This healthy chicken drumsticks recipe is one of those easy sheet pan dinners you can count on to make a flavorful weeknight meal in about 40 minutes.
You just need 15 minutes of prep time and let the oven do the rest.
Juicy, crispy baked chicken legs, flavored with aromatic herbs and spices, are nestled on a baking sheet in a bed of sweet potatoes, red onions, and warm fruity apples.
This healthy chicken leg recipe is one of my favorite dishes to make on a busy weeknight, just like my peached glazed chicken or buttery-baked salmon sheet pan dinner.
The whole family loves this meal, and any leftovers taste equally good for lunch the next day.
It's one of those convenient, inexpensive, easy dinners that always result in one flavorful dish and is simply finger-licking good!
Don't forget to check out my Pesto Chicken Thighs Recipe and Chicken Drumstick Lollipops for a fun presentation and another amazingly flavored chicken drumstick recipe.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Healthy Chicken Recipe
- Simple ingredients: Chicken drumsticks, sweet potatoes, apples, olive oil, and simple seasoning are all you need to make one hearty dish.
- Easy weeknight dinner: This one-pan meal is your ally in the game of "what am I making for dinner tonight." Everything is prepped in 15 minutes, and then you let the oven do the work for you.
- Versatile: If you're not following a particular diet, you could throw in some cubed rutabaga or cubed white potatoes. You can even use bone-in chicken thighs or different cuts of chicken.
- Healthy: A Paleo-friendly, gluten-free, dairy-free, and Whole30-approved healthy drumstick recipe that you can easily add to your midweek supper rotation.
- Can serve a large family: Although the recipe can serve a table of six, it's easily doubled for a larger family.
Ingredients & Notes
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Here's what you need to make this sheet pan chicken drumsticks recipe:
Chicken drumsticks: Go for bone-in chicken legs, skin-on like in my Swede Soup With Chicken Legs.
Sweet potatoes: I usually stick with the sweet Garnet, Jewel, or Beauregard potatoes. A.k.a jams. They pair incredibly well with oven-baked chicken drumsticks, while rosemary and sage bring out their sweet-savory flavors. If preferred, go for regular potatoes like Yukon gold or red potatoes.
Apples: It's poultry with sage and onions and oven-baked apples—shy away from applesauce. Go for a sweet Honeycrisp, a Braeburn, Jonagold, Cortland, or anything naturally sweet that holds well in the oven.
Red onions: When baked, their flavor becomes milder and sweeter. And they blend in well with the potatoes, adding a delicious creaminess. Shallots or yellow onions are great alternative options.
Freshly ground black pepper: Feel free to be royal here.
Garlic powder: Don't have this on hand? Add a few garlic cloves (about three or four) and nestle them in between the chicken legs. Onion powder is a great second choice.
Dried sage: Pairs well with baked chicken drumsticks, and it nicely balances out the sweet flavors of the veggies and baked fruity apples.
Olive oil: Avocado oil is a great healthy alternative.
Fresh rosemary: Tuck a few whole leaves around the drumsticks, like in my cast-iron roast chicken. It creates an aromatic flavor that balances out any sweetness from the veggies and apples.
The dark green needle-like leaves will become crispy when baked and can be crumbled on top of the chicken drumsticks before serving. If you really don't have them on hand, either omit this herb or use half to one teaspoon of dried rosemary.
Note: Sage, garlic powder, and rosemary bolster the savory quality of chicken, while the flavorful drippings of olive oil complete this one-pan meal.
How To Make Healthy Chicken Drumsticks For Dinner
See the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card.
Let's make this easy chicken recipe. With a little effort, you'll have this for dinner tonight.
Step One (Picture 1 above) -Thoroughly pat dry the chicken drumsticks with a paper towel before arranging them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Getting the chicken as dry as possible will help with browning and obtaining crispy skin and juicy chicken—season well with sea salt.
Step Two (Picture 2 above) - Arrange the sweet potatoes, apples, and onions evenly in between the chicken drumsticks—season with salt.
Step Three (Picture 3 above) - Equally season everything with the rest of the herbs, and tuck the rosemary leaves in between the chicken drumsticks across the pan.
Pour extra virgin olive oil equally over the entire chicken dish before you pop it into a preheated oven. Make sure that you cover the veggies around the edges as well so they won't burn.
Step Four (Picture 4 above) - Bake chicken drumsticks until fully cooked through and slightly crispy brown.
Helpful Tips
- Cutting sweet potatoes: Peel and cut them slightly smaller than the size of the drumsticks because you want the potatoes to come out more crispy and browned around the edges.
- Cutting the apples and onions: Cut them roughly into larger pieces to cook evenly with the chicken drumsticks. They will still soften and release their sweet juices.
- Don't skimp on olive oil: It ensures that all the spices marinate together, and you'll get a deliciously well-flavored aromatic dish. It's the secret ingredient to delicious and easy chicken drumsticks.
- For best results: There is no need to turn the drumsticks over midway, but I advise giving the potatoes a good stir about 30 minutes in to coat them again with some of the pan's juices.
- And then, continue to bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. Don't bake the chicken legs covered because you want that slightly browned skin.
Recipe FAQs
This healthy chicken drumstick recipe turns out best when you use higher temperatures.
Bake for about 40-45 minutes in a 425 °F/ 220 °C preheated oven to get that little crisp and browned chicken skin and brown caramelized potato edges.
Don't be afraid to use enough extra virgin olive oil.
It will keep the chicken deliciously moist inside and add tremendous flavor.
Also, the chicken drumsticks' skin helps hold moisture during cooking. So don't take the skin off the chicken legs. If you really want to avoid it, remove it afterward.
Count at least two per person. It's enough, especially when you serve it with a simple garden salad or healthy cucumber salad.
