Crunchy Lemonade Chicken

Yum!  This chicken is really good.  It is the first time I have actually used Panko or Japanese breadcrumbs. I can finally find them in my local grocery stores.  It is so much different tasting than regular old store-bought breadcrumbs and even different from the ones you make yourself.  I read that the only actual difference is that Panko breadcrumbs are made from bread without the crust.  It is hard to imagine that just cutting off the crust before making breadcrumbs would make such a difference.   The Panko breadcrumbs are really more like "flakes" than crumbs. 

Hey, wait a minute, this post is about Crunchy Lemonade Chicken not Panko breadcrumbs so here goes:  the recipe calls for using drumsticks but my family doesn't care for drumsticks.  Nextime I make this recipe I'll substitute boneless skinless chicken breasts or even a whole chicken cut up into parts.  Other than that, I used the recipe "as is".  This is a recipe that both kids and adults will enjoy.  I served it with the Baked Beans with Maple Glazed Bacon that I made and posted about back in early July. 

Crunchy Lemonade Drumsticks

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Cook Time: 1 hr 10 min
Serves: 6

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup buttermilk
12 skin-on chicken drumsticks (3 1/2 to 4 1/4 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Olive-oil cooking spray

Directions:

Mix 1 tablespoon lemon zest and the lemon juice in a large bowl. Add 1 cup water and the sugar and whisk to dissolve, then whisk in the buttermilk. Pierce the drumsticks several times with a fork and season with salt and pepper. Toss in the marinade, cover and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring the chicken to room temperature. Put the panko, thyme, the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon zest, the cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste in a large resealable plastic bag and shake to mix. Put the mayonnaise in a bowl. Set a rack on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray.

Remove the drumsticks from the marinade, dip in the mayonnaise, then drop into the bag and shake to coat; transfer to the rack.

Mist the chicken with cooking spray. Bake until golden, about 35 minutes; flip and bake until browned and crisp, 35 to 40 more minutes. Cool completely, then pack in an airtight container.


Enjoy!

The Creative Cook