Our baked Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks are perfectly crispy and tossed in a homemade buffalo sauce that brings the heat! Made in the oven – no deep frying mess here!
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Do I love buffalo wings? Of course. I mean, we have some pretty great baked chicken wings here that turn out so crispy and delightful. But buffalo chicken drumsticks? All the good stuff we love about wings, but a bit less messy to eat.
These are meatier, juicier, and just as saucy as wings. Consider me obsessed.
Best of all these are baked, not fried, and totally low carb with perfectly crispy skin to go with the homemade buffalo sauce.
We love these as a simple weeknight meal, but also pretty darn great for football season. Serve them up with our homemade ranch dressing (dip or drizzle – you choose!), some keto stuffed mushrooms, and our keto spinach artichoke dip. What a spread!
♥ 3 Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe:
Crispy skin without the fryer: Baking on a wire rack creates the crispy texture you want without the mess of deep frying.
That dry rub, though: A combo of paprika, chili powder, garlic, and onion adds tons of flavor even before the sauce goes on!
Homemade Buffalo sauce: It’s just butter, hot sauce, vinegar, and a little Worcestershire. So easy and customizable. Add cayenne pepper to really bring the heat.
How To:
Toss the drumsticks in the seasoning mixture. Make sure to coat them well so that every bit is flavorful.
Bake the drumsticks on a wire rack placed over a foil lined pan for easy clean up.
Toss the baked drumsticks in the buffalo sauce. You can easily leave a few un-sauced for pickey eaters or those who don’t really like buffalo sauce!
Swaps & Tips:
- Use chicken thighs or wings if you don’t have drumsticks. Just adjust cooking times appropriately. Use a meat thermometer to be sure your chicken is cooked through.
- Adjust the Buffalo sauce to your liking. Want it a little sweet? Add a drizzle of sugar-free honey. Need more heat? Extra cayenne does the trick.
- Make ahead. Season the drumsticks up to 3 days in advance. The buffalo sauce can also be made ahead!
- No wire rack? You can bake directly on a foil-lined sheet, but the underside might not get quite as crispy.
I love using this meat thermometer for making sure the meat is fully cooked! Easy for beginners & absolutely worth the low cost. Just stick it in the thickest part of the meat to check for doneness. This thermometer is also magnetic so it’s easy to store right on the side of the fridge or oven for easy access! Get it on Amazon.
Serving Suggestions:
You can serve chicken with just about anything but most buffalo chicken recipes are paired with fresh veggies like carrots and celery to help cut some of the heat. Cucumbers are also a good option.
You’ll want to make a batch of our favorite keto ranch dressing to dip and drizzle. Of course, our keto blue cheese dressing is always a great option too.
Some roasted cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower would also make an excellent side to go with these buffalo chicken drumsticks.
Air Fryer Instructions:
Want to make these in in your air fryer? No problem! Just follow the method of our air fryer drumsticks – cook at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Ready in half the time!
Storage:
Fridge: Store leftover baked chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat: Use the oven or an air fryer to reheat at 375 degrees to crisp up the skin again.
Freezer: You can freeze leftover baked buffalo chicken drumsticks for up to a few months. Let them cool completely before transferring to a freezer safe bag or container. Thaw overnight before reheating.
MORE KETO BAKED CHICKEN RECIPES!
- Crispy Baked Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Wings
- Baked Mississippi Chicken
- Keto Chicken Parmesan
- Lemon Butter Chicken
Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 8-10 chicken drumsticks about 2 pounds
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Buffalo Sauce:
- 1/3 cup hot sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- Wrap a baking sheet with aluminum foil and add a wire rack on top. Preheat your oven to 425°F.
- Remove any moisture off of the chicken by blotting with a paper towel. Place the drumsticks in a large mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil, tossing to coat evenly.
- Whisk the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, and chili powder together. Sprinkle over the drumsticks and then toss to make sure all the chicken is seasoned evenly.
- Arrange the drumsticks on the wire rack and baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through cooking. The skin should be really crispy.
- In the last 5 minutes of the chicken cooking, make the buffalo sauce. Add the hot sauce, butter, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne to a small sauce pan and heat over medium-low until the butter melts and the sauce is nice and smooth.
- When the chicken is finished cooking, place into a large mixing bowl and drizzle the sauce over the drumsticks. Coat all the chicken with the sauce and toss so it’s evenly distributed. Serve right away while the chicken is still hot and crispy.
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