The Bird is the Word once you soak it in this miracle marinade!
My pops was a wizard around a barbecue. Some of my fondest memories of him involve the classic Weber Kettle sizzling in the summer heat, our burnt orange Tupperware streaked with marinade juices and loaded with enough chicken to feed an army, and him madly puffing on a cigarette before my grandma could catch him. Pops loved a good barbecue sauce but eventually turned to crafting his own seasonings and rubs on an endless quest to find the perfect combination.
This drumstick marinade is easy, tasty, and full of flavor. The highly sought-after combination of sweet and salty is on full display here. Honey helps take the edge off the soy sauce, while a spice army consisting of cayenne, onion, paprika, and garlic marches alongside. But before you get too settled, a squirt of Dijon mustard throws a tangy curveball and elevates this for an unforgettable night of feasting.
Is Chicken Drumstick Marinade Healthy?
Oven-baked drumsticks offer a healthier alternative to deep-fried chicken, and the flavorful blend of seasonings will make you wonder why you ever reached for a crispy, greasy drumstick in the past. Soy sauce does carry a hefty dose of sodium. But if you’re trying to watch your salt intake, you can easily swap this out for a low-sodium soy sauce instead.
Let The Magic Marinate
Marinades are concoctions made of acid, oil, and seasonings, and are used to help tenderize the meat and add flavor. But marinating your meat for the correct amount of time is important. With denser meats like steak, you’ll want to let them marinate for a day or even longer. Chicken is lighter and will soften and flavor within 2 hours, but you can let it marinate for up to 24 hours. Let the meat rest in the marinade for too long, and you run the risk of it becoming mushy or losing its flavor.
Marinades should be thin enough to penetrate the meat; there is a difference between a marinade and a sauce. Use a plastic or glass container, but not metal, as it can react to the acid in the marinade. Lastly, always marinate meat in the refrigerator so bacteria don’t form.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 chicken drumsticks
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Mix
Whisk marinade ingredients and coat drumsticks.
Marinate
Refrigerate chicken in marinade for optimal flavor.
Bake
Cook drumsticks until perfectly done. Garnish with fresh parsley.
Devour!
How to Make Ahead and Store
Marinades can be made and kept in an airtight container in the fridge before use. It’s best to use within 3 days of preparing to ensure freshness. Marinades will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
So, you have this beautiful marinade. What do you do with it? Baked drumsticks aren’t the only part of the bird this marinade pairs nicely with. Try some of our world-class chicken recipes to bathe that bird right, like this spatchcock chicken recipe, rotisserie chicken, or this Dutch oven whole chicken.
Side dishes to go with a juicy chicken are plentiful, with salads and potatoes being some of my favorites. Keep things classic with this old-fashioned potato salad or go a little more modern with these air fryer baked potatoes or this kale salad.
Now that you’ve mastered a marinade, you might find yourself itching to try more. This chicken marinade adds brown sugar for sweetness and rosemary for an aromatic twist, while this flank steak marinade is the perfect savory addition to a juicy steak.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 1/4 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 10 chicken drumsticks
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together all of the marinade ingredients until smooth.
- Place the chicken drumsticks in a large resealable bag with the marinade. Seal the bag, and massage the marinade into the drumsticks.
- Refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the marinated drumsticks on a foil-lined and greased baking sheet.
- Bake for 25 minutes, turn the drumsticks, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until fully cooked. Top with fresh parsley when serving.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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