Lemonade Chicken

In my July/August issue of the Food Network magazine, I found this recipe in the “A Picnic for Six” article.  It’s an easy recipe but I would have liked more lemony flavor so next time I make it, I’ll add more lemon.  Other than that, we really enjoyed this chicken.

I do have to apologize for the picture but I was late with dinner and the hoardes were starving and refused to wait while I took a picture, LOL!

Lemonade Chicken

2 tbsps grated lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup water
3 tbsps packed brown sugar
1/3 cup buttermilk
12 chicken drumsticks
2 cups panko
1 tbsp fresh thyme (don’t leave this out as it adds really good flavor)
pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup mayonnaise
olive oil cooking spray

Mix 1 tbsp. zest and lemon juice in a bowl. Add the water and sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. Whisk in the buttermilk. Place mixture in a large ziplock bag. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to the ziplock bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 400º.

Mix the panko, thyme, 1 tbsp zest, cayenne, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Put mayonnaise in a shallow bowl.

Place a rack on a baking sheet with sides (like a jellyroll pan) so the juice won’t go all over your oven and cause a fire and spray the rack with the olive oil cooking spray. Use two sheets if you don’t have enough room on one.

Drain the chicken and get rid of the marinade. Dip each drumstick in the mayo and then in the panko mixture and place on the rack. Spray the tops of the chicken with the spray.

Bake for 35 minutes, turn, and continue to bake for another 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes 6 servings.

Happy Cooking!