Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs

Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs are so tender and flavorful from a zesty marinade! This easy chicken recipe is always a hit with the kids!

We love easy chicken recipes like this one! Also check out these Dry Rub BBQ Chicken Wings which are baked, not fried, and our Favorite Chicken Marinade that we literally make about once a week! You can use it on chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks and even pork or turkey!

Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs in a baking dish

No More Boring Chicken Dinners!

I totally remember asking my mom what was for dinner and hearing chicken, literally like ALL the time. And I also remember groaning when she said it…chicken AGAIN???

My mom is also a really great cook, but we just got in a chicken rut I guess. These Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs will make your dinner exciting again. Just looking at them gets me excited, fun colors and fun flavors…you just know dinner is going to be a party tonight!

Can I Use Different Types Of Chicken For This Recipe?

Yep. We like grabbing drumsticks when they go on sale, and they most often are. So it makes feeding a couple of hungry teenagers easy. But you can also use chicken thighs and chicken breasts. Bone in and skin on are better for flavor, but you can swap out boneless skinless chicken breasts if that’s what you have. 

Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs with tomatoes

How To Make Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs

First we’re going to start off with an easy, but super flavorful marinade. Marinating the chicken legs gives them so much more flavor than just adding seasoning and baking.

After the chicken legs have marinated, brown them in a skillet to get some good color on them and then transfer the chicken to a baking dish. Add diced tomatoes (You can use Ro-Tel brand or if you don’t want too much spice just use regular diced tomatoes) on top of the chicken legs, cover and bake for 40 minutes.

Chicken Legs in baking dish with diced tomatoes

It’s as easy as that! When these Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs are done, squeeze fresh lime juice and add chopped fresh cilantro. Cilantro not your thing? Add chopped parsley instead, the fresh herb garnish really adds nice flavor to this Tex-Mex style chicken.

We like serving this chicken legs recipe right on the table in the baking dish! It just seems so fun and festive, even though we’re talking about a family pack of chicken legs here…

Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs with fresh limes

What Can I Serve These Fiesta Chicken Legs With?

Oh we’ve got sides galore. Sometimes the side dishes are the best part of the recipe!

Looking For More Easy Chicken Recipes?

Print
Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs close up in a dish

Oven Baked Fiesta Chicken Legs

  • Author: Dan
  • Prep Time: 8 hours (for marinating)
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 8 hours 45 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

This easy chicken recipe is always a party! Flavorful chicken drumsticks baked in lime juice and seasonings for a fun, easy dinner!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 5 pounds chicken drumsticks
  • 1 cup canola or olive oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, smashed and skins removed
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
  • 2 (14.5 ounce) cans Ro-Tel, drained
  • Fresh lime wedges and fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add all the oil, garlic, lime juice, salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, cumin and taco seasoning into a bowl and whisk together. Add the chicken drumsticks to a resealable plastic bag and then pour in the marinade.
  2. Shake the bag around to cover all the drumsticks then place in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours.
  3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  4. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium high heat.
  5. Remove the drumsticks from the marinade and wipe off each drumstick with a paper towel removing most of the marinade.
  6. Brown in the skillet for 5 minutes per side until browned then remove to a baking dish.
  7. Add the drained Ro-tel to the baking dish, cover and bake for 40 minutes.
  8. Garnish with fresh lime juice and cilantro if desired and serve.
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Stove Top / Oven
  • Cuisine: American

You Might Also Like:

Leave a Reply

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

Cocktails and Drinks

Side “Bar”

Try some of the cocktails and drinks we’re mixing up this week!

VISIT THE COCKTAIL BAR