Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks
Published Feb 25, 2025
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These Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks are a weeknight dinner star for the entire family! Affordable chicken drumsticks are elevated with lemon pepper seasoning and other ingredients.
This time-saving versatile recipe requires only 10 minutes of prep time and deserves a spot on your weekly rotation.
My family devoured these lemon pepper chicken legs with yellow rice and peas. It was a fantastic dinner!
You could serve them with Garlic Herb Rice and sauteed zucchini or with your favorite side dish.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love Lemon Pepper Drumsticks
- Precious’ Pro Tips
- What You Need To Make Lemon Pepper Drumsticks
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks
- Step 1: Pat Dry Chicken and Make Marinade
- Step 2: Marinate Chicken
- Step 3: Bake Until Crispy On the Outside and Cooked Through
- Step 4: Make the Lemon Butter Sauce
- Step 5: Toss Drumsticks With Sauce
- How To Serve Lemon Pepper Drumsticks 🍽️
- Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Common Questions
- More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love💜
- Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Why You’ll Love Lemon Pepper Drumsticks
Not your ordinary lemon pepper chicken! Here is what makes this recipe stand out:
- Tasty to the bone: I wasn’t satisfied when I tested this lemon pepper drumsticks recipe the first two times because the seasoning remained on the outside. I went to the lab kitchen again and made some adjustments and I’m totally glad with how they turned out.
- Simple ingredients: Why complicate life when you can make something so delicious with simple ingredients? Yes, the list of ingredients is long, but they are all pantry staples. I use mostly dried spices to save time and still pack on flavor.
- Affordable meal: This weeknight meal is very affordable and will serve your whole family well.
Precious’ Pro Tips
In this section, I share some pro tips I noted while testing the recipe. Make it insanely delicious with my tips!
- The lemon butter sauce tossed with the chicken at the end adds so much flavor and sets this recipe apart from the rest. Don’t skip it.
- Marinating the chicken for at least 30 minutes is highly recommended so the seasoning can penetrate the chicken well. If you can marinate it for two hours, that’s even better!
- Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for a vibrant lemon flavor. Bottled lemon juice won’t cut it.
What You Need To Make Lemon Pepper Drumsticks
Simple ingredients, extraordinary results! Here is everything you need, with some notes on key ingredients:
- Fresh lemon juice: For the best flavor, get fresh lemons and zest them before juicing them.
- Lemon pepper seasoning: Make sure you get high-quality lemon pepper seasoning. It should smell fresh and citrusy. While testing this recipe, I found that not all lemon pepper seasoning has great flavor.
- Chicken drumsticks: Thaw frozen drumsticks and bring them to room temperature before seasoning.
- Olive oil: This helps retain the moisture in the chicken as it bakes and makes the skin crispier.
- Spices and herbs: Just because it’s lemon pepper chicken it doesn’t mean we should only use lemon pepper seasoning. Adding spices and herbs like garlic powder, onion powder, and more takes the flavor up a notch!
For the full list of ingredients with measurements, check out the recipe card below.
To make extra crispy lemon pepper chicken drumsticks, thoroughly dry the chicken’s skin with paper towels before cooking.
Substitutions & Variations
- Chicken Thighs or Wings: Use this same recipe to make lemon pepper chicken thighs or lemon pepper chicken wings.
- Honey Lemon Pepper Chicken: Add some honey in the lemon butter sauce to add some sweetness.
- Air Fryer: Season the drumsticks as the recipe stipulates and cook them in the air fryer to make air fryer lemon pepper chicken drumsticks.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks
Step 1: Pat Dry Chicken and Make Marinade
Pat the chicken dry thoroughly with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, lemon pepper seasoning, crushed pepper flakes, dried thyme, chicken bouillon powder, salt, and black pepper.
Step 2: Marinate Chicken
Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss well to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
Step 3: Bake Until Crispy On the Outside and Cooked Through
Place the chicken on a baking sheet in a single layer. You could spray your baking sheet with cooking spray before adding the chicken. You could also line it with foil before spraying for easy cleanup.
Let the chicken bake in the oven at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown with crispy skin, and the chicken registers an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F on a meat thermometer.
Note that the cooking time could be more or less, depending on the size of your drumsticks.
Step 4: Make the Lemon Butter Sauce
Melt butter in a small pot. Add minced garlic, a teaspoon of lemon pepper seasoning, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir well to combine.
Step 5: Toss Drumsticks With Sauce
Pour the lemon butter sauce over the baked drumsticks.
Toss well to coat the chicken with the sauce. Then serve warm. I love to garnish it with lemon slices, lemon zest, and freshly minced parsley. There’s just something about protein garnished with fresh lemon slices.
If you let the chicken marinate overnight, bring it to room temperature before baking to promote even cooking.
How To Serve Lemon Pepper Drumsticks 🍽️
- Serve this easy chicken recipe with some Garlic Herb Rice and Sautéed Vegetables.
- Serve it alongside some Lemon Garlic Butter Pasta and Garlic Butter Green Beans.
- It also goes well with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes and Pan Fried Brussels Sprouts With Bacon.
Make Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Make Ahead: To make this ahead, marinate the chicken in the fridge and roast it in the oven the next day. Or bake the chicken, let it cool, and store it in the fridge. Then reheat the next day in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Make the lemon butter sauce and toss the chicken with the sauce just before serving.
- Storage: Store leftover chicken legs in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
- Reheating: Reheat in an oven at 300 degrees F for 20 minutes, or add the drumsticks to an air fryer basket and reheat in the air fryer following your air fryer’s instructions.
Common Questions
Yes, chicken breasts would work well here. You could use bone-in or boneless chicken breasts, but be careful not to overcook them. They are done when the thickest part registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
Add cayenne pepper to the marinade to the desired heat level. I would add about a quarter teaspoon of cayenne for a spicy kick.
Yes, you absolutely can. Preheat the grill to medium heat. Add the drumsticks and cook, flipping from time to time for about 25 minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Then make the lemon butter sauce and toss the chicken with it.
More Chicken Recipes You’ll Love💜
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Lemon Pepper Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
Lemon Pepper Chicken
- 8 drumsticks 2 pounds, room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest from one lemon
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning salt free (Note 1)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
Lemon Butter Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning Note 2
- Pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
- Pat chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon pepper seasoning, garlic and onion powder, dried thyme, red pepper flakes, sea salt, pepper, and chicken bouillon powder.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss well with clean hands to ensure the seasoning is evenly distributed on the chicken.
- Cover the chicken tightly with plastic wrap and let it marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes to two hours or in the fridge for longer, up to overnight. If you let it marinate in the fridge, bring to room temperature before baking.
- Preheat oven to 425℉.
- Place the marinated chicken on a baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until the thickest part of a drumstick registers an internal temperature of 165℉. I love to bastte the chicken with the liquid at the bottom of the pan after 30 to 35 minutes.
- Make the lemon butter sauce: In a small saucepan on medium heat melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and lemon pepper seasoning, and stir well to prevent burning. Remove from heat. Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Toss chicken with sauce: Place the cooked chicken into a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon butter sauce and toss well to combine,
- Serve warm with your favorite sides.
