Chicken drumsticks, dipped first in a mayo mustard mixture, then in dry breadcrumbs with chives, then oven baked.
What’s there not to love about chicken drumsticks?
They’re dark meat (more flavor), relatively inexpensive (certainly compared to boneless skinless breasts), they cook up quickly (half an hour in the oven), and you can save the leftover bones for making stock.
They’re kid-friendly (have you ever met a kid who didn’t like drumsticks?) and they even come with built-in nifty handles (so you can eat like King Henry VIII).
There are many ways to do breaded and baked drumsticks. This particular recipe uses a mayonnaise and mustard mixture as a first coating, then some breadcrumbs with chives for the breadcrumb coating.
You could just as easily use a beaten egg for the first coat (you need something for the breadcrumbs to adhere to), and a mixture of breadcrumbs, panko, grated Parmesan, lemon zest, tarragon, or thyme for the bread crumb coating.
You can also brown the drumsticks first on the stovetop and then transfer the pan to the oven (helps to use a cast iron pan if doing it this way).
Do you have a favorite way to prepare breaded drumsticks? A favorite breadcrumb coating combination? If so, please let us know about it in the comments.
Breaded and Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4-6
Recipe adapted from a Deviled Drumsticks recipe in Bon Appetit, March 2001.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Dijon or whole grain mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 2 Tbsp finely chopped chives or green onion greens
- Salt
- 6 large chicken drumsticks, about 1 1/3 lbs
- Olive oil
Method
1 Preheat oven, prepare pan: Place rack on upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat the bottom of a shallow roasting pan or baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.
2 Prepare coatings: Mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce in a medium bowl. Mix together the breadcrumbs and minced chives in a separate medium bowl.
3 Dip drumsticks in coatings: Sprinkle each drumstick with salt. One by one, dip each drumstick in the mayonnaise mixture, turning to coat. Then dip the drumstick in the breadcrumbs mixture, turning to coat. Place the drumsticks on the prepared roasting pan.
4 Bake: Bake chicken at 425°F for 20-25 minutes, until just cooked through, and juices run clear (not pink) when poked with a sharp knife.
