Can you remember one-third cup? That’s really all you need to know in order to make this recipe: one-third cup olive oil, one-third cup white wine, one-third cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Garlic and thyme are nice additions but optional. Just whisk everything together, season the chicken with salt and pepper, throw it in a 450ºF oven and you’re done. Crispy skins. Tender meat. A delicious meal to add to your repertoire.
PS: Broiled Tarragon Chicken Breasts
PPS: How to Break Down a Chicken
Chicken Legs Baked with White Wine, Olive Oil & Parmigiano Reggiano
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2
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Pin RecipeDescription
Scale up as needed and use a large roasting pan if you do. Recently I doubled the liquids and used 8 chicken thighs, and it worked beautifully — I just cooked the chicken until the skin looked crisp and golden, probably close to an hour. This is a very forgiving recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 chicken drumsticks + 2 chicken thighs (or some other combination), bone-in, skin-on
- kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper
- 1/3 cup white wine
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 shallot thinly sliced
- a few sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Season chicken on both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- In a small shallow baking dish such as a pie plate, whisk together the white wine, olive oil, about half of the cheese, the garlic and the shallot. Throw in the thyme sprigs and the chicken and toss all around to coat.
- Turn chicken so that the skin is facing up and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Take a peak. If the skin is getting too brown, reduce the heat to 400ºF. Continue baking for about 20 more minutes, or until the meat is pulling away from the bone on the drumstick. The time it takes to cook this chicken will vary depending on your oven, on the size of the legs, if the chicken was cooked directly from the refrigerator or if it had been brought to room temperature before baking, etc. Trust your nose — if you think it’s done, take a stab. After you’ve made the recipe once or twice, you’ll have a better idea about the timing.
Eliana says
September 23, 2010 at 8:52 amYou’re my new chicken guru. I have never seen a few pieces of dark chicken meat look this delicious!
Jeff says
September 23, 2010 at 8:22 pmI can taste it already. Yum!
katie says
September 26, 2010 at 6:52 amI can’t wait to cut up a chicken and try this. I also really appreciate the video, I feel like I can actually handle it now. yay!
Foodycat says
September 26, 2010 at 8:04 amDon’t be ridiculous woman – garlic is NEVER optional with chicken! This dish (with garlic) sounds gorgeous, I must give it a run.
Michelle says
September 26, 2010 at 9:26 amI can’t wait to try this one! It looks so delicious and easy to make.
Katie Shields says
September 26, 2010 at 2:21 pmThanks for this series! It was great. Keep ’em coming!
Amanda says
October 4, 2010 at 7:38 amDelicious (and beautiful) chicken recipe! Smelled wonderful while cooking too! Thanks for the inspiration to cut up that chicken instead of roasting it whole – it was much easier than expected (even though I mangled the breasts a little bit). Great blog with beautiful pictures!!
Nneka says
October 24, 2010 at 2:53 pmhey buddy! made this last night for a dinner party. super easy and tastiicious – thanks!
Sharon says
November 9, 2010 at 9:31 pmSO good… the chicken comes out with the most amazing texture. and so flavorful! Thanks so much for an awesome recipe. I didn’t have fresh thyme and sprinkled ground thyme along w/ the S+P. delicious!
The Healthy Apple says
December 5, 2010 at 7:05 pmLove love love your website and your amazing recipes…I was just introduced to your blog by our mutual friend, Kerri, who went to school with you. I love your recipes and your beautiful photographs…This recipe is incredible. I love chicken and I am surely going to create this recipe this week! Thank you for sharing and so happy to have come across your delicious blog.
Best,
Amie
Beth says
February 18, 2012 at 8:56 pmMade this for dinner tonight. Everyone loved it! Company Worthy!
alexandracooks says
February 19, 2012 at 10:40 amBeth — Makes me so happy! I need to make this again soon, too.
Lisa says
March 20, 2012 at 2:00 pmThis should be called OMG chicken.Just made it today.Best baked chicken I ever made!
Thank-You
alexandracooks says
March 20, 2012 at 8:33 pmLisa — so glad to hear this! I love this recipe, too. Easy, simple, delicious … it doesn’t get much better than that! Thanks for writing in!
Barbara says
June 13, 2012 at 11:01 amThis recipe is on the menu for tonight — looking forward to it!
laura says
July 6, 2012 at 12:25 pmI have made this multiple times already, as well as sharing it with friends. It is a crowd pleaser & I love that it is fast & easy! Keep ’em coming!!
alexandracooks says
July 8, 2012 at 7:22 amLaura — thanks so much for writing in. This is one of my favorite recipes, and it’s so nice to hear when others have success with it, too!
Lindsay says
September 4, 2012 at 1:29 pmI made this last night for the first time, and it was so darned good that DJ and I were picking up the (whole) thyme bunches and eating the parm-covered leaves right off the stalk after finishing the chicken — that’s how good this recipe is!
alexandracooks says
September 4, 2012 at 7:47 pmLindsay — so happy to hear this! I love those thyme bunches, too. Delish.
Alexis says
October 4, 2012 at 6:01 ami must say your blog is perfect in every way, and so is this chicken..made it last night, it was absolutely delicious
Crystal says
November 12, 2012 at 11:00 amCan someone recommend a white wine for this recipe? I’m not a wine drinker so I never know what specific wine to buy for a recipe.
alexandracooks says
November 13, 2012 at 5:54 amCrystal, honestly just buy a Sauvignon blanc or Pinot grigio from the grocery store — do you have a Trader Joe’s? That’s a great place to find cheap wines. Don’t spend more than $6 if you don’t have to.
Trish says
January 9, 2013 at 7:35 pmCould I make this with chicken breast? It sounds wonderful, but I am not a fan of dark meat.
alexandracooks says
January 9, 2013 at 7:44 pmTrish — I don’t know how to advise?! I would imagine you could, but I worry about the meat drying out a bit. I would definitely do bone in, skin on, and maybe check them for doneness after 25 minutes or so? Let me know if you give it a go… I know lots of people who aren’t the biggest fans of dark meat.
Mary says
July 13, 2013 at 6:54 amCan you recommend a substitute for wine in recipes? I know the alcohol “cooks off”, but I can’t be anywhere near wine.
alexandracooks says
July 15, 2013 at 11:51 amMary — I would use chicken stock plus a couple of tablespoons of white wine vinegar or white balsamic vinegar to add a little acidity. So for this recipe, use 1/3 cup chicken stock plus 2 tablespoons vinegar. Hope that helps!
Eli says
August 20, 2014 at 7:32 pmI’ve made this about a dozen times now, using just legs, and it comes out great every time. I tried adding sliced, sauteed cremini mushrooms for the last 20 minutes the second time I made it and do it every time now. Serve it over rice so we can soak up every last drop of the delicious oil wine mixture. So delicious!
alexandra says
August 25, 2014 at 3:39 amOh yum! I love this idea. I am definitely going to try this. We love mushrooms, and I bet here they soak up all those yummy juices. Thanks for writing in!
Betsy says
September 28, 2017 at 9:03 pmThis is a genius idea! I’m going to have to try that next time!
★★★★★
Kristal says
January 11, 2015 at 9:35 amThis looks really good! I want to try it, but any suggestions on subing out the parm? I personally don’t like parm and should I just skip it all together or maybe add shredded mozzarella for a bit of a different taste?
alexandra says
January 12, 2015 at 4:58 amHi Kristal — I would just leave it out. Amazingly, this dish doesn’t taste cheesy at all. The parm just provides a saltiness and a crisp crust, but otherwise is undetectable. I wouldn’t sub in another cheese — the skin will get nice and crisp even without the parm. Good luck!
Grace says
April 2, 2015 at 10:44 amAlexandra- I made this for me and my husband and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD delicious. We couldn’t get enough. Thank you so much for a new and amazing chicken recipe – this will be in regular rotation in our house!
Kendra says
May 28, 2015 at 6:03 amWow! Wow wow wow! This was absolutely perfect and ridiculously easy. Thanks so much, this is going to be a staple in my recipe collection.
Betsy says
September 28, 2017 at 9:16 pmI love your blog! I first arrived to it via your Peasant Bread, which is a serious favorite in my house. I just made this chicken tonight for my family, and they loved it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe with us! What a great way to elevate a baked chicken dinner, and make me look like a superstar in the kitchen. Like Eli said above, I am definitely going to try adding mushrooms next time, and serve over some brown rice. By next time, I might mean tomorrow night. 🙂
Wow wow wow wow is right!
★★★★★
alexandra says
October 1, 2017 at 9:11 amThank you, Betsy!! It means a lot to read all of this. Mushrooms sound absolutely delicious! So happy this one was a hit. I think it could be adapted in so many ways, too, which is nice.
Sheri says
January 15, 2018 at 2:59 pmThis was FANTASTIC. My husband wants it now at least once a week. Really simple and so flavorful. Thank you so much for this recipe. This one is a keeper.
★★★★★
alexandra says
January 19, 2018 at 8:05 pmSo happy to hear this, Sheri!
Brenna says
February 2, 2018 at 10:34 pmI was solo lunching and reading through my emails, happening upon this. On my way home, I popped into the store to pick up chicken legs, white wine and a baguette to sop up that lovely sauce as all the rest was awaiting to join in this party. As it turned out, it was absolutely as I’d imagined. A gorgeous, date night meal that *almost* makes me wish I had a date with whom to share. Oh, but alas, I have leftovers and glad for them. Completely delighted with thanks!! Mmmm!
★★★★★
Marina says
August 28, 2018 at 3:40 amMade this with chicken breasts and it was beautiful!
★★★★★
alexandra says
August 28, 2018 at 4:00 amwonderful to hear this, Marina!
Linda Moffett says
February 11, 2019 at 3:56 pmHave made this at least a half dozen times…a true favorite chicken recipe. I have cut a Cornish hen in half and used this recipe for it…worked out great. Will try it with mushrooms next time. Thanks a lot.