Drumsticks are one of my favorite parts of the chicken. Juicy, flavorful and perfect in every way. They’ve got more meat than the wings and are moister than the breast. My hubby isn’t a big fan of chicken drumsticks but even he couldn’t resist these!
Let’s talk a bit about these gorgeous drumsticks. I think you’ll agree they are absolutely fabulous! What colors! They are so vibrant and inviting! And although this dish looks fancy, it’s really quite simple.
The secret of this recipe is the pomegranate sauce, which gives a nice color and unique taste. I used it everywhere – for the glaze, for the brussels sprouts and for drizzling over the entire meal. The result is deliciously tender and perfectly juicy meat which is full of wonderful flavors. The sauce gives a pleasantly sweet yet slightly tart taste that pairs well with chicken and brussels sprouts.
As a final touch, I garnished the chicken with pomegranate arils which added a nice touch of crunchiness and made for a really nice presentation. I promise that your friends and family will be very impressed!
Just look at these beauties – who could resist?
If you are a pomegranate fan, just like me, feel free to check out more of my recipes with this unique fruit.
- Brussels Sprout Pomegranate Salad
- Sheet Pan Pomegranate Chicken
- Roasted Romanesco with Pomegranates
- Chocolate Donuts with Pomegranate Glaze
- Grilled Eggplant Pomegranate Salad
Ingredients
For the chicken drumsticks:
- 6 large chicken drumsticks (about 2 lb or 900g in total)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the pomegranate sauce:
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
For the brussels sprouts:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 cups brussels sprouts , halved
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup toasted pecans , chopped
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate arils
Instructions
The chicken drumsticks:
- Mix all ingredients, except the chicken, together in a large ziplock bag. Add chicken drumsticks and massage marinade into the chicken until evenly coated. Seal the bag and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.
The pomegranate sauce:
- Pour the pomegranate juice in a saucepan and place over high heat. Stir in the sugar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. Stir and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the juice has reduced to about 1/2 cup and formed a syrup that coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and divide the sauce between 2 bowls.
- Arrange the drumsticks in the baking dish so they're not touching each other. Roast for 25 minutes. Remove the drumsticks from the oven and brush the glaze from one of the bowls on top using a pastry brush. Put them back in the oven for 1 minute. Repeat the glazing process to give a double glaze. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the drumsticks are cooked through.
The brussels sprouts:
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the brussels sprouts and cook, stirring only occasionally, for about 3-5 minutes, or until the sides start to brown. Add in 1 tablespoon of prepared pomegranate sauce from the second bowl and the salt. Stir to coat the brussels sprouts. Stir in the pecans. Remove from heat and stir in the pomegranate arils.
- Serve chicken drumsticks with brussels sprouts and rice or mashed potatoes. Drizzle the remaining glaze over the top (if the glaze has hardened too much to pour, you can microwave it a few seconds to get it to the right consistency) and garnish with pomegranate seeds, if desired.
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