15 Chicken Leg Recipes You'll Want Over And Over Again

It's hard not to love juicy chicken thighs and drumsticks. Grilled, roasted, braised, or pan-fried, the versatile protein is less likely to dry out when you cook it because it has a bit more fat and connective tissue compared to lean chicken breast. In fact, chicken leg meat is even better when cooked to a slightly higher internal temperature, because the connective tissue melts into gelatin above 170 degrees Fahrenheit, making the meat even juicier. That makes it easier to get deep browning on these pieces without worrying about overcooking — and browning is where the flavor is.

This collection of our favorite chicken leg recipes covers all the bases, from low and slow-baked chicken thigh recipes to simmered drumstick recipes and also versions that are pan-fried or oven-roasted. They're all packed with flavor and straightforward to prep, too. So whether you love skin-on crispy thighs or slow-cooked succulent legs and thighs, you'll find a delicious recipe here to add to your dinner rotation.

If you'd like to recreate the flavors of grilled chicken in your oven, this is the recipe for you. Blackened chicken takes its name from the technique of roasting the meat at high temperature with a robust mixture of Cajun-inspired spices that darken dramatically when cooked. If you want less spicy heat, you can reduce the cayenne pepper in the mix and still get a mouth-popping flavor from this simple recipe. Red beans and rice or a hearty salad would round out this meal nicely.

Recipe: Cajun Blackened Chicken

There's nothing as comforting as the aroma of a chicken dinner simmering in the Crockpot. This recipe, with flavors from sunny Greece, will perk up your weeknight meals. The longer cooking time in onion and garlic-scented broth ensures the chicken thighs are tender, and adding orzo near the end of cooking soaks up all that brothy flavor into the tiny pasta shape. Sundried tomatoes, feta cheese, and olives provide a dash of Greek-style umami and salty contrast to the richness of this braised dish, which also includes wilted baby spinach to make it a complete meal.

Recipe: Crockpot Greek Lemon Chicken And Orzo

For another twist on simmered chicken, try this French-inspired braised chicken dish. With a hearty red wine base, the chicken takes on all of the aromatic flavors of traditional mirepoix and bacon by simmering in the broth. This is the perfect recipe to use with bone-in chicken legs to make the broth even richer with built-in bone broth flavor. The traditional garnishes of button mushrooms and pearl onions can be cooked right in the Crockpot near the end of cooking, too. Don't let the fancy-sounding French name fool you: This is a hearty country-style recipe meant to warm you up with filling meat and vegetables.

Recipe: Crockpot Coq Au Vin

Versatile chicken thighs are a great choice for sheet-pan dinners. You don't need to worry about the meat becoming dry and stringy while any vegetables on the pan finish, and the extra fat and flavor from the thighs cooking add their flavor to everything roasting with them. A clever mixture of Greek yogurt and maple syrup spiced up with a hint of paprika and chili peppers allows the marinade to cling to the thighs and accompanying butternut squash chunks during the roasting time. With another dash of maple syrup and a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves near the end of the cooking time to further glaze the combo, this is one of those effortless but elegant dinners that make it look like you've been cooking all day.

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Maple-Glazed Chicken Thighs And Butternut Squash

For another take on bronzed chicken thighs from the oven, this recipe first marinates bone-in chicken thighs in a mixture of honey, soy sauce, orange juice, dijon mustard, and minced shallot. The marinade adds color and a balanced salty-tart flavor to the meat, and when roasted, the skin becomes glistening and browned. A bit of reserved marinade serves as the time-saving glaze: Simply reduced over low heat to a sticky, thick texture, the glaze is brushed on after baking to prevent it from burning. This sweet chicken will have everyone at the table licking their fingers and asking for seconds.

Recipe: Baked And Glazed Honey Shallot Chicken

A fricassee is a home-style simmered dish of meat and vegetables, with a sauce made by thickening the cooking juices. This version does all the simmering work in your Crockpot after a quick sear on the stovetop to get the chicken and chopped vegetables brown for that extra layer of flavor. The cooking broth is then thickened with heavy cream and a paste of butter and flour before the final simmer. By using bone-in thighs, you'll be creating a rich stock in the Crockpot as the dish cooks, with a heavenly aroma that will bring everyone to the kitchen to see if dinner's ready yet.

Recipe: Crockpot Chicken Fricassee

Piquant dijon mustard and honey form the simple sauce used for these oven-roasted, bone-in chicken thighs. The combination is a classic favorite that perks up the flavor of chicken nicely but is mild enough for all palates to enjoy. You might want to make an extra batch of this chicken because the leftovers would make a superb base for chicken salad or even stuffed into a crusty baguette for lunch. It's hard to go wrong with this simple baked chicken that needs almost no prep time.

Recipe: Honey Mustard Chicken Thighs