Busy day dinner

I'm doing my best to schedule my day so that I always have time to make a good, wholesome dinner after work. I will be taking care of myself in a little over a month in another state so I better get used to it. I've started working out early (before work or before 9am) just so I can have more time to cook (and eat!) later on in the day. I have to say that every single fitness enthusiast who advises to make all your meals ahead is absolutely onto something and I should listen more often.

But...sometimes you can't always be prepared to tackle weeknight dinners on a Sunday afternoon. Sometimes, you just have to wing it when you get home at 5:30 in the afternoon. And sometimes, your mom is thoughtful enough to thaw the meat and your dad is completely on board to help you with prepping and cooking. I basically have the best kitchen staff ever. They also pay for all of my ingredients. Fun, no?

Today my dad and I decided to prepare baked chicken drumsticks the easiest and most flavorful way possible. Our secret weapon? Seasoned rubs and salts. Enter these fine creatures: rosemary garlic seasoning, garlic salt, and paprika. Of course, you add in your cracked black pepper, and you've basically got a pretty solid rub for some drumsticks that have a bit of a kick. This is where experimentation and creativity shine so definitely use what you have and what you like.

We seared these drumsticks in a pan for a few minutes and then popped them in the oven and basically forgot about them while we watched Chopped. If there is any show on television that makes me feel like less of a skilled cook, it is definitely this one, by the way. Once you watch it, I don't think you'll ever stop. Once the drumsticks are done baking (about one whole episode of Chopped), serve 'em with the pan juices, a sprinkling of herbs, and some rice and you, my good friend, are set for dinner. All in under an hour.

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Baked Rosemary Chicken Drumsticks

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks, thawed and dried
4 tbsp garlic salt
2 1/2 tbsp paprika
4 tbsp rosemary garlic seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 large onion, chopped
4-6 tbsp olive oil + 2 tbsp
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro (or 1 tsp dried)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat a baking pan with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and set aside.
In a bowl, combine the drumsticks with the garlic salt, paprika, rosemary garlic seasoning, and about 2-4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Make sure that each drumstick is evenly coated. Sprinkle in salt and pepper and combine again. In a hot skillet, heat the butter and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sear the drumsticks about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer the drumsticks to the oiled baking dish and bake for about 30-35 minutes or until golden and no longer pink on the inside.
While the chicken bakes, deglaze the pan with chicken stock and sautee the onions and garlic. Set aside. Once the chicken is cooked, pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the cilantro. Serve with rice.

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xo,
k.