• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Toasty Kitchen

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

×
Home » Recipes » Poultry

Lemon Pepper Drumsticks

Published: Jun 29, 2023 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 764 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe

Lemon pepper drumsticks are an easy and flavorful protein to add to your next weeknight meal. Chicken drumsticks are lightly seasoned and baked in the oven until perfectly juicy and tender.

Oven roasted chicken drumsticks on a sheet pan.

Looking for a meal with minimal prep involved? Make a batch of lemon pepper drumsticks in about five minutes and let the oven do the rest of the work. All you need is the zest of a lemon, chicken drumsticks, olive oil, and a few common pantry spices.

This dinner recipe is one the entire family will enjoy! Lemon pepper drumsticks have a light, peppery flavor and turn out perfectly juicy and tender.

Serve chicken drumsticks with roasted potatoes and asparagus or stovetop mac and cheese for a complete meal. Their mild flavor makes it easy to pair with your favorite sides!

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients on a counter top.
  • Drumsticks - For this recipe, you'll need about four pounds of bone-in chicken drumsticks or thighs. Using thighs may increase the baking time slightly.
  • Olive oil - Can be substituted with any cooking oil you have on hand.
  • Lemon zest - You'll need the zest of one lemon, or about 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest. Fresh lemon zest can be substituted with about 1 ½ teaspoons of dried lemon zest.
  • Seasoning - Salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano add mild flavor to your chicken.

Can I use lemon pepper seasoning?

Yes. If you don't have fresh lemon zest or some of the listed seasonings on hand, you're welcome to use lemon pepper seasoning instead. Lemon pepper seasoning generally includes dried lemon zest, pepper, salt, garlic, and onion, but can vary by brand.

To substitute: Omit the lemon zest, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder from the written recipe. Substitute with about 1.5 tablespoons of lemon pepper seasoning.

Preparing your baking sheet

Seasoning and arranging chicken drumsticks on a sheet pan before roasting in the oven.

For this recipe, I recommend using an oven-safe cooling rack to bake your chicken on. This method helps the skin of your chicken bake up crispier because the drumsticks aren't sitting in grease while they bake.

First, cover your baking sheet with foil. Then, place an oven-safe cooling rack on top. I do not recommend using a cooling rack coated in nonstick material.

I use this cooling rack in the oven frequently and it works perfectly. Plus, it's easy to pop in the dishwasher along with your dinner plates.

How to prevent dry chicken

Chicken becomes dry due to overcooking. To prevent overcooking, I highly recommend using a meat thermometer to test the internal temperature of your chicken in the oven.

Bake your chicken just until it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit. As soon as you see this temperature, remove your chicken from the oven - it's done. Any longer and you risk drying out the drumsticks.

Another tip to help prevent dry chicken - leave the skin on. Even if you don't intend to eat the skin, leaving it on while baking can help insulate the chicken meat and keep it moist and juicy.

Lemon pepper drumsticks stacked on a white plate.

What to serve with drumsticks

Lemon pepper drumsticks have a mild, peppery flavor that pairs well with many family-friendly side dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:

  • Stovetop mac and cheese
  • Roasted potatoes and asparagus
  • Strawberry walnut salad
  • Cheesy broccoli
  • Southern coleslaw

Recommended

  • Chicken drumsticks on a cooling rack.
    Baked Chicken Drumsticks
  • Crispy baked chicken thighs on a baking sheet.
    Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
  • Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken
  • Grilled lemon pepper chicken sandwich stacked with lettuce, onion, and tomato on a white plate.
    Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken Sandwich

📖 Recipe

Oven roasted chicken drumsticks on a sheet pan.
Print Recipe
5 from 1 review

Lemon Pepper Drumsticks

Lemon pepper drumsticks are an easy and flavorful protein to add to your next weeknight meal. Chicken drumsticks are lightly seasoned and baked in the oven until perfectly juicy and tender.
Prep Time5 minutes minutes
Cook Time35 minutes minutes
Total Time40 minutes minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 368kcal
Author: Heather

Ingredients

  • 4 pounds chicken drumsticks
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, zest of one lemon
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with foil and top with a metal, oven-safe cooling rack. Set aside.
  • Pat chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel and transfer to a large bowl. Set aside.
  • In a small bowl, add lemon zest, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and oregano. Stir to combine.
  • Drizzle drumsticks with olive oil. Pour spices over drumsticks and toss to coat.
  • Place drumsticks on prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (time depends on the size of your drumsticks).

Equipment Recommendations

  • Nordic Ware Half Baking Sheet
  • Cooling Rack
  • Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls
  • Measuring Spoons

Notes

  • Lemon zest, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder can be substituted with about 1.5 tablespoons of lemon pepper seasoning if desired. Ingredients and flavor intensity can vary brand to brand, use your best judgement.
  • Drumsticks can be substituted with bone-in chicken thighs if desired (baking time may increase slightly).

Nutrition Estimate

Calories: 368kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 186mg | Sodium: 599mg | Potassium: 471mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 101IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

More Poultry Recipes

  • Two plates of pasta with sliced chicken breast laid on top.
    Bruschetta Chicken Pasta
  • A bowl of teriyaki chicken and rice.
    Chicken Teriyaki Bowls
  • A plate of parmesan chicken nuggets with a bowl of dipping sauce.
    Parmesan Chicken Nuggets
  • Ranch chicken tenders on a plate.
    Ranch Chicken Tenders

Share this post:

Reader Interactions

Comments

No Comments

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

Hi, I'm Heather!

I love cooking with simple, everyday ingredients and want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

Read more

Reader favorites

  • A metal fork in a bowl of cheesy rice.
    Cheesy Rice

  • Whipped buttercream frosting recipe.
    Whipped Buttercream Frosting

  • Beef roast in a large slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots

  • Pouring gravy over a bowl of mashed potatoes.
    How To Make Gravy Without Drippings

Parties & Potlucks

  • Two glasses of punch.
    Spring Party Punch

  • A mint chocolate chip mini cheesecake unwrapped on a cutting board.
    Mint Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes

  • A stack of birthday cake rice krispies treats.
    Birthday Cake Rice Krispies Treats

  • A stack of birthday cookie bars.
    Birthday Cookie Bars

Footer

featured on:

decorative image of website logos.

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Image Copyright
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 The Toasty Kitchen®

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.