Chicken Legs

Sometime during the low-fat health craze of the 1990s, chicken breasts overtook chicken legs as America's go-to poultry. Luckily home cooks are now revisiting chicken legs, which are easy to cook and packed with flavor. Chicken legs are made up of the thigh—the portion above the knee joint—and the drumstick. Both portions are dark meat, meaning they stay moist in the oven and are difficult to overcook. Choose inexpensive skin-on, bone-in legs and you'll have the base for many delicious recipes. F&W's guide to chicken legs has recipes that span the globe from Soy-Maple-Glazed Chicken Legs to Chicken Legs Coq au Vin.

Most Recent

Citrus-and-Fennel Chicken with Olives and Calabrian Chiles

A mix of citrus, buttery olives, and spicy, oil-packed chiles punches up the flavor of braised chicken leg quarters. Toasted fennel seeds and dry sherry add a pleasant warmth to the sauce, which begs to be served with a baguette for sopping.

Fish Sauce–Caramel Chicken

This addictive take on ga kho gung, Vietnamese caramelized chicken with ginger and fish sauce, is sweetened with shallots, garlic, and palm sugar.Slideshow: More Chicken Leg Recipes

不怕Sourdoug鸡h and Bacon

Food & Wine Culinary Director-at-Large Justin Chapple’s roast chicken legs drip meaty, delicious fat onto a smoky, peppery bed of potatoes, red onion and crispy croutons.Slideshow: More Chicken Leg Recipes

Kurdish Fried Chicken in Broth

I love this style of cooking chicken for both its flavor and its ease. The chicken is cut into pieces and rubbed with salt and lemon juice, kind of a quick marinade, before being shallow-fried until golden. But there’s no worry about whether the frying cooks the chicken completely, because it then simmers in water with a little onion, turmeric, and cumin until tender and cooked through.Slideshow: More Fried Chicken Recipes

Chicken Leg Recipes

This versatile cut of poultry doesn't just belong on the grill; there are plenty of tasty wasy to enjoy chicken legs. From spice-braised chicken legs with red wine and tomato to lemon-onion roast chicken legs, get inspired by these delicious and satisfying chicken recipes.