Description
Delicious and juicy baked chicken legs marinated in a flavorful blend of olive oil, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. This recipe offers tender meat with perfectly crispy skin, ideal for an easy and satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken
- 4 lbs 14 count chicken legs or drumsticks
Marinade
- 1/4 cup olive oil (use light oil, not extra virgin)
- 4 garlic cloves (pressed or minced)
- 4 Tbsp fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice from 1 large lemon
- 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the marinade: In a small bowl, combine olive oil, pressed garlic, chopped parsley, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, sea salt, and black pepper. Whisk together until well blended to create a flavorful marinade.
- Marinate the chicken: Place the chicken legs in a large mixing bowl or a large ziplock bag. Pour the prepared marinade over the chicken and toss thoroughly with your hands to evenly coat each piece, pushing some marinade under the skin for deeper flavor. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight, tossing the chicken once during marinating to ensure even absorption.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or a silpat liner for easy cleanup.
- Arrange and bake chicken: Arrange marinated chicken legs skin-side-down on the prepared baking sheet. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature while the oven heats. Brush any leftover marinade over the chicken. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes.
- Flip and continue baking: After 25 minutes, turn the chicken legs skin-side-up to allow the skin to crisp evenly. Bake for an additional 25 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.
- Optional broil for crispy skin: For extra crispy skin, broil the chicken on high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning until the skin is browned and crisp.
Notes
- Marinating overnight enhances the flavor and tenderness significantly.
- Use light olive oil instead of extra virgin to prevent a strong olive oil taste.
- Make sure the chicken is brought to room temperature before baking to ensure even cooking.
- Broil carefully as skin can burn quickly; stay close and watch for desired crispiness.
- Leftover marinade can be discarded and should not be used as a sauce unless boiled separately to kill bacteria.
