Crispy Baked Drumsticks

These Crispy Baked Drumsticks have the texture and taste of fried chicken without all the fat and mess of frying. What a great fake out! I’ve also included a simple and delicious recipe for a Honey-Mustard Sauce for dipping, which adds a little tangy-sweetness to the meal.

We have a thing for drumsticks around here.

If you take a quick browse around our chicken recipes, you’ll quickly see that we have all sorts of recipe options when it comes to drumsticks.

My personal favorite are the 4-Ingredient Drumsticks made in the Instant Pot or made in the slow cooker. It’s an easy cut of meat to work with, they aren’t expensive, and kids love them.

While drumsticks are delicious coming from the slow cooker or Instant pot, these Crispy Baked Drumsticks have that desired crunchy exterior that make the kids think they are eating Chick-Fil-A.

Here is how easily they come together!

3 Steps to Making Crispy Baked Drumsticks

Before you get started, line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooking/baking rack on top. Spray the baking rack with cooking spray.

Step 1: Roll in Flour

After dabbing the chicken with a paper towel to dry them off, give them a roll in a bed of whole wheat flour. You can use all-purpose flour or even gluten-free flour, but whole wheat flour adds more nutrition.

Step 2: Coat in Egg Mixture

Next, they are off to a trip to an egg and milk mixture. You can use a non-dairy milk, if desired.

Step 3: Add the Breadcrumbs

After that, they go swimming in some crispy whole wheat Panko bread crumbs. If you can’t find whole wheat ones, regular Panko or any other dried bread crumbs will work. If you’re gluten-free, try using gluten-free breadcrumbs.

Place them on a cooking rack over a foil lined baking sheet. The foil makes clean up much easier!

(Optional) Step 4: Make our Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

In a small bowl, mix together the plain Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, honey, and salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Place in the fridge until ready to use.

How Long to Bake Drumsticks

This recipe cooks at a pretty high temperature to ensure those breadcrumbs get nice and crispy. You’ll bake them at 475°F for about 25-30 minutes. Give them a turn halfway through.

How to Freeze Chicken Drumsticks

Believe it or not, these make a great freezer meal! Just be sure to freeze the drumsticks BEFORE baking them in a single layer in a freezer bag. Divide layers with parchment paper.

When you want to eat them, simply thaw using one of these safe ways to thaw chicken and then bake as directed. You’ll never know they were a freezer meal!

What to Serve with Crispy Baked Drumsticks

If you want comfort food, serve them up with some mashed potatoes and Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits. You can also freshen things up with a Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette, since you’ll have most of the ingredients for it!

Want more Freezer Meals?

Swing by our 70+ Healthy Freezer Meals for ideas! These are well-tested, family-friendly recipes with real food ingredients. Enjoy!