Baked Frozen Chicken Legs

I share a lot of tips and tricks on how to cook frozen chicken without thawing because I’m forgetful, and have had to figure this out many times. I am sure I’m not alone so I started sharing the instructions with all of you and they’ve been a huge hit. This is yet another dinner win. 😉

So we make BBQ Chicken Legs in Oven all the time. The other night though I had a busy morning (pickleball call time was earlier than usual LOL) and forgot to thaw these babies. Yet again it was time to figure out how to make dinner with them right out of the freezer and it worked!

Typically I buy meat in bulk, when I find a great sale, and freeze most of it. I will say that protein cooks faster if you do remember to leave them in the fridge overnight but it is nice to know how to bake them correctly either way. Here are my tips.

Ingredient Notes

Typically I will bake 8-10 frozen chicken legs at a time because that is enough for the 2 of us with leftovers for lunch the next day. They fit nicely on a regular sized sheet pan.

Can you use frozen chicken leg quarters?

Yes but those would take about 20-30 minutes longer because they are about double the size. You would want to review our baked chicken leg quarters recipe in that case. Same concept would apply as here, just longer.

You will want some olive oil to brush on the outside, top skin to keep it moist so they don’t dry out.

It also helps to get the seasonings of your choice to stick nicely. You could use just salt and pepper or typically I will use a McCormick blend that has a bunch of things like Lawry’s, garlic and onion powder etc…

Near the end I like to add some sauce for more flavor as well as more moisture. I typically use whatever bbq sauce I have at home. You could use teriyaki instead like we did with our teriyaki chicken drumsticks.

How Long to Cook Frozen Chicken Legs in Oven

You are going to want 1 hour – 1 hour and 15 minutes total to make these. They aren’t going to have the crispy coating like our Pan Fried Chicken Legs however these are much healthier. You can still get the skin crispy if you switch to broil in the last few minutes.

Can you double this recipe?

You could certainly double or triple this using the same directions below as long as your pieces are in a single layer. You do not want them to overlap or the hot air won’t be able to circulate properly and the skin won’t crisp up as well as you’d like. If baking sheets are on different racks however the lower one will likely need a bit more time.

Can you bake these ahead of time?

You could!! If you wanted to serve a crowd you could follow the directions below. When done line a slow cooker with parchment paper and transfer in there. I like to separate the layers with more parchment so they don’t stick together. Set a few paper towels under the lid to absorb the condensation and set to keep warm this way for up to 2 hours.

How do you know when frozen chicken legs are done?

There are a few things to look for. You want the meat to pull away from the bone. You can see that at the top of the bone where the meat gets thicker, it won’t be attached there. The juices will run clear and the skin will be crispy and golden brown. You need the internal temperature to be 165F before consuming, 170F is typically when they get a bit more tender though.

What to Serve with Chicken Legs

If you are in a pinch and cooking just what is right out of the freezer this is How to Cook Frozen Spinach which goes really well with drumsticks. Sometimes I will make a batch of our favorite Bisquick butter swim biscuits to go with them because they are OH so good together.

How to Save Leftovers

You want food to cool down and reach room temperature before storing. Slide into a freezer bag or sealed container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You will want to reheat in the microwave, with a bit more sauce on the outside for about 1 minute.