Sweet n sticky chicken drumsticks recipe

My first Saturday night in the new flat was spent whipping up a dinner for two friends. I don’t have a very well stocked cupboard or fridge at the moment, and I am still learning my way around the kitchen (and getting used to an electric hob which I hate!) so although I wanted a dinner to satisfy the taste buds, it also had to be bloody easy to make! Oh and carb free as my friends is on the atkins.

After racking my brains, I had the perfect answer... sweet and sticky chicken with homemade coleslaw, sweet potato wedges and a side salad! 

mmmm

sweet and sticky chicken 

This recipe is soooo tasty but soooo easy to do and with basic ingredients and a fuss free approach. I used drumsticks but you could use wings or kebab skewers, whatever you fancy really. Ideally you want this to marinate overnight but if you can’t, then prepping it in the morning and leaving it to cook later will do fine.

Be warned... This is quite a messy recipe, so roll up the sleeves and have a cloth to hand!


Ingredients:

4 tbsp ketchup
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp soft brown sugar (I used palm sugar)
4 crushed garlic gloves
1 onion (optional - will make the sauce more watery, less sticky)

scrap shavings off the palm sugar with a knife 

the humble ketchup plays a big role here! 

This recipe is so so simple...

In a big bowl, add all the ingredients

stir well - the aroma is delightful! 

Mix this up and then add the chicken, making sure that all the chicken is coated properly. I used 12 chicken drumsticks/thighs with this amount of marinade and that was perfect. 

There was a bit of sauce left over too once cooked, perfect for dunking the sweet potato wedges in! Leave the chicken for as long as you like for the flavours to sink in!

leave for the juices to soak up! 

When it comes to cooking your sweet n sticky chicken...

Place the chicken in a roasting dish, cover with tin foil and bake in a pre-heated oven (at about 200C) for about 45 minutes. 

covering with tin foil will stop the chicken drying out 

If you are like me and nervous about serving your mates food poisoning, just cut one in half to make sure it isn’t pink in the middle before you serve! 

About ten minutes before the end, I like to take the tin foil off, which helps brown it off, and gives the sauce an extra help in being sticky J

juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside 

Whilst that is cooking, you need to make your sweet potato wedges. If you haven't made these before, it couldn’t be simpler! Wash, peel and cut the sweet potato into “wedge” shape, toss in oil and coat in a Cajun spice. Then pop them in the oven ion an oiled baking tray for about 35-45minutes.

carb free alternative to potato wedges 

So so simple but so so tasty. I served this with homemade coleslaw green side salad and for a carb free crouton idea, quickly fried some chopped chorizo and cubed halloumi and topped the salad with these!

side salad with chorizo and halloumi croutons! 

Enjoy 

X x X