Portuguese Chicken Drumsticks – Cheap Chicken Drumsticks that aren’t Boring
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Make cheap chicken drumsticks un-boring with a tasty marinade. This Portuguese chicken drumsticks inspired recipe really hits the spot.
Chicken drumsticks are a family staple in our house because they are cheap and easy to make.
But plain old roast drumsticks can get pretty boring. The good news is there are dozens of ways to snazzy up drumsticks with marinades, spices and sauces.
This recipe makes plain drumsticks come to life with pantry staple spices. For more cheap chicken drumstick ideas, check out the links at the end of this article.
What to Serve with Portuguese Chicken Drumsticks
What you serve your drumsticks with will depend on what you have on hand and what’s in season. But if you’re looking for some inspiration, here are a few of my favourite side dishes:
- Steamed greens
- corn on the cob
- potato chips
- sweet potato chips
- a simple green salad but sub the lemon vinaigrette with lime
What’s the Best Way to Cook Drumsticks?
The best way to cook drumsticks is in the oven because it’s the easiest.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease or line a baking tray and place drumsticks on tray with room between each drumstick so it cooks evenly and gets a nice crisp skin.
You can flip the drumsticks half way through to get a crispy skin all over or you can just leave in the oven for an easy, no-fuss meal.
Just remember to set a timer so you can get on with other things without worrying about forgetting what’s in the oven.
How Long Does it Take to Cook Drumsticks in the Oven?
Depending on the size of the drumstick, it takes about 40 minutes to 1 hour at 180°C (350°F).
Check to see that the chicken is cooked through by peircing the meat at the thickest part and letting the juices run out. They should run clear.
You can also slice the meat all the way to the bone and check that it is no longer pink.
How Many Drumsticks Per Serve?
I plan for two drumsticks per person for an adult, one for children and maybe even three for hungry teenage boys.
To save money, rather than increasing the number of drumsticks per person, increase the vegetable portions.
Sweet potato and corn are great sides because is both filling and cheaper than chicken. So if you’re feeding a hungry crowd on a budget, increase the amount of sweet potato instead of the chicken.
Portuguese Style Chicken Drumsticks
Make cheap chicken drumsticks un-boring with a tasty marinade. This Portuguese chicken drumsticks inspired recipe really hits the spot.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 1/2 cup of fresh lime juice (about 3 limes or substitute lemon juice)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 fresh chilli finely chopped (or to taste)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 – 2 Tbsp fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Mix marinade ingredients together and pour over chicken. Marinade for at least two hours or overnight in a covered non-reactive container (glass, ceramic, plastic container etc).
- Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F).
- Place chicken drumsticks on a greased or lined baking tray.
- Roast chicken, basting occasionally with the marinade, for 40 minutes - 1 hour or until golden and cooked through.
Notes
You can use dried chilli instead of fresh or for a child-friendly version, leave the chilli out and add it as a condiment when serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 553Total Fat: 32gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 256mgSodium: 1840mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 53g
Nutritional information is calculated automatically using the Nutritionix database. Nutrition information can vary for a recipe based on factors such as precision of measurements, brands, ingredient freshness, serving size or the source of nutrition data. We strive to keep the information as accurate as possible but make no warranties regarding its accuracy. We encourage readers to make their own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
We eat such a lot of chicken in our house and sometimes it seems a little bland and boring, so this recipe is definitely one I will try.
Hope that it turns out well.
This tasted yumly.