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Chicken Dinner One Pot
4.6 from 240 votes

Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Legs

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By: Joanna Cismaru 67 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

These Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Legs are loaded with flavor, perfect for a super quick dinner. The best part? No bowls to wash, super fast prep all in one pan!

chicken drumsticks in a baking dish roasted with lemons and herbs

What I love about this recipe is its simplicity. You do it all in a ziploc bag, no bowls to wash and cooked in just one pan, which in my book is huge. You basically add all these ingredients to a ziploc bag, close it up, then just shake shake shake!

There’s plenty of flavor in this marinade, chock full of bright lemon, tons of fresh garlic, and some punchy oregano and thyme. I do specify to marinate this for minimum of 30 minutes, although if you really want these flavors to penetrate the chicken all the way through, go for longer. So let’s get cooking!

Why Chicken Legs?

But why chicken legs, you ask. Why not, I say. They’re delicious, they’re portable which is great if you’re having a picnic, or are asked to bring something to a potluck, plus you can also eat them cold. Seriously, what more do you want?

Of course, who am I to say that you cannot use chicken thighs, or chicken breast, any cuts of chicken will actually work for this recipe, just check the recipe notes for instructions.

chicken legs seasoned in a casserole dish ready to bake with lemon slices

Ingredients

  • Chicken – I’m using legs today, skin on for flavor and texture. Although any cut of chicken will work.
  • Butter – I always use unsalted to control the sodium content of our dish.
  • Olive oil – We want a nice neutral tasting oil to allow our chicken to crisp up beautifully.
  • Herbs – I’m using dried oregano and fresh thyme.
  • Smoked paprika – Now it’s not a roast chicken recipe with out a little smoked paprika in my books, just trust me on this one.
  • Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
  • Lemon – Fresh sliced up.
  • Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.
chicken drumsticks in a baking dish roasted with lemons and herbs

How To Make Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Legs

  1. Marinate the chicken legs: In a large ziploc bag add the chicken legs, melted butter, olive oil, oregano, paprika, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Close the ziploc bag and toss everything together well. Place the ziploc bag in the fridge and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 24 hours.
  2. Preheat your oven: to 450 F degrees.
  3. Finish the dish: Transfer the chicken legs to a large casserole dish and place the lemon slices in between the legs. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or until legs are golden brown and cooked through. Finally. garnish with fresh thyme and serve warm.

Can I Use Other Cuts Of Chicken?

Of course you can! Consider chicken the blank canvas for this tasty marinade, so feel free to have some fun! Moist, tender chicken thigh would cook down beautifully in this sauce and it would really kick chicken breast up a notch.

  • Boneless skinless chicken thigh: 425F for 12-15 minutes.
  • Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs: 425F for 25-28 minutes.
  • Boneless skinless chicken breast: 425F for 15-20 minutes.
  • Bone-in skin-on chicken breast: 425F for 40-45 minutes.

How To Check If Your Chicken Is Done

To ensure your chicken is cooked through, the best way is to use a thermometer. A thermometer inserted in the middle of the drumstick should read 180 to 185 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, another way to ensure your chicken is cooked is to pierce it with a knife and if the juices that run out are clear, your chicken should be cooked.

chicken drumsticks in a serving dish roasted with lemons and herbs

How To Serve

These wonderful roasted chicken legs will go well with any of your favorite sides! Whether you’re looking for some carbs or a nice fresh salad check some of these recipes out:

Potatoes:

  • Potatoes au Gratin
  • Baked Potatoes
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Italian Parmesan Roasted Potatoes
  • Potato Wedges

Salads

  • Mexican Street Corn Salad
  • Mediterranean Couscous Salad
  • Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad
  • Kale and Quinoa Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Veggies

  • Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
  • Old Fashioned Green Beans
  • Garlic and Herb Roasted Carrots
  • Cauliflower Poppers
2 chicken legs roasted with lemons and herbs in a plate with rice

Can I Make Chicken Legs In The Instant Pot?

