Lemon-Drop Chicken Drumsticks are a take on a lemon drop cocktail. These drumsticks are quick and easy and can be made on the grill, in the oven or even in an Instant Pot/pressure cooker. The ingredients list is common pantry items, drumsticks or wings and these take very little hands-on time making them perfect for any meal or party.
INGREDIENTS
- ½ cup vodka
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ pounds chicken drumsticks
Oven
Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9- by 13-in. baking pan with a couple of layers of foil. Arrange the chicken drumsticks in a single layer in the pan, and pour the marinade evenly over all of the chicken. Bake until meat is well browned and pulling away from the bone, about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes.
Grill
Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Place chicken legs on grill and base with some of the marinade. Grill for 30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 185-190 degrees F. 165 F is technically done with chicken but the higher temp will help avoid the occasional bloody meat around the joints and give the meat a better texture.
After the chicken starts cooking do not baste it with the marinade the raw chicken was in.
Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker
- Add the avocado or vegetable oil to the Instant Pot and set to saute. When the oil is hot, add the chicken drumsticks. Lightly brown the chicken and then press cancel to stop saute.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken.
- Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes. When done let release the pressure naturally to make sure the chicken is as tender and juicy as possible! Quick-release is never your friend when
cooking chicken!
Cooking with Vodka
Vodka acts as an emulsifier to bind oils and water. Because vodka is relatively flavorless, it won’t overpower your dish unless you add too much. Stick to the suggested amount of Vodka suggested and you'll have nothing to worry about.
Alcohol Content
Depending on the cooking method you choose only about 15-20% of the alcohol content will remain in the entire dish. Keep in mind much of it is left in the marinade and then distributed over all of the chicken. Per serving you're getting very little alcohol and don't have to worry about feeling tipsy from eating these.
Lemon-Drop Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- ½ cup vodka
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 ½ pounds chicken drumsticks
Instructions
- In a large bowl or resealable plastic bag, combine vodka, lemon juice, sugar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Stir to dissolve sugar and salt.
- Add the chicken drumsticks and mix to coat. Seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400°. Line a 9- by 13-in. baking pan with two layers of foil.
- Arrange the chicken wings in a single layer in the pan, and pour the marinade evenly over all.
- Bake until meat is well browned and pulling away from the bone, about 1 hour and 15-20 minutes. Serve hot
More Tasty Chicken Recipes
Stephanie
Oh wow, this looks delicious! My husband can't wait until it cools off enough to start using the grill again, so I know we will be making these in a month or so!
Lina Ray
Yet another great recipe from you. This one is going to taste great. Thank you.
Heather
I love lemon! This recipe sounds great one to try, I have never cooked with vodka!
Kate Loves Travel
This recipe sounds absolutely yummy! We're always looking for new ways to cook chicken as my family eat a lot of it - I'm sure we'll give this recipe a try!
Angela Tolsma
I am definitely trying this. I love cooking with lemon and I have never cooked with vodka! Seeks like delicious meal!
Joanne
These sound delicious! I love chicken drumsticks and am starting to get bored of my usual recipes so will give this a try!
Olya AMANOVA
The things you make look so delicious that I always feel some lovely aftertaste when I read your blog. Wow to your skill to bring the best sensations to the surface and uplift by color and visual taste.
Tiffany
This looks delicious! I'm always on the lookout for new recipes to try in my new instantpot. This will be one that I add to the list.
Fae Celine
This looks so delicious! I don't think I have tried any chicken drumsticks that have vodka but it definitely sounds great! Thanks for sharing this recipe
Michelle Christie
Ooh la la, I love Instant Pot recipes! They save so much time and usually very tasty. Thanks for sharing this as an option.
Heena
This recipe looks very colorful and yummy. I love Instant Pot recipes they save lot of time and yet turns out tasty.
Madi Rowan
Hm interesting recipe! I've never cooked with vodka, but it definitely seems like it puts a fun spin on things!
-madi xo | http://www.everydaywithmadirae.com
Crystal
Oh wow! These sound delicious and also seem relatively healthy! I'm definitely going to save and give them a try later!
Sonja Hoff
Oh my yummy! Everything about this sounds so good to me! I will definitely have to try this one out! It's something I have never even thought about cooking before!