Parmesan Panko Chicken
It wasn't until last year that I really discovered chicken legs. There's been so much focus on the breast the last decade. Chicken breasts, of course! I guess our cultural fascination extends to more than one species. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are wonderful. (I know all you Food Inc. fans are shuddering right now.) They're easy, quick, endlessly adaptable. But the missing bone and white meat means less juice, less carnivorous pleasure. Wyatt digs into chicken legs with a vengeance. It's what every mother loves to see. So they've become part of our rotation and I'm letting you in on the secret.
I remember one night last summer when I'd been watching five kids all day. For some reason, they all stayed for dinner and Yancey was gone. I made roasted chicken legs with herbs and olive oil, and there was an absolute maelstrom in this little kitchen--chicken bones piling up, little hands grabbing at the platter, a plethora of greasy chins, and one popular mother. You, too, can have this coveted experience.
This recipe combines about 20 other recipes I've come across lately. I've lost the paper trail by now. But all you need to know is that you can come home from work, mutter about all the toys on the floor, check your flooded inbox, supervise homework, AND have this kid-pleasing dinner on the table in 45 minutes. We ate ours with smashed red potatoes and sauteed asparagus. My advice: take a break from the breast. Way overrated.
Parmesan Panko Chicken
Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs, available everywhere in my neighborhood, but they might even have them at Safeway. Light, very slightly sweet, and will keep in your pantry forever. And I always have a green can of parmesan around for things like this, roasted potatoes, or to top pizza.
12 chicken drumsticks, rinsed and dried
1 garlic clove, smashed
handful fresh herbs ,coarsely chopped (chives, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano)
1 tsp. dijon mustard
3 Tb. white wine vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 1/2 c. panko
1/4 c. dried parmesan
coarse salt
freshly ground pepper
Preheat oven to 450.
In a small bowl, mix the garlic, 1/2 the herbs, dijon, and vinegar. Add oil oil in a stream. Pour over the drumsticks and let them sit while you prepare the crumb coating.
In a medium bowl, mix the panko, parmesan, the other half of the herbs, salt, and pepper. Roll each drumstick in the crumb mixture, pressing to coat evenly. Place drumsticks on a large baking sheet and put into preheated oven. Cook for about 35 minutes, until a thermometer reads 170 and chicken is golden. You can drizzle a bit more olive oil while baking if they're not getting brown enough.
April 7, 2010
Reader Comments (11)
I just have to say, I love that second photo, taken from up above, with all the white plates and the silverware and the hands, eating. Love it.
Me and my kids love dark meat. Cory and Naomi like white meat. In the end, everyone's happy.
AND, I happen to have a HUGE package of chicken drums in the freezer. I've been avoiding them. This might be the nudge I needed to get them baked.
My kids are on this chicken leg kick too. This recipe is also great with crushed cornflakes or sliced/chopped almonds substituted for the panko. Yum!
ha!
totally agreed about the chicken breast obsession in our cooking culture. I think it's perceived to be healthier but we're missing out on the bone marrow and juices... mmm! does the body good! My go-to chicken leg meal is to bake it with pressed garlic, olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper at 350 degrees maybe with some red potatoes thrown in and it comes out delightful.
i love the second photo as well, it says DEVOUR ME! and I love how all those little hands repond so well to the command.
I could not agree with you more! So much more flavor - and my store routinely sells them for .79 cents a pound - they are a summer staple on the grill in the summer!
These look sooooo good!
Yum, thanks for this. I need to make these this weekend!
So easy. And so "NOT" chicken breast. I've just left my low-fat breast diet and realized just as much healthy can be found in all parts! I look forward to the ease of this on my next weeknight. Not to mention how much less expensive chicken with bone generally is.