Pat the chicken completely dry. Pat each drumstick dry with paper towels, pressing firmly to remove as much surface moisture as you can. Don’t rush this a quick, light pat leaves far more water on the skin than you’d expect.
Air-dry the chicken in the fridge. Place the drumsticks on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, uncovered, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight. This is the step that separates genuinely crispy oven chicken from the soft, rubbery kind: chicken skin holds onto a surprising amount of surface moisture even after patting it dry, and that moisture turns to steam in the oven before the skin has any chance to crisp. The dry environment of an open fridge pulls that remaining moisture out over time, so the skin goes into the oven already closer to dry than damp.
Mix the seasoning. Combine the baking powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne (if using) in a small bowl.
Coat the drumsticks. Toss the dried drumsticks with the olive oil first, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over all sides, pressing gently so it adheres. Pro tip: season them still on the wire rack rather than in a bowl tossing them around after this point undoes some of the drying work from Step 2 by reintroducing surface moisture from your hands or the bowl.
Bake at high heat. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the drumsticks on the wire rack for 35–40 minutes, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and the internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part, not touching bone.
Rest briefly before serving. Let the drumsticks rest for 5 minutes on the rack before serving this keeps the crispy skin from steaming itself soft against a plate.
