Thick saucy and tasty drumsticks
Let’s talk drumsticks/chicken legs/leg pieces or whatever you call them, they are undeniably economical, and easy to cook, it’s pretty hard to ruin a drumstick and growing up they were my children’s favourite part of the chicken.
I remember sitting for dinner at home with the kids, when my three year old nibbling happily on a drumstick, stops eating and out of the blue, asks me, “Mummy, where do drumstick come from?”
My dinner was stuck in my throat, what do I say, I can’t lie, I have to tell the truth.
“They are chicken legs, darling,” I replied.
“You mean the chickens that go baak, baak, baak,” he mimicked. Swallowing another lump I said solicitously, “Yes, darling, that’s right…” and held my breath as I awaited the wailing, as shock and horror took over all of my angels’ faces, once the foul fate of these fowls became clear to the little innocents.
“Wow, cool,” he said cheerfully and that was the end of that.
I breathed a sigh of relief and the place of chicken on the menu has never come into question again.
Fast forward to now, I often make this dish with most of the same ingredients. It's always super tasty, but this time, I wanted to make the sauce thicker. After a little exploration on the web I was inspired to add some new ingredients to my original recipe, and the result of my little experiment was an explosion of flavour. However, to be honest, I wasn’t mad about it (let’s face it, if Oppenheimer taught us anything, it’s that not every explosion is a good one, and some experiments should never be made). Maybe I was expecting too much. So, as usual, when I'm not 100% sold on a dish, I make it again and give it to friends. If their feedback comes back as, "It’s delicious, Nava," then I know it’s a keeper.
The response this time? A thunderous "Bellissimo!" and no fallout, unless you count the comment that I’m too fussy. You be the judge...
Whatever you decide, this dish is super easy to make, super healthy, and packed full of flavour and goodness. Perfect for a hearty meal that'll leave everyone asking for seconds!
A quick note:
This recipe is straightforward and quick to prepare. I used a handheld blender because my food processor sucks. However, if you have a good food processor, I recommend using it for an even faster preparation.
I don’t use all of the sauce initially, as I like to add some during the cooking process.
Feel free to use any part of the chicken you prefer—drumsticks, breasts, or thighs all work well.
This versatile sauce also pairs wonderfully with fish and I often enjoy it as a dip.
I have included a generous amount of spices in this recipe. Please adjust the quantity to suit your taste preferences.
Ingredients
12 drumsticks
1 large red capsicum
1 medium size tomato
1 small purple onion
1 bunch continental parsley
2 table spoons lemon
½ cup greek yoghurt
1/2 cup tomato paste
6 cloves garlic chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
Spices
1 tsp Garlic salt
2 tsp Onion salt
1 tablespoon Sumac
2 tsp Turmeric
3 tsp Sweet paprika
1 teaspoon baharat or mixed spice
2 teaspoon coriander
Chilli paste according to taste
1 heaped teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black Pepper
Method
Place the capsicum, tomato, onion, parsley, lemon juice, yoghurt, tomato paste, garlic, and olive oil into a food processor. Process until a thick consistency is achieved.
Transfer the sauce into a bowl and mix in all the spices using a spoon or spatula.
Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and coat them with ¾ of the sauce. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
Transfer the drumsticks on to a baking tray and check 30min into the cooking to see if it needs more sauce.
Cook for approximately 50 minutes. Or until chicken is cooked through.
Serve the drumsticks with rice and salad.
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