Fcuk KFC, eat this.

I have clearly moved on from the slow cooker, for the time being. Serial monogamist that I am, I have clung to chicken, and I refuse to cheat. Eventually, I will move on.

I love (and still love) KFC, Culver's and Hardee's (if they still do that?) BUCKETS OF CHICKEN. My favorite part? The drumsticks. If you had asked me what my favorite food was when I like, 4, it would have been a toss up between steak, tacos, and "chicken leg skin." I added chicken dumpling soup to that list a few years later, and nothing has changed. NOTHING*, if this blog wasn't ample evidence enough.

I decided to skip out on all that pesky, healthy white meat parts, and wanted to find a cheap way to just have the best at home. I don't have to put pants on, pick something up from a drive-through, talk to anyone on the phone, but after one initial grocery shopping, I don't even have to leave my house this way!

This is essentially the same prep as the Buffalo wings, I'll admit, just recipe adjusted for drumsticks and made with a flavor palette intended to go with mashed potatoes and classic chicken gravy. One could have mashed potatoes and gravy with their wings as well, but this is all savory, no tangy and/or spicy; traditional flavor. You could easily just read the recipe and use your comprehensive skills and common sense to remember how to bake these, but I'll hash it all out regardless. You could also use this recipe for any cut of chicken, adjusting accordingly.




You will need:
6 drumsticks
1/2 cup or so of flower
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 cup of butter
salt and pepper

First, boil to drumsticks in very salty water for about 5-10 minutes, or until fat starts to fluff to the top and accumulate.

Remove pieces with tongs and place on paper towels and allow to dry for a bit. Pat dry to remove any excess moisture.

Mix flour and dry ingredients in a resealable bag, drop in the chicken, seal, and shake until coated. Place on a foil lined baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap. Let harden in the fridge for at least one hour, I would recommend a few.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

On the stove or in the microwave, melt butter. Dunk sticks in butter.

You heard me.

Return chicken to baking sheet. Bake for at least 20 minutes, then either temp the chicken (165 for safety) or check for pinkness. Flip and cook for another 10 or more minutes, depending on the desired crispness of the outside. Unlike the wings, I didn't fear over-drying them. The thicker meat will take longer to cook, naturally, and so the outer skin will take longer to crisp. I was more cavalier leaving these in the oven than I did the wings. My first attempt at those came out a little dry, causing my second batch to be more closely guarded for perfection.

These drumsticks were suuuper juicy.

I tried this last night, just as an experiment, and I was very pleased with the results. Potatoes were straight forward, boiled, mashed russets with butter, salt and garlic. Cheater jar of chicken gravy all over everything. Wonderful!

*I lied, pizza is on that list. Part of the allure of pizza is I either just have to put it in an oven or order it, so that's a huge selling point. I'm thinking now I have to try and make pizza...