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).
Ways To Make Baked and Breaded Chicken
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.
Start with fully defrosted chicken drumsticks. Remove excess moisture from the drumsticks by patting them dry with paper towels. This is the most important tip. If your drumsticks are wet, the breading will slide off. Coat the drumsticks in a thin layer of flour before dipping in the mayonnaise mixture in Step 4 to absorb any excess moisture the paper towels did not remove. After coating the drumsticks in the mayonnaise and breadcrumb mixtures in Step 4, cover the drumsticks and place them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill and set the breading. This is not a necessary step, but it can help the breading stick to the chicken.
How To Store and Reheat Chicken Drumsticks
Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. To freeze, place the baked drumsticks on a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the freezer, uncovered, until they are just frozen though. Place the frozen drumsticks in a zip top bag, seal, and freeze for up to three months. Defrost in the refrigerator before reheating. To reheat the drumsticks, bake in the oven at 350°F until heated through. The leftover, fully cooked chicken drumsticks are also enjoyable cold, straight from the refrigerator.
Need More Chicken Recipes? Try One of These Favorites
Classic Baked Chicken Baked Chicken Parmesan Easy BBQ Chicken in the Oven Herbed Chicken Tenders with Tomato Sauce Goldfish Chicken Tenders
