How to Bake Frozen Chicken Legs

Chicken legs make a fun and healthy dinner.

Chicken legs are often on sale, which means you can stock up on them for the future. Keeping them in your freezer makes sense as you can pull them out and cook them for a healthy dinner. Cooking them right from the freezer saves time and hassle. Count on a cooking time that's 40 to 50 percent longer for frozen chicken legs than defrosted ones. One chicken leg serves two children or one adult. Vary the flavors by pouring on heated cream soups or tomato sauces during the last 15 minutes of baking.

Things You'll Need

• Roasting pan
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 large shallots
• 4 green onions
• 1/2 cup of parsley
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice
• Instant-read meat thermometer

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Adjust the racks so one rack is in the middle of the oven.

2. Place the frozen chicken legs in a single layer in a roasting pan. They should not be touching so air can circulate all around them. If necessary use two roasting pans rather than crowding the chicken. Put the roasting pan in the oven.

3. Set a timer for 30 minutes and bake the chicken.

4. Chop the garlic, shallots, green onions, parsley and lemon juice. Place in a small bowl.

5. Remove the chicken from the oven when the timer goes off and season both sides of the chicken legs with the herb mixture. Salt and pepper lightly. Reserve 1 tbsp. of the herb mixture. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 35 minutes.

6. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. It should read 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If it doesn't, return to the oven until it does reach 180 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken and cover loosely with foil.

Tips & Warnings

• You can make a quick gravy with the pan juices: blend the reserved herbs with the juices and add enough chicken broth to make 1 cup. Whisk in 1 tbsp. of flour. Put the juice mixture into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium and let bubble for two minutes while stirring. Add 1 tbsp. of butter for added richness. Serve on the side or drizzle the chicken legs with the sauce.

• Baked frozen chicken will not develop the crusty brown chicken skin.

• Underdone chicken carries a small but real risk of salmonella. Frozen chicken may look done on the outside and still be raw close to the bone.

References

• Tyson.com: Chicken Drumsticks
• USDA: Focus on Chicken