28 September 2011


I'm so excited to share this recipe with you.  This is the mother of all autumn chicken dishes.  Chicken drumsticks roasted to golden brown perfection with a hint of apple cider flavor.  It's an adaptation of a Family Circle recipe.


Apple Cider Drumsticks


Ingredients
1 (12 oz.) can apple juice concentrate, thawed
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp salt
8 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
¾ cup milk
1 tbsp flour
1 tbsp brown mustard
4 servings cooked brown rice


Directions:
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine apple juice concentrate, cider vinegar, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Add chicken; shake to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.


Preheat oven to 375°. Place a rack in a roasting pan and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Remove the chicken from the marinade and reserve the marinade. Place the chicken in the roasting pan.  Roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 170° on an instant-read thermometer. 


Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Boil for a few minutes, then reduce heat to low.  Baste chicken with marinade three times during cooking.


In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, flour, and mustard. Gradually whisk in ¼ - ½ cup of the marinade.  Place mixture in a small saucepan and heat until thickened.  Taste for seasoning, adding salt if necessary.


Serve the chicken with the brown rice and gravy.


Makes 4 servings.

Wow, this chicken is so good!  You really do not even need the gravy, but I included the recipe anyway.  I had to change it because the way I made it, it was too sweet.  I used all of the remaining marinade for the gravy, but next time will only use a little bit.  Of course, my husband loved it, but he has a freakishly large sweet tooth!

Aren't these drumsticks just the prettiest things you've ever seen?  Everytime I pulled them out of the oven to baste them, I was like, "Oh my gosh! They're so pretty!"  Basting them with the boiled marinade gives them the nicest browning and also gives them just enough flavor that you don't really need a gravy.  If your drumsticks are browning too much but aren't up to temperature yet, place a large sheet of foil on the oven rack above them until they are cooked through.

My one-year-old could not shovel this chicken into her mouth fast enough.  I think she ate almost two drumsticks by herself!  And it's not because she inherited Daddy's sweet tooth (I know this because she snarfs Veggie Straws, but won't touch their sweet counterpart, Apple Straws).  


I used my recipe for baked brown rice.  Since both the rice and the chicken needed the oven, I baked the rice first, then set it on the stovetop covered up in foil.  Since my stove vents out the front, the rice stayed warm while the chicken cooked.




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Shared at This Chick Cooks Linky Party, Savvy Homemade Monday#9

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6 comments:

  1. Oh this is the perfect savory fall dinner! I've never seen apple cider used this way for chicken, but I love the idea! Putting it on my to-do list =)

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  2. This looks wonderful! I just bought my first gallon of cider of the year this week!

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  3. Hi Edesia

    Removing the skin is it really necessary.

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  4. No, you can leave the skin on if you like, Jackie. I just always skin my drumsticks to make them a little bit healthier.

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  5. Hi Lesa

    What brand of brown mustard do you use.

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  6. Store brand. Or whatever is on sale. But I steer clear of the kind that has horseradish in it.

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