10+ Chicken Drumstick Recipes
While chicken breast and thighs may be your go-to protein options for dinner, don’t overlook chicken drumsticks! Affordable, flavorful, and easy to adapt to many different cuisines, chicken drumsticks are quick to prep and can feed the whole family, especially when paired with grains like pasta and rice to stretch out the meat.
So, can we get a drum roll please? Introducing some of our favorite chicken drumstick recipes to try in your own kitchen.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Translating to '“hunter’s chicken” in Italian, this slow cooker chicken cacciatore is a flavorful, yet simple dish that’s best served over brown rice to stretch the meat and absorb every bit of chickeny goodness.
Ingredients
14 ounces diced canned tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, sliced
2 ribs celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 ounces tomato paste
6 chicken legs, skinless
2 cups brown rice
Directions
In a large slow-cooker, combine the tomatoes, onion, green pepper, zucchini, celery, garlic, basil, oregano, salt, red wine, chicken stock and tomato paste. Stir to mix, then add the chicken legs and press down to cover them with the vegetable and spice mixture as much as possible. Set the cooker on low and cook for 7 hours.
Start cooking the rice about 45 minutes before the chicken is finished cooking.
When chicken cooking is completed, taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve a cup of cooked brown rice in a wide bowl or pasta plate, with a chicken leg and vegetable sauce.
Photo Courtesy of RecipeTin Eats
Crispy Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Calling for just smoked paprika, onion, garlic, baking powder, and flour, these crispy baked chicken legs are a quick and easy meal for a busy weeknight.
Baking powder helps get the drumsticks crispy in the oven without the use of a lot of cooking oil.
While you could use this recipe just for drumsticks, try experimenting with wings and thighs, too!
Photo Courtesy of Jo Cooks
Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks
Sweet, sticky, salty, and savory, these honey soy chicken drumsticks require just a handful of basic pantry ingredients and a few minutes to prep!
Olive oil, sesame oil, honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger are combined to create a simple Asian-inspired marinade.
Let your chicken marinate for 2-3 hours before baking them in a casserole dish for 45 minutes. Serve over rice with a side of bok choy or green beans and enjoy!
Cuban Mojo Chicken
Mojo is a Cuban-style marinade featuring citrus fruit, garlic, cumin, and fresh herbs.
It’s easy to whip together and results in a tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken drumstick that’s packed full of flavor.
Yams, bell peppers, and onion are baked alongside the chicken to turn this meal into a sheet pan dinner for easy clean-up.
Photo Courtesy of Spend with Pennies
Air Fryer Chicken Legs
If you have an air fryer and are always on the search for new ways to create quick weekday meals with it, try these chicken legs!
Chicken legs are drizzled with just a bit of olive oil before being tossed with a homemade chicken seasoning mix and salt and pepper.
Pop them in the air fryer for 30 minutes, serve them alongside seasonal veggies and rice, and call it dinner!
Photo Courtesy of Once Upon a Chef
Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks
Indian takeout, at home! Tandoori is a traditional Indian dish that consists of chicken marinated in yogurt, spices, and citrus before being grilled on a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven.
While you may not have a tandoor at home, you can try this baked chicken drumstick take on the meal that calls for your to marinade the chicken in a aromatic sauce before baking it in the oven.
Serve it over basmati rice with a side of mango chutney.
Sweet Potato Chip Chicken
If you want to mix up dinner and try a totally unique take on chicken drumsticks, try these sweet potato chip-crusted chicken drumsticks!
Chicken drumsticks are breaded via an assembly line, starting with dipping them in a milk-egg mixture followed by rolling them in crushed sweet potato chips.
Bake them in the oven for 40 minutes before serving them alongside baked sweet potatoes, and your favorite green veggies!
Photo Courtesy of Jo Cooks
Lemon Garlic Roasted Chicken Legs
Lemony, garlicy, and mouthwateringly juicy, these oven-roasted chicken drumsticks are simple, but packed full of flavor.
Chicken drumsticks are marinated in butter, olive oil, herbs, lemon juice, and plenty of garlic for a few hours before being roasted in the oven for 30 minutes alongside slices of fresh lemon.
Serve these chicken drumsticks with everything from orzo and salad to oven roasted sweet potatoes and green beans.
Find the full recipe at Jo Cooks
More Chicken Drumstick Recipes
Cilantro Lime Chicken Drumsticks from Ev’s Eats
Oven-Fried Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks from Six Sisters’ Stuff
Creamy Tomato Chicken Drumsticks from Cafe Delites
Haitian Chicken in Sauce from Food & Wine