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Oven Baked Thai Chicken Drumsticks

Brown Roasted Chicken legs in a cilantro sauce in a blue baking dish. Close up. Side view.
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EatSimpleFood.com

These oven baked chicken drumsticks are marinated in a Thai based sauce of cilantro, peanut oil, coriander, lime juice, and hoisin sauce. Thai chicken drumsticks are delicious and moist on the inside and crisp on the outside.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 3 1/2 lb bone in, skin on chicken drumsticks (~ 12)
  • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and chunked
  • 1/2 of 1 medium jalapeno, membranes, seeds, & stem removed, chunked
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp cilantro, divided
  • 3 Tbsp fish sauce (sub soy sauce if you don't have it)
  • 3 Tbsp hoisin sauce (sub 2 Tbsp soy sauce and 1 Tbsp brown sugar if you don't have it)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 3 Tbsp peanut oil
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients, except chicken and 2 Tbsp finely minced cilantro, in a blender or food processor and pulse until garlic & Jalapeno are blended.  I like it pulsed finely more than fully blended like a pesto.
  • Trim any excess skin / fat off the chicken if needed.
  • Arrange chicken in a baking dish and pour the marinade over it.  Make sure all the chicken is coated in the marinade.  Cover and marinate for at least 3 hours and/or up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 425F.
  • Finely mince 2 Tbsp cilantro for garnish.
  • Roast uncovered ~ 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165F.  Check the chicken periodically.  Some ovens run hot and the chicken may burn or the liquid may evaporate and burn.  If this is the case: 1) add some water to the bottom of the pan if needed.  Other ovens don't run hot enough and you may need to broil (watching carefully!) the last couple minutes to get that brown crispy skin.
  • Rest ~ 5-10 minutes before eating - you don't want to burn the roof of your mouth 🙂  
  • Garnish with minced cilantro.   Happy Eating!  Beckie

Notes

  • Make double of the sauce for this recipe.  Freeze 1/2 of it for later!
  • In a hurry?  Just pop the chicken in the oven without marinating it.  Still amazing!
  • Cilantro makes a great garnish.  For the garnish, I pick off the leaves and chop.  For the food processor, I just rip off a chunk from the bunch, especially if the stems are tender, and throw it in (taking out any very large stems if they stand out).
  • Different ovens cook differently and/or are calibrated at different temperatures unfortunately. Check your chicken at 35 minutes. If it's not browning, turn up the heat or broil (watching carefully for a couple minutes). If it's too brown on the skin, turn off the heat and/or take it out of the oven and see if it's done visually or by making sure the temperature is 165F.
  • Don't like cilantro?  Use parsley or kale instead.  Don't like fish sauce?  Are you sure - it's packed with flavor!  If you're sure - use soy sauce instead. 
  • Like it spicy? Add more Jalapeno.
  • Don't have a blender? Use a food processor or mortar and pestle.