Pan Fried Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients for pan-fried chicken drumsticks:

• Chicken legs (drumsticks). If your budget allows, opt for organic or free-range chicken.
• Large onion, diced. Just a brown onion is perfect.
• Garlic cloves, minced.
• Organic raw sugar. You can opt out, but just a little bit of sugar will help the chicken to caramelize and will balance the acidity of the tomato sauce.
• Tomato sauce. I used passata. Please don’t use tomato ketchup, it will make the dish too sweet.
• Extra virgin olive oil. I never use vegetable oil in my cooking.
• Lemon, juiced. As always fresh is the best.
• Sweet paprika
• Garlic powder
• Sea salt and black pepper to season
• Water, vegetable, or chicken stock.
• Fresh parsley to serve (optional)

Equipment you might find helpful:

• Cast iron skillet with a lid
• Chopping board
• Sharp knife

How to cook chicken drumsticks on a stove

To cook chicken legs on the stovetop is easy. Start by making the chicken marinade.

• Chop onions, crush garlic, and add them to a large bowl.
• Add tomato sauce, freshly squeezed lemon juice, sweet paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until everything is well combined.
• Transfer chicken drumsticks into the mixing bowl and mix so all chicken pieces are properly covered in marinade. Use your hands to massage the marinade into the chicken.
• If you have time, leave the drumsticks to marinate for a couple of hours, but it is also fine to start cooking straight away. (pic 1)
• In a large frying pan heat some extra virgin olive oil on medium heat, add sugar, and stir until sugar melts. Watch it very closely, you don’t want the sugar to burn. (pic 2)
• Once the sugar has just started to caramelize, add the chicken legs and stir them, so they get the oil-sugar mix. Let the chicken cook for 3-4 minutes without mixing on low-medium heat.
• Turn the drumsticks around and let them cook on the other side. The chicken pieces should be golden brown all over. (pic 3)
• Now add stock or water and once the liquid is boiling (it will only take a minute or two) mix everything well and cover the pan with a lid. (pic 4)
• Lower the heat down to low and cook for 30 minutes without opening the lid.

How to tell if chicken legs are fully cooked

I’m not really one to use a meat thermometer while cooking, especially when it comes to chicken drumsticks – they’re such speedy cookers! Usually, you can tell they’re perfectly done when the meat just falls off the bone with ease. But hey, if you like, you can totally a meat thermometer.

Chicken drumsticks are cooked when the internal temperature reaches the recommended 165°F (74°C).

What to serve with pan fried chicken drumsticks?

This recipe is so versatile that you literally can serve it with any side dish. Serve it with avacado cucumber salad, mashed potatoes, cooked buckwheat, lentils, green beans, or your favorite salad. Here are a couple more ideas you might like to try:

• How to cook perfect basmati rice on the stove
• Spiced Rice & Lentils (Mejadra)
• How to cook buckwheat groats (easiest way)
• Spiced chickpea salad recipe

How to store fried chicken drumsticks:

Allow the chicken to cool down to room temperature and transfer it into an airtight container. Refrigerate for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop, adding a little bit of water if needed.

How to freeze:

This chicken dish can be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container or in a freezer Ziploc bag. To defrost take the frozen drumsticks out of the freezer in the morning and let them defrost in the fridge until dinner time. To reheat see the instructions above.

Variations:

• Chicken thighs. You can use chicken thighs instead. Just increase the cooking time to 40 minutes.
• Chicken breasts. I personally think that dark chicken meat works the best in this recipe, but if you prefer lean chicken breast meat, go ahead and reduce the cooking time to 20 minutes.
• Add some red pepper flakes or chili powder to the marinade if you would like your chicken spicy.