This Italian chicken drumsticks recipe is huge on flavor with chicken legs seasoned with paprika, then browned and oven baked with with peppers and onions.
One Pan Italian Chicken Drumsticks
We're cooking up an easy chicken recipe tonight in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen, my friends. This might become your new go-to chicken dinner recipe.
I'm using chicken legs, chicken drumsticks to be more precise. Chicken drummies are always fun to eat and they satisfy some of the comfort food craving we get from time to time.
These chicken drumsticks are baked, though, not fried, so they aren't so decadent. I'm also seasoning them up with lots of paprika, which is vibrant and flavor.
It's an Italian style recipe, with the chicken drumsticks baked with lots of sliced peppers and onions. Talk about flavor.
It's called Cosce di Pollo con Peperoni e Paprika, or Chicken Drumsticks with Peppers and Paprika.
It's a one-pan meal, the main and the side dish all cooked up together, though you can easily include other ingredients to make it your own.
You can also easily adjust the seasonings to your personal preference, making it as spicy as you prefer. I know you want to, my chilihead friends! =)
Let's talk about how to make chicken drumsticks with peppers and paprika, shall we?
Chicken Drumsticks with Peppers and Paprika Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks. You can use other cuts of chicken for this recipe.
- Olive Oil. For cooking, and for serving, if desired.
- Paprika. I’m using hot paprika for this recipe, though you can use sweet paprika or smoked paprika, or a combination.
- Other Seasonings. Red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper.
- Onions.
- Peppers. Use bell peppers for the bulk of the recipe, or Italian sweets if you can find them (or grow them). Add in spicier peppers to your preference. I'm adding jalapeno peppers today.
- Garlic.
- Dry White Wine.
- For Serving. Chopped parsley, red pepper flakes, lemon, olive oil.
How to Make Chicken Drumsticks with Peppers and Paprika - the Recipe Method
Preheat Oven. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Season the Chicken. Toss the chicken drumsticks with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon paprika, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Be sure to evenly coat.
Brown the Chicken. Heat a large oven-proof skillet to medium-high heat. Cook the seasoned drumsticks for 5 minutes, turning to brown each side and get some crispy skin. Remove chicken and set aside.
Cook the Onions, Pepper, and Garlic. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet and add onions and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Add the chicken back to the pan.
Wine and Seasonings. Pour the wine into the pan. Sprinkle with remaining paprika, along with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.
Bake the Chicken. Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, turning the chicken a few times throughout, for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through and nicely glazed.
Check the temperature of the chicken at about 30 minutes, as they may have already come to proper temperature. Cooking times can vary.
The internal temperature should measure 165 degrees F for cooked chicken when measured with a meat thermometer.
Ready to Serve. Remove from heat, garnish and serve. I enjoy fresh chopped parsley, red chili flakes, and a bit of good quality olive oil drizzled over this dish, though fresh squeezed lemon juice is a very nice addition for a pop of citrus.
Boom! Done! Your chicken drumsticks are ready to serve with lots of peppers. Easy enough to make, isn't it? We love this for a simple weeknight dinner.
Serving the Chicken Drumsticks
You can serve your chicken drumsticks with the cooked peppers and onions on the side for a simple meal. For a variation, toss the peppers and onions with cooked pasta, then top with the chicken drumsticks.
Another delicious way to serve them is over creamy polenta with a good olive oil. I greatly enjoy a few drizzles of fresh Tuscan olive oil over the top.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- The Chicken. I enjoy making this recipe with chicken drumsticks, but you can easily use the entire chicken legs, including chicken thighs. It's also great with chicken breast. Bone in chicken is ideal here, but you can use boneless chicken, though you won't need to bake them as long.
- Other Ingredients. You can round this dish out with other vegetables to make it a fuller meal. I enjoy adding sliced potatoes to the pan, which soften up nicely and make the dish more filling. Also, try adding cherry tomatoes 10 minutes before serving.
- The Paprika and Other Seasonings. You can also adjust the seasonings to your preference. Consider adding cayenne pepper for a spicier version, or use a mix of hot paprika and smoked paprika. Also consider dried herbs, like dried oregano or basil.
- Saucy Version. For saucier chicken drumsticks, add 2-3 large sliced tomatoes to the dish before baking them in the oven. This is perfect for serving with pasta.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this aloo gobi recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Cookbook Recommendation
If you enjoy Italian cuisine, I recommend the following cookbook, which I used to adapt this recipe. It has a lot of great recipes.
- Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook, by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich (affiliate link, my friends!)
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Peri Peri Chicken
- Grilled Harissa Chicken Drumsticks
- Paprika Chicken (Chicken Paprikash)
- Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa)
- Nashville Hot Chicken
- Quick and Easy Chipotle Chicken
- Mango-Habanero BBQ Chicken (with homemade BBQ sauce)
- Salsa Chicken
- Cajun Baked Chicken Thighs
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Pipian Rojo
- Chicken Scarpariello
- Chicken Cacciatore
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Chicken Drumsticks Recipe with Peppers and Paprika (Cosce di Pollo con Peperoni e Paprika)
This Italian chicken drumsticks recipe is huge on flavor with chicken legs seasoned with paprika, then browned and oven baked with with peppers and onions.
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Italian
Keyword: bell peppers, chicken drumsticks, chicken legs, paprika
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes
Calories: 250kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 6 chicken drumsticks
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5 from 5 votes
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Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks about 2 pounds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons paprika divided (I’m using hot paprika, though you can use sweet or smoked)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes plus more to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 2 bell peppers seeded and sliced into strips (use Italian sweets if available)
- 3-4 jalapeno peppers sliced into strips (optional, for a spicier version)
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1.5 cup dry white wine
- For Serving. Chopped parsley red pepper flakes, lemon, olive oil.
Instructions
Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the chicken drumsticks with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon paprika, chili flakes, salt and pepper. Be sure to evenly coat.
Heat a large oven-proof skillet to medium-high heat. Cook the seasoned drumsticks for 5 minutes, turning to brown each side. Remove chicken and set aside.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the same skillet and add onions and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes to soften.
Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
Add the chicken back to the pan.
Pour the wine into the pan. Sprinkle with remaining paprika, along with red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to the oven and roast, uncovered, turning the chicken a few times throughout, for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through and nicely glazed.
Remove from heat, garnish and serve.
Notes
The internal temperature of the chicken should measure 165 degrees F when measured with a meat thermometer.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 15gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 93mgPotassium: 438mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 2601IUVitamin C: 63mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 2mg
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.
