Crispy Crunchy Baked Chicken Legs

These chicken legs are baked instead of fried, but still pack all the flavor!

Growing up in the south, I’ve eaten my fair share of fried chicken.  It’s definitely a culinary staple down here, and I can tell you where I’ve had the best.  In fact, J’s mom makes some of the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted!  Oddly enough, fried chicken is one thing I never cook at home.  Maybe it’s the mess or the calories (or both), I just tend toward other varieties.  And here is one of them!  For this recipe, I’m just using chicken legs (since they are my favorite), but feel free to use thighs or breasts as well.

First, round up the ingredients:

• 6 chicken legs
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp chives
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic salt (divided)
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp dill

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.  You can easily bake the chicken right on the baking sheet, but I like to use a cooling rack/baking rack to let the air circulate underneath, which results in an all-over crispier piece of chicken.  So, if you have a rack handy, place it on top of the baking sheet, and then spray with your favorite cooking spray.  Rinse and pat dry the chicken legs, and set aside.  Mix together in a medium bowl:  Greek yogurt, buttermilk, 1 tsp garlic salt, and dill.  Next, pour the panko bread crumbs on a plate and stir in the chives, paprika, and the rest of the garlic salt.  Dip each chicken leg in the yogurt mixture, then roll in the bread crumb mixture to evenly coat.  Place on the sprayed baking sheet/rack.  Bake for about 50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.

I hope you enjoy this “healthier” version of fried chicken.  While it’s not quite the real thing, it definitely comes close!

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Crispy Crunchy Baked Chicken Legs

These chicken legs are baked instead of fried, but still pack all the flavor!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 6

Author The Kitchen Cosmetician

Ingredients

• 6 chicken legs
• 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp chives
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic salt (divided)
• 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 tsp dill

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. You can easily bake the chicken right on the baking sheet, but I like to use a cooling rack/baking rack to let the air circulate underneath, which results in an all-over crispier piece of chicken. So, if you have a rack handy, place it on top of the baking sheet, and then spray with your favorite cooking spray. 

2. Rinse and pat dry the chicken legs, and set aside.

3.  Mix together in a medium bowl: Greek yogurt, buttermilk, 1 tsp garlic salt, and dill.

4. Next, pour the panko bread crumbs on a plate and stir in the chives, paprika, and the rest of the garlic salt.

5. Dip each chicken leg in the yogurt mixture, then roll in the bread crumb mixture to evenly coat.

6. Place on the sprayed baking sheet/rack. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees.