Oven chicken drumsticks are the family traybake staple — crisp skin, juicy meat, and almost no fuss. Chicken Drumsticks 900g-1.1kg (Frozen) is the classic frozen pack; Chicken Thighs 900g-1.1kg (Frozen) sits beside when you want a mixed tray. Shop both in chicken drumsticks and chicken.
Oven method
Thaw overnight in the fridge if frozen. Pat dry — dry skin crisps; wet skin steams. Toss with a little oil, salt, pepper, and paprika or your favourite rub. Spread in a single layer on a rack over a tray so air circulates. Roast at 200°C (fan 180°C) for 35 to 45 minutes, turning halfway, until the skin is golden and the thickest part near the bone hits 75°C. Crowded tray? Two trays beat a steamed pile. For sticky drumsticks, brush with BBQ or honey-soy in the last 8 to 10 minutes and return to the oven. Rest five minutes before serving so the juices settle.
Air fryer, grill and BBQ backup
No oven: air fryer 190°C for 22 to 28 minutes shaking halfway, medium grill turning often, or BBQ over medium heat until cooked through. Browse chicken drumsticks for pack sizes, and chicken for thighs and wings beside.
What to serve
Roast potatoes, slaw, and a sharp dip — or pile them on a sharing board. Leftover drumstick meat comes off the bone easily once cold for wraps and fried rice. Freeze spare packs; thaw fully before roasting so the skin dries properly.
Times above are a guide for home ovens, air fryers and pans — always trust a probe over the clock, and rest meat before you carve so the juices stay in the slice, not on the board. British packs vary a little in thickness, so start checking a few minutes early the first time you cook a new size.
Write your own fridge note the first time you cook a new pack size — home ovens and pans vary, and a two-minute early check beats dry meat. Rest on a warm plate, not a cold board, so the juices stay put when you carve or plate up.
Season boldly, keep a small gap between pieces so heat can circulate, and taste the pan juices before you add more salt — cured and smoked packs already carry seasoning.