You sure can, and it’ll make this recipe even quicker!

  1. Marinate your chicken to prepare it to cook.
  2. Pour 1 cup of water into your Instant Pot and insert the trivet before layering your chicken on over top. Lock the lid and allow to cook for 15 minutes on the poultry setting.
  3. You can crisp them up under the broiler afterwards if you’d like, just keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.

Leftovers

Fridge

You can store this in the fridge for 2 – 3 days in an airtight container. Just be sure the chicken is cooled before placing it in the fridge.

Freezer

Stored in an airtight container these roasted chicken legs will keep for up to 4 months. Just allow it to thaw in the fridge overnight before warming back up to temperature in the oven.

Craving More Chicken? Try These Delicious Recipes:

  • Garlic and Paprika Chicken
  • Lemon Chicken Piccata
  • Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks
  • Honey Mustard Glazed Chicken
  • Roast Chicken
  • Buttermilk Fried Chicken
  • Roasted Cornish Hens

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

side view shot of lemon garlic chicken legs in a pot with lemon slices and fresh thyme
Print
4.60 from 240 votes

Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Legs

Prep 35 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Total 1 hour 10 minutes
Rate Recipe
These Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Legs are loaded with flavor, perfect for a super quick dinner. The best part? No bowls to wash, super fast prep all in one pan!
6

Ingredients

  • 12 chicken legs (skin on)
  • 4 tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lemon (sliced)
  • fresh thyme (for garnish)

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions 

  • In a large ziploc bag add the chicken legs, melted butter, olive oil, oregano, paprika, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Close the ziploc bag and toss everything together well.
  • Place the ziploc bag in the fridge and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 450 F degrees.
  • Transfer the chicken legs to a large casserole dish and place the lemon slices in between the legs. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or until legs are golden brown and cooked through.
  • Garnish with fresh thyme and serve warm.

Equipment

  • Instant Read Meat Thermometer

Video

Notes

To ensure your chicken is cooked through, the best way is to use a thermometer. A thermometer inserted in the middle of the drumstick should read 180 to 185 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, another way to ensure your chicken is cooked is to pierce it with a knife and if the juices that run out are clear, your chicken should be cooked.
Chicken thighs either boneless and skinless or with skin and bones can also be used though they might require 5 or 10 extra  minutes to cook. Use the above mentioned methods for checking for doneness. 
Chicken breast can also be used, but the cooking time could vary based on size of breast. 
Serve these along with salads, rice, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, coleslaw, etc.
Total time includes time to marinade the chicken.
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2legsCalories: 361kcal (18%)Carbohydrates: 3g (1%)Protein: 27g (54%)Fat: 26g (40%)Saturated Fat: 9g (56%)Cholesterol: 159mg (53%)Sodium: 159mg (7%)Potassium: 378mg (11%)Vitamin A: 470IU (9%)Vitamin C: 12.1mg (15%)Calcium: 31mg (3%)Iron: 1.3mg (7%)
© Author Joanna Cismaru

Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.

side view shot of lemon garlic chicken legs in a pot with lemon slices and fresh thyme

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Joanna Cismaru

Joanna Cismaru

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

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67 Comments
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Francesca
Francesca
Posted: 1 day ago

5 stars
Recipe was delicious. Heated the zip lock bag in micro for a few seconds to disengage solid juices from bag after the marinated time. Added diced onion to baking pan and potatoes also to take up all the flavours. It will be a repeat recipe. Love lemon!!

0
Reply
Michelle Crouthamel
Michelle Crouthamel
Posted: 3 months ago

5 stars
Made this recipe last night. It was delicious! Only thing I did differently was I used fresh oregano because I have it. The smoky from the paprika and the touch of lemon really went well together.

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Michelle Crouthamel
Posted: 3 months ago

Glad you enjoyed it, Michelle!

