Preheat your oven to 425°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or foil. Pat your drumsticks completely dry with paper towels—this is non-negotiable because moisture prevents that crispy coating from forming. Wet chicken won't crisp no matter what, trust me on this one.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until combined, then set aside. In another shallow bowl, mix the flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, baking powder, and thyme. The baking powder is what creates those crispy edges you're after.

Dip each drumstick into the egg mixture, then immediately roll it in the flour mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks. Work in batches if needed—don't crowd your bowl. The thicker the coating adheres, the crispier your final result.

Arrange the coated drumsticks on your prepared baking sheets in a single layer, making sure they don't touch. Drizzle with the olive oil—this helps the coating brown and get that restaurant-quality golden color. Space matters here, so don't overcrowd.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until the coating is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F. I usually check mine around minute 35 because every oven runs differently. The first time I made these, I panicked when they looked pale at minute 25, but they darkened beautifully in the final 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let the drumsticks rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before serving. This helps them stay crispy instead of getting steamed. Don't pile them on a plate immediately or you'll soften that coating.

Serve while they're still warm and the coating's still at peak crispiness. Leftover baked chicken drumsticks taste great cold too, which is why my kids eat them for lunch the next day. They're honestly just as good room temperature as they are hot.