Paprika Chicken Drumsticks – Easy Oven-Baked Recipe – Paleo – Gluten-Free

These paprika chicken drumsticks have a smoky marinade with a bit of a kick to it. Red pepper flakes and smoked Spanish paprika give the dish lots of flavor without it being too spicy.

The recipe is gluten-free,  Whole30 friendly and fits into a Paleo diet, too!

Best of all, it is super easy to make! The fresh herb and spice rub takes just minutes to prepare, and the recipe is ready in less than an hour. 

Serve these paprika chicken legs as a party appetizer or as a main course for any busy weeknight.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you purchase through an affiliate link.

Ingredients for these baked paprika chicken drumsticks

To make this easy chicken drumsticks recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 6 chicken drumsticks
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ tablespoon of onion powder
• 1 tablespoon of smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon of fresh basil, chopped
• 1 ½ tablespoons of fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 teaspoons of fresh oregano, chopped
• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
• dash cracked black pepper

Note: Smoked Spanish paprika comes in several varieties, from sweet to smoked to hot. This recipe calls for the smoked version. Using this adds smokiness without too much heat. If you enjoy really spicy foods, you can go for the hot variety.

How tomake these baked paprika chicken drumsticks

This easy Spanish paprika recipe starts with a lovely aromatic mixture of both fresh herbs and dried spices.

First steps

Start by preheating the oven to 425ºF (220ºC). Spray a 9 x 11-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Making the herb paprika marinade

• Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat until it is nice and hot.
• Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, and fresh herbs.
• Cook for about 1 minute, being careful not to burn the garlic.

• Season the chicken drumsticks with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
• Pour the cooked paprika olive oil mixture over the drumsticks, making sure they are well coated on all sides.

Bake the chicken drumsticks

• Place the chicken drumsticks in the oven-proof baking dish.
• Bake for about 45 minutes or until chicken legs are cooked through and the internal temperature is 165ºF (75ºC).

Tasting these Spanish paprika chicken drumsticks

This baked paprika chicken drumstick recipe gives you deliciously baked chicken legs that are crispy and fork-tender.  The garlic and paprika rub adds a wonderful smoked flavor with just a hint of spice.

The legs are really juicy!

The drumsticks get a crispy skin thanks to the herby olive oil marinade.

Each drumstick has 245 calories and is high in protein and low in carbs. If you want even fewer calories, you can remove the skin before baking, but the chicken won’t be quite as moist.

Serve these baked paprika chicken drumsticks with a tossed salad for a gluten-free, paleo meal.

I used chicken drumsticks for this recipe, but the paprika herb marinade works just as well on chicken breasts or even a whole chicken (just double the amounts for a whole chicken).

More chicken recipes to try

Looking for other chicken recipes? Here are some of my favorites:

• Herb Crusted Baked Chicken – Easy Paleo Chicken Recipe
• Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas – ( With Whole30 – Paleo – Gluten Free Adjustments )
• Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetables – Time for Take-out at Home!

Share this chicken paprika recipe on X

If you enjoyed learning how to make these delicious paprika chicken drumsticks, why not share the recipe with a friend? Here is a post to get you started:

A mix of spices adds fabulous flavor to these baked chicken paprika drumsticks. They are flavorful and not too spicy. Get the recipe on Recipes Just 4U. 🍗😋 #ChickenRecipes #PaprikaChicken #ChickenDrumsticks #EasyChickenRecipes Share on X

Pin this recipe for baked chicken paprika drumsticks

Would you like a reminder of this recipe for paprika chicken drumsticks? Pin this image to one of your recipe boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find it later.

Admin note: This oven-baked chicken paprika drumsticks recipe first appeared on the blog in April 2018. This post has been updated with new photos, a printable recipe card, and a slideshow video.

Share on Social Media