Chicken Drumsticks
at 400°F
30 min – 40 min Chicken Drumsticks take about 30 min – 40 min in a 400°F oven. Done is 165°F on a food thermometer, plus a 5-minute rest — never the clock alone.
When is it actually done?
165°F internal The USDA FSIS safe minimum internal temperature for this cut is 165°F, followed by a rest of about 5 minutes. The clock estimates; the thermometer decides. Every time on this page is a planning range, not a doneness test.
Pull temperature vs safe temperature: Like thighs, drumsticks eat better at 175–185°F than at the bare-minimum 165°F.
Worth knowing before you start
- Turn once at the halfway mark so the skin renders on both sides.
- The meat pulling back from the knuckle end is a visual cue that you are close — confirm with the thermometer.
Answers people ask
How long does chicken drumsticks take at 400°F?
About 30 min – 40 min at 400°F. It is done at 165°F internal on a food thermometer, not by the clock.
What internal temperature is chicken drumsticks done at?
165°F, measured with a food thermometer in the thickest part, then rested about 5 minutes. That is the USDA FSIS safe minimum. Like thighs, drumsticks eat better at 175–185°F than at the bare-minimum 165°F.
Is 400°F a good temperature for chicken drumsticks?
It is one of 3 temperatures this site publishes for this cut (375°F, 400°F, 425°F). It is the most commonly used.
More chicken timings
Where these numbers come from
Ranges are anchored to USDA FSIS published timetables where they exist, and derived from that anchor plus cross-checked published sources where they do not — widened to cover the disagreement between sources rather than split down the middle. The full reasoning is on the method page. If a figure here looks wrong, say so — corrections are prioritised.