Grilled Marinated Chicken Drumsticks With Za'atar
These garlicky grilled marinated chicken drumsticks are juicy, smoky, and packed with bold, za’atar-spiced flavor—anything but your average chicken dinner. Serve them straight off the grill or hit them with a drizzle of tangy lemon yogurt sauce. Weeknight-friendly, dinner party–approved.
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken drumsticks, skin on 2 lbs is typically about 6 drumsticks
- 6 cloves of garlic, grated to a paste Use a zester/microplane to grate the garlic. In a pinch, use a garlic press or mince the garlic very finely.
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 2 TBSP freshly chopped parsley
- 1 TBSP za'atar spice
- 1 tsp sea salt
- Freshly chopped mint, for garnish (optional)
Lemon Yogurt Sauce (optional, but recommended!)
- 2/3 cups plain Greek yogurt
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- Pinch of salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the grilled marinated chicken drumsticks:
- In a large mixing bowl, add the six cloves of minced garlic, the zest and juice of one lemon, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon of za'atar, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt. Whisk until well combined.
- Transfer the chicken drumsticks to the mixing bowl and toss to completely coat the chicken. I suggest using clean, bare hands to do this. If you're making the chicken drumsticks in advance, cover the bowl and pop them into the fridge until about 20-30 minutes prior to cook time (see notes). Otherwise set the bowl aside and make your lemon yogurt sauce, if using. (See below.)
- Preheat the grill to about 425º F. Generously brush the grates with a high smoke point cooking oil until they are slick and shiny. This creates a good non-stick surface.
- Place the chicken drumsticks onto the grates and grill them for about 20 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 170-175º F, rotating them every 5 minutes. When not rotating, keep the grill cover closed.
- Once the drumsticks are nicely crisped and ready to eat, remove them from the grill and set them on a plate. Let them rest for five minutes before eating.
- Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and/or mint, and serve with the lemon yogurt sauce.
For the lemon yogurt sauce:
- Add all of the ingredients for the yogurt sauce into a small bowl and stir until well blended. This can be done in advance or while your chicken is marinating/coming to room temperature. Serve it with the chicken.
Notes
Let your chicken sit at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before cooking it, because cold meat cooks unevenly and can yield a soggy texture, rather than nice and crispy.
Nutrition
Serving: 1chicken drumtsick | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g
