JUICY BAKED CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

⏲ Prep time ⏲ Cooking time Difficulty level Portions

10 min 40 min ★☆☆☆☆ 4

Marinate time: 30 min

Ingredients

Chicken & marinade

•             Chicken drumsticks — 800 g (≈8 medium pieces)

•             Olive oil — 30 g

•             Garlic, minced — 10 g

•             Paprika (sweet or smoked) — 4 g

•             Dried oregano — 2 g

•             Lemon zest — 2 g

•             Lemon juice — 15 g

•             Fine salt — 8 g

•             Black pepper — 2 g

•             Honey — 6 g (helps browning)

Optional finishing

•             Fresh parsley, chopped — 4 g

•             Extra lemon wedges — as needed

Cooking instructions

1. Marinate

• Pat drumsticks dry.

• Mix olive oil, garlic, paprika, oregano, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and honey.

• Coat chicken well and marinate 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).

2. Bake

• Preheat oven to 210°C.

• Place drumsticks on a lined tray, spaced apart.

• Bake 35–40 minutes, turning once halfway, until skin is golden and internal juices run clear.

• Rest 5 minutes before serving.

3. Finish

• Scatter parsley and serve with lemon wedges.

Chef ’s Notes

•             Dry skin = crisp skin. Moisture prevents browning.

•             Honey or a touch of sugar helps caramelisation without making the chicken sweet.

•             High heat is essential: drumsticks have enough fat to stay juicy even at 210°C.

•             Add heat with chilli flakes or Calabrian chilli paste.

•             For extra juiciness, brine the drumsticks for 1 hour in 3% salt water before marinating.

•             Tray choice matters: a metal tray browns better than ceramic.

•             Serve with roasted potatoes, rice pilaf, or a simple Greek salad.