Lemon-Drop Chicken Drumsticks are a take on a lemon drop cocktail. These drumsticks are quick and easy and can be made on the grill, in the oven or even in an Instant Pot/pressure cooker. The ingredients list is common pantry items, drumsticks or wings and these take very little hands-on time making them perfect for any meal or party.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup vodka
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ pounds chicken drumsticks
Oven
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9- by 13-in. baking pan with a couple of layers of foil. Arrange the chicken drumsticks in a single layer in the pan, and pour the marinade evenly over all of the chicken. Bake until meat is well browned and pulling away from the bone, about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes.
Grill
Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Place chicken legs on grill and base with some of the marinade. Grill for 30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 185-190 degrees F. 165 F is technically done with chicken but the higher temp will help avoid the occasional bloody meat around the joints and give the meat a better texture.
After the chicken starts cooking do not baste it with the marinade the raw chicken was in.
Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
- Add the avocado or vegetable oil to the Instant Pot and set to saute. When the oil is hot, add the chicken drumsticks. Lightly brown the chicken and then press cancel to stop saute.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken.
- Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes. When done let release the pressure naturally to make sure the chicken is as tender and juicy as possible! Quick-release is never your friend when
cooking chicken!
Cooking with Vodka
Vodka acts as an emulsifier to bind oils and water. Because vodka is relatively flavorless, it won’t overpower your dish unless you add too much. Stick to the suggested amount of Vodka suggested and you'll have nothing to worry about.
Alcohol Content
Depending on the cooking method you choose only about 15-20% of the alcohol content will remain in the entire dish. Keep in mind much of it is left in the marinade and then distributed over all of the chicken. Per serving you're getting very little alcohol and don't have to worry about feeling tipsy from eating these.
Lemon-Drop Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- ½ cup vodka
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ pounds chicken drumsticks
Instructions
- In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine vodka, lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Stir to dissolve sugar and salt.
- Add the chicken drumsticks and mix to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9- by 13-in. baking pan with two layers of foil.
- Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer in the pan, and pour the marinade evenly over all.
- Bake until meat is well browned and pulling away from the bone, about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. Serve hot
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