Old-Fashioned Chicken Legs

Yummy note: So I can't believe I haven't posted this before.. I double checked and was like what?! Seriously, no chicken leg recipes here... Interesting, that is not cool, as this meal is a staple for us and my kids LOVE it. Chicken legs are really so easy and it is a good starter for many other meals too. Think about how many times do you have a recipe calling for shredded or cooked diced chicken... chicken tacos, soup, pasta, etc.. So making extra chicken legs when you make this meal, is a perfect way to start those make-ahead leftover meals. These old-fashioned chicken legs, I call them this, as they are very basic, yet flavorful. I grew up with my family making them and having a wonderful gravy made from the drippings as well, served up with mashed potatoes, yum...  You can either make this chicken in the oven or even in a slow cooker if you'd like. When you make the chicken in the slow cooker it produces moist, fall off the bone tender chicken. However, be warned, the chicken will just fall right off the bone, sometimes making it hard to eat without getting too messy, so leave the slow cooker method for the chicken you want for shredding or to toss in other dishes. My favorite is to use my dutch oven and start it on the stove top and finish it in the oven. 

Old-Fashioned Chicken Legs

Ingredients:
6-8 chicken legs, thawed
1/2 cup of flour
salt/pepper
1 - 1 1/2 tsp of herbs & spices – paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley, rosemary, thyme, or poultry seasonings

Directions:
Coat chicken with herbs and spices. I never measure this, as it is just a sprinkle here, shake of this, and so on. I probably do about a teaspoon or so of the spices combined. Dredge chicken with flour and make sure it is coated. The next step is important as I think it adds to the appearance and makes the chicken less sticky and more held together at the end. In an oven-proof pan, such as a dutch oven pan,  drizzle a little bit of olive oil (over high heat on the stove) and lightly brown/sear the floured chicken pieces.

This should only take a few minutes, just enough to brown the skin a bit, basically just adding some color. Turn off the heat, and add in a few tablespoons of water or chicken broth just to deglaze the pan. Cover and place in a preheated 325 degree oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Depending on the size of the chicken legs, it could take closer to an hour to bake. Make sure they are fully cooked to the proper temperature of 165 degrees before enjoying.


Slow Cooker Variation:
Directions: 
Omit the flour. Place the seasoned chicken pieces and add 1 cup of water or chicken broth in the slow cooker. Cover and turn on low for about 5-6 hours or on high for for 3-4 hours. Check temperature of chicken to be about 165 to insure it is cooked well, as sometimes in the slow cooker, it is harder to tell if the chicken is done as it doesn't brown as much. You might notice the chicken will start to fall apart when fully cooked as well.