This easy weeknight Paleo chicken drumstick recipe is easily the best baked chicken recipe I've ever tried! I'm obsessed!!!
Update: This is my most popular post ever and I'm not surprised! I just went Paleo again this summer and lost 20 lbs in 6 weeks relying heavily on this delicious, easy dinner. I have no plans to stop now so bring on the chicken!
Long story short: I have been battling some major fatigue. I mean, I'm usually your normal I-have-two-kids-tired but about a month ago I started being stuck-to-the-floor tired. I was too tired to leave the house, too tired to get my work done, too tired to do anything even after I started going to bed early and Kyle was getting the kids up so I could sleep in. A friend of mine got an energy boost when she went Paleo using this Paleo cookbook, so I tried it. It's going pretty well!
The bad thing is that the grocery bill got a little unmanageable because it's a lot more affordable to eat lots of processed starch, so I found myself needing recipes that were cheap, easy, and not on my "bad list". Which is how I discovered this amazing recipe for chicken drumsticks. Drumsticks are so cheap and I had never made them before because they seemed too challenging, but they're so easy! I have made no less than 50 of these babies in the last few weeks.
Best Chicken Drumsticks Ever
- Raw chicken drumsticks (I've done between 5 and 10 at a time.)
- olive oil or coconut oil (I use this organic coconut oil)
- salt
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- paprika
- cinnamon (Trust me!! It's awesome!!! Do not skip the cinnamon!)
- cayenne pepper (optional)
- parchment paper
- cookie sheet
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Take the chicken out and lay it on the sheet so none are touching. Coat the chicken either with olive oil or coconut oil and then sprinkle evenly with all seasonings, being sure to start with salt.
NOTE: The cayenne pepper is optional because that's pretty spicy stuff, so if you do use it be sure to use it sparingly. I love spicy, but I've wiped myself out on accident before so watch it. Little tip - use one hand to pull the chicken out, coat it, turn it, etc. and the other hand to hold the spices so you don't have raw chicken germs everywhere. Also, remember not to wash your chicken! That spreads germs!
Bake for 30 minutes. Turn them over. Bake for another 30 minutes. Bask in the awesomeness that is this chicken.
I have mine resting on some arugula with lemon and sea salt up top, which is my favorite way to eat these. The spices on the chicken end up getting on the salad so it's dressing without being dressing. I am not a salad lover (not without cream and cheese, anyway) so this is a big thing for me!
I also want to share these 5 other Paleo cookbooks that let me stick to my guns (and lose some chub!!):
/// The Paleo Cookbook: 300 Delicious Paleo Diet Recipes
/// Against All Grain: Delectable Paleo Recipes to Eat Well & Feel Great
/// The Paleo Slow Cooker Cookbook: 40 Easy To Prepare Paleo Recipes For Your Slow Cooker
/// Practical Paleo: A Customized Approach to Health and a Whole-Foods Lifestyle