Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner
By Ellen Bryant
I’m sure that many of you share the feeling I’ve had lately when hovering over the meat case at the grocery store, sifting through packages that would require a second mortgage to afford. It’s rough out there!
The great news is that the oft overlooked, less “fancy” protein options turn out to be some of the tastiest. I like the cuts of beef that, after a nice low and slow roast in a Dutch oven, turn into tender, fall-apart morsels, and the pork that given similar treatment, soaks up the barbecue sauce in the best way. Chicken offers another type of budget banquet—the thighs and drumsticks.
My grocery store sells a 12-pack of drumsticks for around $6.50. Considering you would pay more for a single pound of hamburger, I’d call that a good deal. Thighs generally come in a bit pricier, but still in the realm of “cheaper” meat.
When it comes to nutrition, drumsticks provide a great protein per dollar ratio. With protein intake a big mealtime focus for so many of us, drumsticks (and thighs) can give us that boost with out breaking the bank. In my household, cooking the entire pack of twelve means a dinner and a couple of lunches, but if you are serving fewer or less gluttonous people, you can always freeze half for later!
My favorite thing about drumsticks and thighs is that they are very forgiving. If you tend to worry about undercooked chicken, these are your friend. You can cook them much longer without fear of the meat drying out, and an extended cooking time actually results in more tender bites as the tough connective tissue and collagen have the chance to break down. While the minimum temperature for safety is 165F, you can go as high as 185-195F for truly fall-off-the-bone results.
While chicken breast generally takes on the flavor of whatever you are eating it with, the dark meat on the drums and thighs is much more flavorful on its own. If you’re a chicken purist, you could season them with salt and pepper, maybe a bit of oil to help crisp the skin, and you’re in business. Personally I like to use them as a great base for a variety of treatments. Some favorite “recipes”–which are really just quick and easy concoctions that I throw together the night before and marinate in my fridge before cooking for dinner the next day–include taco style seasoning, Italian seasoning, buffalo, and lemon herb. It doesn’t get much easier than dumping a packet of ranch dressing mix into a gallon zip top bag full of drumsticks and shaking it up! (I realize this is not for the clean eating crowd, and that’s okay. The idea here is quick, easy, and inexpensive ways to put protein on the table.)
The current favorite option in my house is marinated for a few hours or overnight in a yogurt based sauce. The lemon and yogurt in the marinade tenderize and moisten the meat and the combination of herbs and spices provides a savory flavor. I’m a big fan of cooking from your heart and letting the ancestors guide your hand when it comes to seasoning, so add the seasonings that you love! Baking has rules…cooking has suggestions. Enjoy!
Lemony Yogurt Marinated Drumsticks
12 chicken drumsticks
Marinade
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Juice and zest from one juicy lemon (use two if your lemons are a bit pathetic)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp thyme
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp rosemary
½ tsp paprika
Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the drumsticks either in a bowl or zip top bag. Refrigerate for 4-24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 425F and cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange your drumsticks on the baking sheet so that they are not touching. Bake for about 40 minutes, flipping half way through or until temperature registers at least 165F. Wait until 180F for more tender results.)
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