skin-side up into the baking dish (leave the drippings in the pan).
• Add in the onion, celery, garlic and cayenne pepper (if using) adding in a little more oil if needed; sate for about 3 minutes; stir in the cranberry sauce and BBQ sauce; bring to a light simmer, stirring until completey combined, then pour over the chicken.
• Bake uncovered for about 50 minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through, basting with the sauce a couple times during baking.
• Delicious!

BARBECUED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, brown chicken in oil. Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, vinegar, steak sauce and hot pepper sauce; pour over chicken., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°-175°, basting every 15 minutes with sauce.

CARAMELIZED BAKED CHICKEN LEGS/WINGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 180 degrees Celsius.
• Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Pour over the chicken.
• Bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized.
• Could also use wings or pork ribs.

MOCK CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Place 1 inch pieces of pork and veal alternately on skewers, almost 5 pieces per stick.
• Season with flour, salt and pepper.
• Brown in butter; do not crowd; turn often to brown evenly.
• Place in a roasting pan.
• Pour 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup over top.
• Cover and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 hours.

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS WITH GRAPES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Season chicken legs all over with 3 tsp. salt.
• Swirl 1 Tbsp. oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot to coat and heat over medium-high. Place 2 chicken legs, skin side down, in pot, making sure skin is in direct contact with pan. Cook, undisturbed, until dark golden, about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until golden on other side, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining 2 chicken legs; reserve pot.
• Meanwhile, working one at a time, stand a bulb, root end down, on a cutting board and slice off a short end to create a flat surface. Turn cut side down and slice ½" thick, starting from the top end of bulb so the root end can hold the layers in place while you slice. Discard last ¼" (root end) of each bulb and pop out and discard tougher center from slices. Transfer fennel to a large bowl and add half of the grapes, ½ tsp. salt, and remaining 1 Tbsp. oil; toss to coat. Set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium and combine broth, honey, chile paste, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in reserved pot. Stir to combine and dissolve salt. Place remaining grapes in pot and arrange chicken legs, skin side up and overlapping if needed, over grapes. Top with dressed fennel and grapes. (Don't worry if it looks crowded: Fennel will soften as it cooks.)
• Transfer pot, uncovered, to oven and roast until fennel is slightly softened, with some crispy, caramelized edges, grapes on top are swollen and browned in spots, and chicken is cooked through, 30-40 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer grapes and fennel to a bowl and chicken to a platter. Place pot over medium-high heat and bring braising liquid to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half (you should have about 1 cup liquid), 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and fennel fronds.
• Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with fennel and grapes alongside.

CITY CHICKEN (MOCK CHICKEN LEGS)

Steps:

• Heat/melt shortening in frying pan, low heat.
• Place pork & veal cubes alternately on 6" skewers.
• Dip skewered meats in to egg.
• Roll meats in bread crumbs.
• Cook skewed meats in shortening about 60 minutes.
• Turn meats occasionally for even cooking.
• Remove from pan, drain on paper towels.

CAL PETERNELL'S BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Season chicken legs with salt and pepper and let them sit for a while, 15 minutes to an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put a cup or two of flour in a large bowl, add half the chicken and tumble the legs around to coat.
• Set a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 2 tablespoons oil or butter and allow to melt and foam. Shake excess flour off the chicken legs and slide them into the hot pan in one layer; adjust the heat so the legs are sizzling nicely. When the legs begin to brown, after about 5 minutes, turn them over to brown the other side, an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a platter and repeat with remaining legs, adding more oil or butter if the pan seems dry.
• Pour off the grease in the pan and add the wine or other liquid to the skillet, scraping at the sticky bits. Let simmer over medium heat until pan is completely deglazed. Pour that liquid into a small bowl and set aside.
• Add remaining oil or butter to the pan and allow it to heat. Add onion, carrot, celery and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened nicely, approximately 10 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and bay leaf and cook for a minute or so, then return all the chicken to the pan, skin side up, along with the reserved glazing liquid and between 1 and 3 cups stock or water, enough to come up the sides of the chicken but not to get them swimming. Bring to a simmer and then put the skillet in the oven.
• After 5 minutes or so, reduce the oven heat to 325 degrees and cook until chicken is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. (Test for doneness by inserting a slender-bladed knife into the meat. It should pull out easily.) Remove the skillet from the oven, lift the legs from the skillet and put them aside again. Pour the liquid contents of the skillet into a small bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes or so, letting the fat rise to the surface. Use a small ladle to skim off and discard the fat, then return liquid to the pan, along with the chicken. Bring back to a simmer on the stovetop, then return to the oven for 5 minutes or so before serving, sprinkled with the chopped parsley, or save to reheat later.

