Crispy Chicken Drumsticks & Wings

You know how I told you that Sundays are "my days".  As in, I don't like to plan things on Sundays because I'm busy finishing up the laundry, washing the dishes, cleaning various household messes, piddling about in the yard, double-checking backpacks...you get the drift.  Well.  I have a couple of exceptions to this rule.

The first exception -- school breaks or holidays that include the following Monday.  All bets are off.  Because Monday turns into Sunday, of course.  And the big one...the extra long holiday -- summer vacation.  I get lost in a haze of sunny days and often don't know if it's Sunday or Thursday.

Okay, this is a total exaggeration.  Scheduling posts keeps me on "real time".  Not to mention the three...seriously three...calendars that I have in the kitchen alone.  But you know, "my time" Sundays get put on hold during these periods of time.  And since it's Spring Break for the kiddos this week, I was able to exercise my rite to throw the rituals aside and not do a lick of laundry yesterday.  Instead, the kids and I hopped in the car and took a little road trip up to my mom's house.  It was extra special because my youngest sister and my four nephews recently moved back to Michigan from Texas and this was the first time we've seen them since they've been back!  Can you imagine having 4 kids aged 3 and under?  YIKES!  I don't know how she does it.

So the cousins had a great time running amok at Nana's.  Since her house is made for running amok.  That's her in the midst of a houseful of grandkids.  Minus a few since my other sister was not over with my other nephew and niece.  And yes, my youngest child always makes crazy, nostril-flaring, cross-eyed camera poses.  ALWAYS.  Sigh...

What does one feed a house full of hungry kids and adults?  Well, since we popped in unannounced (is that fun or cruel?), my sis ran out to grab some more chicken to add to some that were already marinating happily in the fridge.  In a marinade that was both beautiful to look at and beautiful to smell.  I wish I'd thought to whip out the camera and take a shot of it.  Oh well.

So once dinner time rolled around, we added an extra-large 100-count Old World Pepperoni Happy's Pizza to the mix along with a salad that included strawberries, avocado, and pecans...and we got busy filling our bellies with good food.

This is the chicken that my sis fried up. The original recipe was for drumsticks alone, but she added wing-dings to the mix...which are perfect for tiny hands and mouths.  And just plain fun for regular-sized hands and mouths.  It's perfectly crispy on the outside and incredibly flavorful and juicy on the inside.  Try it.  It'll please a crowd.  I know.  From experience.

Crispy Chicken Drumsticks & Wings

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 4 hours or up to overnight

Cook Time: 8-15 minutes

Keywords: fry entree chicken American

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Ingredients (serves 8)

• canola or vegetable oil, for frying
• 3 lb. chicken drumsticks
• 3 lb. chicken wings, tips removed and cut into wing-dings

marinade:

• 3 Tbs. minced garlic
• ½ c. white wine vinegar
• 1 c. spicy whole-grain mustard
• ½ c. chopped rosemary leaves
• 1 c. olive oil
• 3 Tbs. sea salt
• 2 Tbs. freshly ground black pepper

to finish:

• ~4 c. all-purpose flour

Instructions

Add all of marinade ingredients to a blender or food processor and process until emulsified.

Place chicken in a large resealable bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Close the bag and massage the marinade into the chicken pieces until well coated. Place in fridge for 4 hours to overnight.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat enough oil to come halfway up the sides of the pot, to ~375° F. Preheat the oven to 375° F.

Put the flour in a shallow dish. Remove the chicken from the marinade. Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour, shaking off any excess.

Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown, ~7-8 minutes. Remove the drumsticks from the fryer and arrange them on a sheet tray. Put them in the oven until cooked through, ~6-8 minutes longer or until everything has reached 165° F.

adapted from Aaron McCargo Jr.

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The proof is in the pudding.  And now to plan our next family get together when there will be more kids and adults from even more generations of the fam.  A holiday weekend is approaching!  What's on your Easter menu?