Creamy Paprika Chicken Drumsticks (Printable)

Juicy chicken drumsticks in a smoky paprika cream sauce, oven-baked until golden and tender.

# What You'll Need:

→ Poultry

01 - 8 chicken drumsticks, skin-on

→ Marinade & Seasonings

02 - 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
03 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - 1 teaspoon salt
07 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Sauce

08 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
09 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
10 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
11 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
12 - 1 cup heavy cream
13 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
14 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F.
02 - Pat chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels. In a large bowl, combine sweet paprika, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Toss drumsticks in the spice mixture until evenly coated on all sides.
03 - Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Brown drumsticks on all sides for 6 to 8 minutes total. Remove drumsticks from skillet and set aside.
04 - In the same skillet, add the finely chopped onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in heavy cream and Dijon mustard until well combined and smooth.
06 - Return drumsticks to the skillet, turning to coat evenly in the sauce. Transfer the uncovered skillet to the oven and bake for 25 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
07 - Remove from oven, garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve hot with your choice of side dishes.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The double hit of sweet and smoked paprika creates a sauce that tastes like it took hours, not minutes.
  • One skillet does all the work, which means dinner is impressive and the dish situation is manageable.
  • It is naturally gluten free, so you can serve it to almost anyone without a second thought.
02 -
  • Do not skip drying the drumsticks before seasoning because wet skin steams instead of browning and you will lose that critical crust.
  • If you walk away from the garlic in the skillet for even a moment too long it will turn bitter and drag the whole sauce down with it.
03 -
  • Let the drumsticks sit in the spice rub for 15 minutes at room temperature before searing and the salt will penetrate deeper into the meat.
  • A tiny squeeze of lemon juice right at the end wakes up the paprika in a way nothing else can.

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