BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Whenever I come across a recipe for chicken that's baked in the oven, I'm very hesitant to try it.  I guess I equate baked chicken with dry, chewy chicken.  Not something I enjoy eating.  But when I found this recipe for BBQ Chicken Drumsticks from Everyday Cooking Magazine, I thought I'd give it a whirl since I had drumsticks sitting in my freezer. (I have adapted the recipe.)

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this chicken is so good!!  The meat is so flavorful, the sauce is so delicious, and there was nothing dry or chewy about this oven-baked chicken.  Everyone that tried these absolutely loved them!  This is now my favorite way to use chicken drumsticks.  Yum, yum, yum!

Here's what you'll need:

14-16 chicken drumsticks

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1 (12 oz.) bottle tomato-based chili sauce (near the ketchup at the grocery store)

1/4 C. white vinegar

1/4 C. packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard (I used Stone Ground Dijon)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Arrange drumsticks in a large rimmed pan.

In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. 

Rub all over each drumstick.  

Bake until tender, 35-40 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the barbecue sauce.  In a small saucepan, whist together the chili sauce, vinegar, sugar, and mustard.  

Bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove the drumsticks from the oven and brush with the barbecue sauce.  

Return to the oven; bake for 10 more minutes, turning and basting halfway through until well browned.

And that's it!  This is seriously the best oven-baked chicken I've ever had.  So delish!!