Caribbean Chicken Drumsticks with Asparagus and Radish Salad

I can hardly believe this, but I made this over a month ago and then forgot to write a post about it! This is actually a pretty unforgettable dish, but I got caught up in blogging more recent things I had made and somehow this one just slipped through the cracks. I found this all the way back in January, in Food Network Magazine. I had bought that particular issue of the magazine because they had done a feature on cupcakes, and I'm a sucker for those. However, I ended up using this issue for all sorts of tasty dishes, and this one may have been the very best one.

These chicken drumsticks are the creation of Food Network personality Sunny Anderson. This is the first recipe of hers I've made, and it really makes me want to make more of her meals. This was so simple and unbelievably flavorful. The best part about these drumsticks is that they are baked in the oven, making this cooking method way healthier than other cooking methods listed in the magazine (a bunch of Food Network chefs had contributed to this feature on chicken wings, each providing a unique recipe for chicken).

The drumsticks are marinated in a jamaican jerk-style blend of herbs, spices, and juices. Then they're placed on a baking sheet to bake. After boiling the leftover marinade on the stove, you remove the drummies from the oven, baste them with all of that leftover goodness, and bake them a bit longer at a higher temperature. The glaze becomes caramelized and sticky and just absolutely delicious and messy. The meat is insanely tender, and the flavors are perfectly combined.

I decided to serve these drumsticks with a simple buttered Israeli couscous, and a quickly thrown-together asparagus and radish salad. If I recall correctly, the salad was dressed with a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, and olive oil, along with salt, pepper, and dried cilantro. It was great; the crunch of the radish contrasted well with the quick-steamed asparagus, and the flavors in the dressing were present in the chicken drumstick marinade as well. A wonderful meal, and do-able on a weeknight!

The original recipe for Sunny's wings can be found here.

Sunny Anderson's Caribbean Chicken Wings (or, in my case, drumsticks!)

from Food Network Magazine

makes 3 lbs. wings or drumsticks

Ingredients

1/2 habanero pepper, seeded and chopped

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. honey

2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar

1 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 tsp. fennel seeds

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

3 lbs. chicken wings (I used drumsticks)

Directions

1. Combine the first 12 ingredients (through scallions) in a blender. Add the vinegar, lime juice, and orange juice and blend until smooth. Place the wings in a large, resealable bag and pour the marinade over them. Seal and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with foil. Remove the wings from the bag, place on the lined sheets, and bake for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook until reduced by one-third, about 10 minutes.

3. Remove the wings from the oven and brush with the glaze. Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees and continue to bake until the wings are cooked through, 20 more minutes.