Spicy baked curry drumsticks - this is a quick and easy recipe using just a few ingredients, like chicken legs and spices.
Juicy, tender curry chicken drumsticks coated in spices and baked in the oven this is one of the simplest ways of cooking chicken legs. And one of the most flavorful too, the use of a good-quality, flavorful curry powder makes the drumsticks delicious! For a full meal in one pan, roast some cubed sweet potatoes together with the meat.
If you are looking for more similar ideas, have a look at the Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Drumsticks, Instant Pot Legs, Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks, or Baked Chicken Drumsticks. Or learn How to Cook Chicken Drumsticks on the Stove.
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Recipe ingredients
Chicken drumsticks: Two per person. If they are small, you can even go for 3. This recipe uses 6 rather large pieces; they were enough for 2 adults and 2 children.
Sweet potatoes: I had two medium ones. They will need a head start in the oven, as they take slightly longer to cook than the legs.
Spices: For the potatoes, use fine sea salt or Kosher, ground black pepper, and sweet paprika. Rosemary, thyme, or oregano are great as well. If using table salt, you might want to use slightly less; itโs saltier than Kosher or sea salt.
Curry powder for the meat. I often use yellow powder containing turmeric, ginger, coriander, cumin, chili, and fenugreek. Itโs hot but not too much, making it perfect for serving children. However, you can use your favorite curry powder instead.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Can you use other cuts of chicken?
Definitely. You can make curry chicken with quarters, thighs, or breastsโeven with a whole bird. However, the cooking times will change accordingly. In all these cases, make sure the meat is cooked through. The best way to check that is with a meat thermometer (the Amazon affiliate link opens in a new tab); the internal temperature should be 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC.
Quarters or thighs will need 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on size). Rub them with spices and place them in the oven together with the veggies from the very beginning. You can also try the Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters or the Sticky Honey Lime Thighs.
The breasts will need less roasting time, about 20-25 minutes. Start by roasting the potatoes and adding the breasts after about 20 minutes. You can also try the Baked Barbecue Chicken Breast.
A whole chicken needs 20 mins per 500 g/1.1 lb. plus 30 minutes. Do the math to see how long it needs to be, and add the tubers during the last 40 โ 45 minutes of cooking time. When seasoning a whole bird, you will need more spices and one extra tablespoon of oil. Donโt forget to spice it inside the cavity as well. And how about a Whole Roasted Chicken with Oranges?
Can you use other vegetables?
Yes. And you can leave out the veggies as well. Cook the curry drumsticks without adding anything else for 35-40 or until the internal temperature is reached.
You can replace sweet potatoes with regular ones, carrots, parsnips, or other root vegetables. Or a mixture of veggies, like peppers, zucchini, eggplants, etc.
How to bake curry drumsticks?
- Step #1: Peel, clean, and cut the potatoes into cubes. Rub them with oil and spices and roast them for 10 minutes before adding the meat. They should be starting to get soft.
- Step #2: In the meantime, rub the meat with salt, oil, and spices. Arrange between the cubed potatoes and dot with butter.
- Step #3: Bake for 35-40 minutes until cooked.
FAQs
Definitely. In this case, leave out the potatoes or cook them separately. Preheat the grill to 450ยฐF/ 230ยฐC. Grill the curry legs for about 30-35 minutes, flipping them often. Make sure that the internal temperature is reached before serving.
You can coat the meat with spices, cover it well, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before roasting.
Leftover curry drumsticks keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days. You can reheat them at 350ยฐF/ 180ยฐC for about 15-20 minutes or until hot. Use leftovers to make wraps, enchiladas, curries, sandwiches, dips, and so on.
How to serve?
Curried drumsticks are great with a fresh salad. I love to serve them with a green salad with Yogurt Dressing, a Simple White Cabbage Salad, or Red Cabbage Slaw. These are also great barbecue side dishes in case you want to grill the legs.
More curry chicken
Recipe
Spicy Curry Drumsticks (in the Oven)
Ingredients
- 6 chicken drumsticks Note 1
- 2 sweet potatoes Note 2
- 2 tablespoons oil divided
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon curry powder a little more if needed (Note 3)
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt divided
- ground black pepper
- ยฝ tablespoon butter
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ยฐF/ 200ยฐC. Lightly oil a baking tin.
- Prepare vegetables: Peel, wash, and dry the sweet potatoes. Cut them into cubes, about ยฝ inch/ 1 cm. Place in the baking tin, pour 1 tablespoon oil on top, sprinkle well with paprika, ยฝ teaspoon salt, and some pepper, and rub with the hands to coat all over. Bake for 10 minutes.2 sweet potatoes + 1 tablespoon from 2 tablespoons oil + 1 teaspoon sweet paprika + ยฝ salt + ground black pepper
- Prepare chicken: In the meantime, place the chicken legs in a bowl and rub them well with the remaining oil. Sprinkle with the remaining salt and the curry powder, and rub well to coat all over. Arrange the drumsticks between the sweet potatoes in the roasting tin. Top each leg with a small amount of butter.6 chicken drumsticks + 1 tablespoon oil + ยฝ teaspoon salt + 1 tablespoon curry powder + ยฝ tablespoon butter
- Bake the drumsticks for about 35-40 minutes until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165ยฐF/ 74ยฐC and the potatoes are soft. Check with a meat thermometer.
- Serve: Squeeze some lime juice on top when serving.1 lime
Notes
- Chicken thighs or a mixture of thighs and drumsticks is fine as well.
- Potatoes: You can leave out the sweet potatoes and only cook chicken. Or you can replace the sweet potatoes with regular potatoes or other vegetables.
- Use your favorite curry powder, and make sure you know how hot it is. Our standard mixture is a medium-hot, yellow curry powder, spicy but not overwhelmingly so.
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