A Hungry Bear

Chicken drumsticks are about 1/4 or less the cost of boneless skinless chicken breasts, and have a lot more flavor. But did you know that they can also have almost the same nutritional value (in terms of low fat and high protein) as a chicken breast, if you just remove the skin? (If skinless drumsticks aren’t available at the meat counter, you can ask the butcher to remove it for you.) Combine that with a recipe that only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time and I’ve got a chicken dish that will definitely be going into the regular weeknight rotation.

Adapted from October 2009 Food & Wine.

Ingredients: 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice powder, 10 skinless chicken drumsticks, 1/2 cup hoisin sauce, 2 tablespoons red chili pepper sauce, 1/4 cup chicken stock, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced ginger, 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, sesame seeds.

Toss the drumsticks with the canola oil in a large bowl. Sprinkle the 5-spice powder over the chicken, tossing to distribute evenly. Spread the chicken out in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 35-40 minutes at 425 degrees, turning every 15 minutes. (The chicken is done when you cut it and the juice runs clear.)

While the chicken is roasting, make the barbecue sauce.

Peel and chop the garlic, and place in a blender along with the hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, chicken stock, ginger, sesame oil, red chili pepper sauce and brown sugar. Blend until smooth.

Transfer the barbecue sauce to a small saucepan and simmer over medium heat until it thickens, about 5-10 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven. Brush the tops of the drumsticks with about half of the barbecue sauce. Broil (place the rack on the second level down from the top, or about 8 inches from the flame) for 5 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and brush with the remaining sauce, then continue to broil for another 5 minutes until the sauce has started to caramelize.

While the chicken is still piping hot from the broiler, use tongs to dip the fat end of each drumstick in a bowl of sesame seeds to coat.
5. Add the sesame seeds to a bowl. Dip the chicken in the seeds to coat; serve.