Friday, March 29, 2013

Sweet and Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

I love these chicken drumsticks.  The marinade for the chicken is super easy and delicious - it's got that perfect balance of sweet and savory, and the chicken stays really moist in the oven.  My glaze never thickened up as much as I thought it would, but I spread it on the chicken anyway and it was fantastic.  I loved how crispy the chicken skin got, plus drumsticks are just so much fun! When I'm going to have pieces of chicken on the bone, drumsticks are definitely my favorite because they're easy to pick up and eat without a knife and fork.  If you have any leftovers, this chicken is also yummy cold, picnic-style!

On the side: Bitter Greens with Sweet Onions and Feta Cheese and Baguette


Sweet and Sticky Chicken Drumsticks (adapted from Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites)
Serves 2-3

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 T soy sauce
3 fresh rosemary sprigs
3 garlic cloves, crushed, peeled, and halved
6 chicken drumsticks (about 1-1/2 pounds)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, brown sugar, and soy sauce.  Stir in the rosemary and garlic.  Add the chicken thighs and stir to make sure they are completely coated with the marinade.  Cover, and stash in the fridge for two hours, turning the chicken over once.
2. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
3. Remove the drumsticks from the marinade, and place them in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Bake until the skin is caramelized and dark brown in spots, about 20-30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, scrape the marinade into a small saucepan.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer over low heat until thickened, 15 minutes or so.  (Because the marinade has had raw chicken in it, be sure it comes to a full rolling boil before turning down the heat.)
5. Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade onto the chicken, and serve.

2 comments:

  1. I most definitely want to make this! Looks finger-licking delicious! Giada has some great recipes.

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  2. I love the intense color of the glaze! Yum!

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