Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic Butter - A gluten-free, oven-baked chicken that's better than fried! It's low carb and keto friendly too! If you can have bread, try dipping it in the delicious garlic butter!
I'd be remiss if I didn't share this recipe for Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic Butter. It's the most kid-pleasing, man-pleasing and mom-pleasing chicken I make on a regular basis.
Oven-baked and gluten-free, it's a great substitute for fried chicken, with an Italian twist. (Of course.)
Skinless chicken drumsticks are dipped in melted butter, then rolled in a mound of freshly grated Parmesan cheese that's been seasoned with garlic powder and paprika. That flavor profile is incredible, and it's what I use in these keto Parmesan chips, this baked cod, Parmesan shrimp and these jalapeño poppers.
I just had to add garlic powder to this chicken.
The drumsticks are baked on a foil-lined, rimmed sheet pan for an hour.
And then...Then they will emerge from the oven, a bit crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and resting in a pool of mouth-watering garlic butter that we love to soak up with fresh, Italian bread. Bits of crispy Parmesan dotting the pan provide the perfect salty accent.
To say I serve this "family style" would be too refined. Maybe "Flintstones style" is more appropriate.
We start out very civilized, with a drumstick or two on our plates, and forks and knives that are optional. Meanwhile, the baking pan is at one end of the table, beckoning to us with its garlic butter goodness.
Each of us eats with one eyeball monitoring (or guarding) the pan. You don't want to be the last one to get to The Pan.
Then, it's time to grab a slice of bread, reach over rudely and dip into The Pan. This is immediately followed by protests.
"Hey! You're hogging all of the garlic butter. Save some for everyone else!"
"I'm not hogging it!"
And that's just the adults.
Then, anyone sitting too far away must get up and walk around the table, carrying bread slices, to elbow in and get a spot at the trough — I mean The Pan. It's important to dip as fast as you can while keeping your eyes peeled for competition.
Eventually, someone, preferably a responsible adult, must referee the process to ensure that everyone has gotten a decent amount of garlic butter action. And here's my secret: this is one pan you should volunteer to wash. When you lift up the foil, more goodness awaits.
In case anyone is wondering, I did make this once with chicken breasts, for a dinner party. They tasted good.
The entire time though, I longed for The Pan. (It was sitting in the kitchen with all of the uncivilized clutter as we ate in the dining room, with napkins on our laps.)
It wasn't the same.
Enjoy!
More chicken recipes to try
Don't miss my family's Italian chicken cutlets and this coq au vin recipe. You also have to try my Italian meatloaf with chicken and this delicious Hungarian Chicken Paprikash with Dumplings!
Recipe Source: Adapted from Leanne Ely, Saving Dinner (affliate link).
Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic Butter
Ingredients
- 10-12 chicken drumsticks (skinned)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
- Italian sliced bread (optional) (for serving, to dip in butter)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease it with cooking spray.
- Remove skin from each drumstick by using a paper towel to grasp the skin and pull it off. Rinse chicken in cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Melt butter in a pan on the stove or in the microwave in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Grate Parmesan (use a Vitamix or food processor if you have one.) Place grated cheese on a dinner plate and mix in paprika and garlic powder.
- Set up an assembly line from left to right, with the chicken, the pan of melted butter, the plate with the seasoned Parmesan and the foil-lined pan. Use a fork to spear a drumstick, dip it in butter, then into the Parmesan mixture, coating all sides. Place the coated chicken on the foil-lined pan. Repeat for the rest of the chicken.
- Bake the chicken uncovered for one hour, or until completely cooked. Check for doneness by cutting into a piece. It should no longer be pink inside.
- Serve the chicken with sliced Italian bread to dip into the melted garlic butter from the pan (or to keep it gluten-free, serve with rice).
Laura
Thank you for this recipe! It was delicious and I will be sharing your recipe/site with family & friends.
Mamma C
Hi Laura - I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know.
Erica Ghiotto
I cooked the chicken at 350 for an hour and it was still completely raw. Any suggestions for how long it should take?
Mamma C
Hi Erica - It sounds like either your chicken was still frozen or something is wrong with your oven. Were your chicken drumsticks completely thawed when you started?
Coll
When you used chicken breasts how long did you cook for and at what temperature? Thanks!
Mamma C
Coll, if you use thick chicken breasts that are 6-8 ounces each, you can bake them at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes, then let them rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Liz
Oh my goodness, I made this tonight. Genius recipe and perfect for low carb eaters. Since we can't have the bread, I drained the baking pan into a saucepan and added another 1/2 stick of butter and a pinch of Montreal steak seasoning. Cooked till the butter melted and poured over the chicken, it made a sort of glaze and everyone got garlic butter 🙂
Mamma C
You have me drooling over here, Liz! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this.
Bekah
Since we are on the subject of uncivilized would grated parmesan cheese out of the bottle be okay? Decided on this recipe last minute.
Mamma C
Haha! I think it would work for a last-minute situation. When you have more time, Bekah, the fresh cheese will have a better texture.
Karly
This is my kind of dinner! Thanks for linking up with What's Cookin' Wednesday!
Mamma C
Thanks for the opportunity, Karly!
Joann
Made this tonight and you were not exaggerating the pan dripping scenario!!!
It was amazing...even Emily loved it and she's not a big chicken fan!! New staple for our family...keep 'em coming!!
Mamma C
I'm glad we're not the only ones who can't behave with this! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed it.
Joann
Will definitely try this...always need new ways with chicken and the kids favor drumsticks!!
This post was hilarious...love your writing Andrea....are you thinking about making this blog into a cookbook w/stories?? I'd buy it in a heartbeat : )
Keep blogging!!
Mamma C
Joann, you made my day. All I know is that this is what I'm supposed to be doing, and I'll see where it takes me. 🙂 Thanks so much.