0
Reply
Janey
Janey
Posted: 1 year ago

4 stars
Interesting marinade ingredients, but if I make this recipe again I will omit the melted butter. It ended up congealing in the refrigerator and sticking to the sides of the ziploc bag….. along with all the herbs and spices. It would have had more flavor had I used just olive oil. Thanks Jo!

1
Reply
Jo
Jo
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
Bloody delicious …served with potato bake …sumac cauli and greens …made gravy out of the juices 💕

0
Reply
Pa Chang
Pa Chang
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
The kids loved this! I’ve made it twice now with thighs and they get eaten. I was wondering if grilling it would work…so we are going to grill it tonight!

0
Reply
Nancy Benitez
Nancy Benitez
Reply to  Pa Chang
Posted: 1 year ago

Your picture above the recipe shows thyme in the pan instead of oregano. Can thyme be used instead of oregano?

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Nancy Benitez
Posted: 1 year ago

Yes, but I would go with fresh thyme, if using.

0
Reply
Carol King
Carol King
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
This is so easy to make and the chicken skin was so crispy, while the meat remained succulent. Definite thumbs up from me. Served with home made chips and spinach with mushrooms.

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Jo Cooks Team AMJ
Reply to  Carol King
Posted: 1 year ago

Thank you! We are so glad you enjoyed these so much!

0
Reply
Anna
Anna
Posted: 1 year ago

5 stars
Loved it 🙂

0
Reply
Claudine
Claudine
Posted: 2 years ago

Is the large casserole dish required or can I just place it in a metal baking pan?

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Claudine
Posted: 2 years ago

You can use what you have that works!

0
Reply
Ann WILLIS
Ann WILLIS
Posted: 2 years ago

Can you freeze uncooked chicken in this recipe

0
Reply
Joanna Cismaru
Joanna Cismaru
Author
Reply to  Ann WILLIS
Posted: 2 years ago

Absolutely!

0
Reply
Lisa
Lisa
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It was easy to follow and very delicious! My husband and daughter gave it rave reviews!! This was my first time to your page , thanks to Google images, but it won’t be my last.

0
Reply
Gia Densford
Gia Densford
Posted: 2 years ago

Made this last night. So good and so much flavor! I had legs and thighs so I cooked it 10-15 mins longer and it turned out great.
Thanks Jo! Can’t wait to try more recipes!

0
Reply
LeAnne
LeAnne
Posted: 2 years ago

I was wondering the same thing, why the large drop in temp for thighs? There’s a pretty big difference between 375 for thighs & 450 for legs or breasts.

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  LeAnne
Posted: 2 years ago

Good catch! Fixed 🙂

0
Reply
Pat
Pat
Posted: 2 years ago

Hello. I want to use bone in, chicken thighs. I want to be sure of the temperature as well as the time. I read that when using thighs the temperature should only be 375 and increase the time to 35-40 minutes. However in the actual recipe it does not mention the lower the temperature. I read the reviews buy those who used chicken thighs didn’t mention the temperature or time that they followed. Can you tell me?

0
Reply
Jo Cooks Team
Jo Cooks Team
Reply to  Pat
Posted: 2 years ago

The actual recipe is made with chicken drumsticks so that’s why it doesn’t include instructions for thighs! We wrote separate instructions for thighs and breasts in the blog post to help those out who have different cuts in their fridge.

0
Reply
Beth Johnston
Beth Johnston
Posted: 2 years ago

5 stars
I made this today (24 Jun 20). I was surprised at how tasty it was and extremely easy to make. Will definitely be making this again soon!

0
Reply
Charley
Charley
Posted: 2 years ago

Looked beautiful! Seemed a bit bland to me.

0
Reply

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Hey there!

I’m Joanna (Jo for short) and this is my blog where I share with you my culinary adventures. Here you will find a variety of recipes using simple everyday ingredients and creating wonderful, delicious and comforting meals, including some decadent desserts.

Read More
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