But I have some heavy eaters here, so expect some second servings.
About twelve drumsticks should be enough for four to six people.
If you have any leftover chicken legs, allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
You can reheat everything either covered in a microwave, over the stove with some olive oil or back into the oven at 350°F for ten minutes or so or until sufficiently heated through.
Serving Suggestions
Extra prepared vegetables, either cold or cooked or maybe a more starchy addition, are all good options. Here are a few ideas for side dishes to pair with this simple meal.
More Flavorful & Healthy Chicken Recipes You Might Like
Don't forget to subscribe to my Monthly Newsletter!
Your shares and ratings are valuable to me and so much appreciated. They'll help me create more content you and others can enjoy!
Here you have it, an easy sheet pan meal and an incredibly easy dinner idea that is perfect for busy weeknights or anytime you crave a healthy dinner.
📖 Recipe
Healthy Baked Chicken Drumsticks (Easy Sheet Pan Dinner)
Mariska RamondinoEquipment
- 1 large rimmed baking sheet
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks 12 pieces, bone-in, skin on
- 3 sweet potatoes about 2 pounds or 1 kg, cut into 1-inch cubes and roughly the same size
- 2 large sweet Honeycrisp apples about 1 pound or 470 grams, cut in half, and then quarter each half
- 2 medium red onions about 1 pound or 500 grams, cut in half, and then quarter each half
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 3-5 fresh Rosemary leaves or half to one teaspoon of dried Rosemary
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil plus two tablespoons, optional
Instructions
- Arrange a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat to 425 °F/ 220 °C
- Take a large rimmed baking sheet pan and cover it with parchment paper, set aside. You can also coat it with olive oil instead.
- Thoroughly pat-dry the chicken drumsticks with paper towels. Get the chicken as dry as possible, as it will help with browning.3 pounds chicken drumsticks
- Spread the chicken drumsticks evenly on the baking sheet and season on both sides with salt (about ½ teaspoon).1 teaspoon salt, divided and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Arrange the sweet potatoes, apples, and onions evenly in between the chicken drumsticks.3 sweet potatoes, 2 large sweet Honeycrisp apples, 2 medium red onions
- Season the vegetables with the rest of the salt (½ teaspoon), and then everything royally with freshly ground black pepper, garlic powder, and sage.1 teaspoon salt, divided and freshly ground black pepper to taste, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Tuck in fresh Rosemary leaves evenly across the sheet pan, and cover everything with olive oil. You might need two extra tablespoons, if desired, to cover all the edges.⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and stir the potatoes and apples.
- Return pan to oven and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked, its juices run clear (or until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the leg reads 165°F.), and the skin of the chicken, and potatoes are sufficiently browned.
Notes
- Cutting sweet potatoes: Peel and cut them slightly smaller than the size of the drumsticks because you want the potatoes to come out more crispy and browned around the edges.
- Cutting the apples and onions: Cut them roughly and into larger pieces to cook evenly with the chicken drumsticks. They will still soften and release their sweet juices.
- Don't skimp on olive oil: It ensures all the spices marinate together, and you'll get a deliciously well-flavored aromatic dish. It's the secret ingredient to delicious and easy chicken drumsticks.
- For best results: There is no need to turn the drumsticks over midway, but I advise giving the potatoes a good stir about 30 minutes in to coat them again with some of the pan's juices.
- And then, continue to bake for about 10 to 15 minutes. For this recipe, don't bake the chicken legs covered because you want that slightly browned skin and browned edges around the bones.
- Storing leftovers: Allow leftover chicken drumsticks to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave, over the stove with olive oil, or back into the oven at 350°F for ten minutes or until sufficiently heated.
Add your own private notes
Whenever you come back to this recipe, you’ll be able to see your notes.
Nutrition (% Daily value)
Disclaimer: This nutritional data is calculated using third party tools and is only intended as a reference.
Kathy Lanka says
Easy and delicious! Thanks!
Mariska Ramondino says
Thank you so much, Kathy. I am so happy you like it and truly appreciate the recipe rating!
Karen says
Not sure why, but the chicken didn’t brown, not even with an extra 30 minutes. It tasted good, but I think I would separate the chicken and vegetables next time. I think the juices from the vegetables kept the chicken from browning. But again, it tasted really good. Thank you!
Mariska Ramondino says
Hi Karen,
Thank you for letting me know;) It is odd, because I've made this recipe so many times for my family and the chicken always browns. There are only a few things that I can think of that could have happened. 1) Did you pat-dry the chicken really well beforehand? 2) Since you mention an extra 30 minutes, did you use 425 degrees for the oven? Because an extra 30 minutes would have burned the potatoes. 3) Did you use enough olive oil? I am happy you liked the flavors, but I hope with these extra tips you can get a nice brown chicken skin next time. There is really no need to cook the veggies separately.
Hettie says
A lovely combination of flavors. And a very affordable mid-week family meal. Thanks!
Mariska Ramondino says
Thank you so much Heather, I appreciate your feedback and I'm so glad you liked it!
Sara says
Is this a meal that will freeze well?
Mariska Ramondino says
Hi Sarah, you normally can freeze it. But I never do, because the chicken legs won't taste good when you warm them up after defrosting. For meal planning, it is best to store in portion-sized airtight containers in the fridge and enjoy it for the next three to four days. Reheat in the microwave, or over the stove with olive oil, or back into the oven at 350°F for ten minutes or until sufficiently heated. You can also reuse the drumstick meat into other dishes like in this chicken salad or toss some in a soup that you can meal prep and easily freeze in to add some extra protein when you reheat it. My nourishing and quick Italian Drop egg soup works well for that without the pasta. Happy New Year!!
Ramondino says
zeer lekker
Mariska Ramondino says
Ha, thank you!