How to Bake Iron Skillet Fried Chicken Drumsticks from Frozen

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Yes, you can take that frozen chicken out and bake it without thawing! It can and will make an easy and delicious dinner with little work. discovering I forgot to thaw meat for dinner has caused panic more than once, but knowing how to cook frozen drumsticks has helped. I simply take them out and cook as is! No need to thaw in warm water for 20-30 minutes or even worse: all day!

I love that this recipe isn’t air fryer chicken drumsticks. Nor is it instant pot chicken drumsticks. It simply uses the age old oven found in nearly everyone’s kitchen. The dry oven heat produces a tender dark meat and crispy skin.

Ingredients for Chicken Drumsticks from Frozen

The great thing about this recipe is you don’t need a lot of ingredients to have a dinner; even when using frozen meat! Here are the only things you need to make chicken drumsticks from frozen.

• 6 frozen chicken drumsticks, not stuck together
• Sea Salt
• Black Pepper
• Butter or olive oil or oil of your choosing
• Desired seasoning blend (see below for ideas)
• (Optional) 3 Tablespoons Flour

Tips for the Best Drumsticks

Freeze Drumsticks Individually

Because you need these chicken drumsticks to be individually frozen, it helps to freeze big packages of drumsticks on a baking sheet as soon as you’ve gotten them home from the grocery store.

The easiest way to do this is to line them on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for at least 2 hours. store in an airtight container or freezer bag in the freezer. Now you have FROZEN drumsticks that you can take out and bake right away! No thawing necessary.

Some drumsticks come already packaged individually which also helps this process.

Cook on Both Sides

For best results, flip drumsticks halfway through baking to allow both sides to sear. This results in a crispier skin and tastier texture.

Use A Cast Iron Skillet

I swear by my cast iron skillet for everything from bread to biscuits to chicken drumsticks! Why? Because it is such a great heat conductor. While a slow cooker or instant pot chicken drumsticks will produce soft moist drumsticks, the iron pan really helps with producing the crispy skin.

Cast iron heats evenly but also holds the heat so well you can easily get a good fry on both sides of the chicken. While regular baking sheets are an option, I’ve found the cast iron creates an environment that produces well fried drumsticks with the best flavor!

Note that I use a Large 12 inch cast iron skillet, though you can use a smaller one with less drumsticks.

Cook Time

Cooking time for this frozen chicken drumsticks recipe is 40 minutes in the oven. This does no include searing on the stovetop before baking.

Directions

Heat Oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 Degrees Celsius).

Heat a cast iron skillet to medium high heat on the stovetop. Melt 1-2 Tablespoons butter in the skillet until it’s sizzling hot. Place each frozen chicken drumstick in a single layer in the pan leaving at least 1/2 inch between meaty areas.

Sprinkle with your chosen seasoning (and flour if using) and fry for 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn drumsticks over and do the same.

Place the cast iron pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the drumsticks over one last time and place back in oven for 20 more minutes.

Using a meat thermometer, check the thickest part of the meat. Poultry should be cooked to 165 degrees f.

Enjoy!

What to Eat with Chicken Drumsticks

To make this a quick dinner, pick sides that are simple and can easily be placed in the oven alongside the drumsticks.

• Fried Potatoes
• Potato Salad
• Green Salad
• Baked Beans
• Green Beans
• Pesto Asparagus
• Our Favorite Biscuits

Best Seasoning Blends for Chicken Drumsticks

Here are some of our favorite flavors.

• Taco Seasoning (My kid’s favorite)
• My Favorite Venison Seasoning Blend ( Yes, it works great for poultry too!)
• Barbeque dry Rub
• Herbs de Provence
• Italian Seasoning
• Garlic powder, onion and parsley for a ranch style drumstick
• Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Garlic Powder, Salt, and Onion Powder

Bar-B-Que Chicken Drumsticks

If you want to make these into BBQ drumsticks, use a barbeque dry rub while searing. Before baking in the oven, drizzle BBQ sauce over the drumsticks. After 20 minutes, turn the drumsticks over and drizzle with barbeque sauce again. Then return to the oven for 20 more minutes.

You can follow these directions with buffalo sauce for Buffalo drumsticks. There’s a variety of sauces that would be great on these baked chicken drumsticks. Other delicious options are teriyaki and a thick balsamic dressing.

How to Cook Other Meat from Frozen

You can also use this chicken drumstick recipe to experiment other frozen chicken. Try baking chicken breast or boneless skinless chicken thighs from frozen realizing the time will be more as the weight gets higher.

Did you know you can also cook a frozen WHOLE chicken? Here’s some other recipes you can use to cook frozen meat without thawing.

No Instant Pot Whole Chicken From Frozen in the Oven

Recipe for Christmas Chicken Whole in the Instant Pot (Instant Pot Recipe)

How to Cook a Frozen Beef Roast in the Oven No Instant Pot Required

Thanks for stopping by. I’d love to hear how this recipe turns out for you!

From the Hilltop,

Krista