Baked Buffalo Drumsticks

Name: Baked Buffalo Drumsticks
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 12 chicken legs (excess fat trimmed); 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 2 tbsp canola oil (divided); 2 tbsp butter; 1/4 cup vinegar-based hot sauce (I use Frank's)

Published: Jan 29, 2016 · Modified: May 14, 2023 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

This mouthwatering buffalo chicken drumstick recipe swaps traditional chicken wings for chicken legs. Coated in a tasty sauce made from melted butter and hot pepper sauce, these juicy and crispy oven-baked drumsticks can be made mild or spicy. The best part? They are ready in just 50 minutes!

A white platter of Buffalo chicken drumsticks.

This twist on good old buffalo chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners, appetizers, and any game day or Super Bowl parties. If you know me this probably won’t come as a surprise, but Buffalo chicken wings are one of my favourite foods.

So, why not try using chicken legs with the same flavours?

Why this recipe works

Similar to chicken wings, drumsticks have a high ratio of skin to meat, which means that these can get extra crispy, golden-brown and delicious in the oven! With a simple spice rub to add flavor, and neutral canola oil to help them crisp in the oven. This is my baked chicken leg method that I’ve been using for many years.

When they’re fully cooked, simply toss in a butter and hot sauce mixture for that classic, tangy but slightly sweet Buffalo sauce.

Side angle of chicken legs on a white platter.

Ingredients you’ll need

Skin-on, bone-in chicken drumsticks are the star of the show. If your drumsticks do have excess fat, you’ll want to trim this off as it can burn and smoke in the oven.
For the spice rub, a combination of garlic powder and salt. If you want some extra spice, you can add some cayenne pepper.
To help them get crispy in the oven, you’ll need some canola oil. This is an oil with a higher smoke point so it less likely to burn in the oven.
Finally for the Buffalo sauce you’ll want 1 part butter to 2 parts hot sauce. Stick with a vinegar-based hot sauce like Frank’s for a more typical Buffalo sauce. You’re looking for flavor that has a perfect balance of heat, tang and richness.

Expert tips

If you have really fatty drumsticks, make sure to trim the excess fat to avoid it burning in the oven.
Make sure that you dry the chicken drumsticks thoroughly with paper towels before seasoning and coating them. This will help that the skin gets crispy in the oven.
You could definitely put them on a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet, but in all honestly, those wire racks are a total pain to clean. Instead, I’ll cook these on a greased baking sheet and flip them halfway through, ensuring both sides are crispy.

Frequently asked questions

How can I make these spicier?

To make these spicier, add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the olive oil, and garlic powder before roasting. You could also increase the hot sauce-to-butter ratio for the Buffalo sauce.

How can I make the drumsticks crispy?

To get a crispy skin the oven temperature is key to these Buffalo drumsticks! You’ll toss the chicken drumsticks in canola oil and roast at 425F for 45 minutes. I’ve used the method to roast chicken drumsticks for many years. It never fails to perfectly crisp up the skin that mirrors the crunch you get from frying.

What to serve these with

You have to serve these with some celery and carrot sticks along with a blue cheese dressing. For side dishes, a chopped salad with a blue cheese vinaigrette could be a fun option. You could also serve this with a simple house salad and Greek orzo salad.