50 Chicken Leg Recipes for Dinner

Christine Hadden

Thu, February 27, 2025 at 9:44 PM UTC

5 min read

Bone-in chicken cuts like chicken legs are a juicy and affordable alternative to boneless chicken breasts.
Chicken legs and drumsticks are often used interchangeably in recipes, but the drumstick is actually part of the leg quarter.
Cooking bone-in chicken legs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit can take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes depending on the method used.

When it comes to chicken recipes , I think it is safe to say that most people think of chicken breasts. To go one step further, they likely think boneless chicken breast recipes.

While boneless chicken breast recipes can be delicious, it is pretty easy to overcook them and be left with dried out chicken. Not to mention, chicken breasts are expensive these days!

Alternatively, bone-in chicken cuts like chicken legs (and chicken thighs ) tend to stay tender and juicy and are quite affordable. Chicken legs are also very versatile, as you'll see with these recipes for air fryer chicken legs, deep-fried, oven-fried , baked/roasted , grilled chicken and more. You name the method and bone-in chicken legs can benefit.

Are Chicken Legs and Drumsticks the Same Thing?

Not exactly. The drumstick is actually part of the leg. The leg is the complete quarter, made up of the thigh and the drumstick.

However, it's plain to see with a simple search of recipes, that most people use the terms interchangeably.

What Temperature To Cook Chicken Legs?

The internal temperature, as taken with a meat thermometer, for chicken legs is the same as with all cuts of chicken, 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

How Long Does It Take To Cook Bone-In Chicken Legs?

As with just about any recipe, for anything, it really depends on the cooking method. You can expect baked chicken legs to cook in about 45-60 minutes. While, air fried chicken legs take only about 30 minutes.

What Are the Best Recipes Using Chicken Legs?

That would be a personal preference of course, but I'm inclined to say that chicken legs are best utilized in chicken sheet pan meals . These type of meals are so great because you simply season chicken and vegetables and/or potatoes, toss on a sheet pan and let it roast until done. A full meal on one sheet pan with no fuss.

Sheet pan meals are certainly not the only great use though. Check out this lineup of 50 best chicken leg recipes for dinner, lunch and any other meal.