Herb-Infused Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Why This Herb-Infused Baked Chicken Drumsticks Works

In the bowl, the olive oil coats the drumsticks and sticks the dried herbs, garlic, salt, pepper, and smoked paprika all over the skin. As the chicken sits in this mix, some of the salt starts to pull a little moisture from the surface, which then mixes with the oil and herbs and clings even better to the meat.

In the hot oven, the outside of the drumsticks dries a bit and the skin starts to tighten. With steady heat, the fat under the skin begins to melt and baste the meat from the inside. That melted fat keeps the drumsticks moist while the outside browns and the herbs and garlic dry onto the skin instead of sliding off. By the time the chicken reaches temperature, the skin has turned crisp, the herb coating has stuck in place, and the meat under the bone stays juicy. Letting the drumsticks rest at the end gives the hot juices a moment to settle so they stay in the meat when it is pulled apart.

Mistakes To Avoid

Letting the drumsticks bake at a lower temperature or pulling them out too early often leaves the thickest part of the meat slightly raw near the bone. The outside may look nicely browned, but the inside stays glossy and slippery instead of firm and juicy.

Crowding the drumsticks on the baking sheet causes them to steam instead of roast. When they sit too close together, the skin never really dries out, so it stays soft and rubbery instead of turning crisp.

Skipping the oil in the herb mixture makes the spices and garlic sit in dry patches on the chicken. In the oven, those dry spots can burn and turn bitter, while the bare parts of the drumsticks stay pale and don’t brown well.

Using whole garlic cloves instead of mincing them leaves big chunks that don’t cook evenly. Those pieces can burn on the surface before the chicken is done, leaving hard, dark bits stuck to the skin.