Crispy Fried Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Name: Crispy Fried Chicken Drumsticks
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 160 min
Ingredients: 16 chicken drumsticks (or a combination of drumsticks and thighs); 1 1/2 cups buttermilk; 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce; 2 teaspoons salt; 2 tablespoons black pepper (divided); 3 cups vegetable oil ( for frying ; approximately); 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 80 mins

Marinate Time: 60 mins

Total: 2 hrs 40 mins

Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Yield: 16 drumsticks

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Drumsticks have fatty flavors and delicious firm dark meat that is great for frying. This basic fried chicken recipe soaks drumsticks in buttermilk, then dredges them in seasoned flour. They're pan-fried to perfection in batches, resulting in chicken that's moist inside and wonderfully crispy on the outside.

overhead shot of a turquoise plate filled with fried chicken drumsticks — The Spruce/Diana Chistruga

There are many secrets to cooking great fried chicken at home. It may take some time for you to really get the hang of it, but your efforts will be worth it when you master this classic dish. For the best results, follow all the tips in the recipe, including the buttermilk marinade, proper oil temperature, and warm oven while you work in batches.

Kids love drumsticks, and this is a perfect choice for family dinners. They're inexpensive and can be cut from budget-friendly whole-frying chickens (save the breast and thigh meat for casseroles and similar dishes). The recipe works for whole chicken legs, and you can add some wings if you have any; adjust the cooking time for smaller pieces of chicken.

Serve the chicken as a main dish along with coleslaw, potato salad, and baked beans. For special occasions, the drumsticks make great appetizers when enjoyed with dipping sauces like honey-mustard or blue cheese.

What Does the Buttermilk Soak Do to Chicken?

Soaking chicken in buttermilk before frying is a popular method in Southern-fried chicken. The acid in the buttermilk tenderizes the meat as it marinates, which results in juicier fried chicken. If possible, let it soak overnight.

Why Is the Fried Chicken Raw Inside?

The oil and internal chicken temperatures are crucial to cooking fried chicken properly. Maintain the proper oil temperature to ensure the chicken gets cooked inside and out. Always use a thermometer to check the chicken's internal temperature. It's not safe to simply eyeball doneness by pulling the chicken when the breading is crispy. There are many variables to this method, and it's best to rely on tools rather than your instincts.

Tips for Making Fried Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Pan frying - In deep-frying, the food is completely immersed in the oil. This recipe uses the pan-frying (or shallow-frying) method in which the food is placed in enough oil to cover the bottom and sides. This makes it necessary to turn the pieces over to fry both sides. Three cups of oil will give you a depth of 1/2 inch in a deep 10-inch skillet and is sufficient to pan-fry.
Fry accurately - Use a thermometer to monitor and maintain the temperature of the oil. If the oil is too hot, the outside of the chicken will get crispy quickly, while the meat inside may still be raw. When the oil is too cool, the chicken must cook longer and the breading will soak up more oil, making it greasy.
Don't crowd the pan - A crowded pan will reduce the oil temperature, so give the chicken some space. You may also need to let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.

What You'll Need to Make This Fried Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

A Meat Thermometer

A Frying Pan

A Cooling Rack

“A delightful rendition of a fried classic. Drumsticks are great for capturing the perfect mix of crisped outsides and the juicy inner meat. Don’t be intimidated by having to fry these, with the pan-frying method you're sacrificing time to make less of a mess than deep-frying so it’s a great recipe to practice with.” — Noah Velush-Rogers

Crispy Fried Chicken Drumsticks/Tester Image

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16 chicken drumsticks, or a combination of drumsticks and thighs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying, more as needed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Pat 16 chicken drumsticks (or combination drumsticks and thighs) with paper towels to dry. Do not rinse your chicken, as the splatter of water and raw chicken juices can increase the chance of cross-contamination in your kitchen.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Add the chicken legs to the mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting any excess drip off. If you have a cooling rack, put it over a rimmed baking sheet. Put the chicken pieces on the rack.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 200 F. In a large, heavy-duty saucepan, deep skillet, or sauté pan, heat 3 cups vegetable oil to about 350 F.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Meanwhile, in a large clean bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, the remaining 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon cayenne. Coat the chicken legs in the seasoned flour, shake off any excess, and place on the prepared rack.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Working in batches, fry the chicken until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 minutes on each side. Use an instant-read food thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the largest drumstick, away from bone or fat to test for doneness. The minimum safe temperature for poultry is 165 F.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Remove the chicken pieces as they become done to paper towels to drain.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Place the drained chicken on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and move to the oven to keep warm while frying subsequent batches. Serve warm or at room-temperature.

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

If you prefer to avoid deep-fried food, use your oven to cook and crisp up the chicken drumsticks:

Heat the oven to 425 F.
Once your chicken is well coated with the spiced flour, grease a baking pan with olive oil or butter and place the chicken on it.
Bake for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through. When the chicken is golden brown on all sides, check for doneness with a food thermometer and be sure it is at least 165 F when inserted in the thickest part of the meat away from bone or fat.

10 Delectable Chicken Drumstick Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
654	Calories
36g	Fat
27g	Carbs
51g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	654
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g	47%
Saturated Fat 6g	32%
Cholesterol 247mg	82%
Sodium 877mg	38%
Total Carbohydrate 27g	10%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 51g
Vitamin C 3mg	13%
Calcium 89mg	7%
Iron 4mg	21%
Potassium 642mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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