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS IN SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken on all sides with salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl in oil. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate.
• Add onion to skillet. Cook, scraping up browned bits, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in carrots and sauerkraut until well combined.
• Transfer sauerkraut mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Nestle chicken legs in mixture, cover with parchment-lined foil, and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to 425 degrees, and bake until top is lightly caramelized and a thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken legs (without touching bone) registers 165 degrees, about 10 minutes more. Serve immediately.

BAKED MUSTARD-HERB CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim excess skin and fat from chicken. Combine bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, tarragon and salt and pepper on a plate or waxed paper. Use a pastry brush to paint mustard lightly on chicken legs. Carefully coat chicken legs with bread crumb mixture.
• Gently place chicken in a roasting pan and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until completely cooked. Serve hot or cold.

HONEY-MUSTARD BAKED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine oil, honey mustard, and honey in a bowl until well combined. Stir in garlic, paprika, chives, basil, adobo seasoning, onion powder, and meat tenderizer. Stir until fully blended.
• Coat the bottom of a glass baking dish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of mustard sauce mixture. Place chicken legs on top and cover with the rest of the sauce mixture. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, 60 to 75 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

BRAISED CHICKEN LEGS AND THIGHS WITH TOMATOES, POTATOES, OLIVES AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Let the chicken come to room temperature, then pat the pieces dry and season with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a shallow, flat container and dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess. Set aside.
• In a large heavy-bottomed skillet or a Dutch oven designed for braising, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add the butter, let it melt and heat until it begins to turn brown, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a large platter and set aside.
• Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet and return the skillet to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, and cook until the wine has reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the stock and tomatoes and raise the heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil. The add the potatoes, olives, capers, and thyme, and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil again, then reduce the heat to low so the liquid is simmering, and return the chicken to the pan. Cover and cook until the chicken is tender and the potatoes can be easily pierced with a knife, 25 to 35 minutes.
• To serve, place one chicken leg and one thigh in each of four shallow bowls. Spoon the sauce on top, getting some of the tomatoes, potatoes, olives and capers in each portion. Serve immediately.
• Place the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, parsley and thyme in an 8-quart stockpot. Add enough water to come up to 2 inches from the top of the pot. Place the pot over high heat and bring the liquid to a lively simmer--do not let the liquid boil. As soon as the liquid starts to simmer, reduce the heat so that you maintain a lively simmer throughout. (This could be anywhere from low to medium heat depending on the strength of your range.) Skim off any gray scum that floats to the top of the stock. Cook the stock, uncovered, for about 2 1/2 hours -- it should reduce in volume by one-quarter to one-third. Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl or clean stockpot, pressing on the solids in the strainer to extract all the liquid. If you like, season with salt to taste--I prefer to keep my stock salt-free.
• Use right away or transfer to air tight containers and refrigerate or freeze. The stock will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

EASY OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Combine buttermilk, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Line a rimmed baking pan with foil and place in the oven.
• Combine cornstarch, panko, smoked paprika, Greek seasoning, onion powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large resealable bag.
• Remove chicken legs from buttermilk, drain, and dip legs one at a time into the dry coating mixture.
• Remove pan from the oven with pot holders and add 1 tablespoon melted butter to the pan. With a pastry brush, spread melted butter all over the pan.
• Lay coated chicken legs into the pan. Pour half of the melted butter over chicken legs.
• Roast in the preheated until chicken is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes, turning over at the halfway point. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Drizzle with remaining melted butter and serve immediately.

CRISPY BAKED ROSEMARY-GARLIC CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a sheet tray in the oven to preheat.
• Wash and trim the chicken legs of any excess fat. Mix the garlic, rosemary and panko together in a shallow rimmed dish and season well with salt and pepper. Alternately, crush the garlic and rosemary with some olive oil and salt in a mortar and pestle.
• Crack the eggs into a similar dish, add the milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. In another dish add the flour and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Take the chicken legs and 1 at a time, dredge in the flour, then the egg wash and then coat well with the rosemary-garlic panko bread crumbs. Lay the chicken legs out on a tray lined with parchment paper, as you work. Refrigerate the legs for about 15 to 20 minutes for the breading to set.
• Remove the hot sheet tray from the oven and drizzle with a good amount of olive oil. Arrange the chicken legs carefully on the tray, spacing them out evenly (the chicken will sizzle when added to the hot oil). Roast until the chicken legs are golden and crispy, about 35 to 40 minutes Remove the chicken from the oven to a serving platter. Season with salt and serve with lemon wedges.