Slow-Cooked Lemon Butter Chicken Drumsticks
With the combination of lemon, butter and a few herbs and spices, this juicy Slow-Cooked Lemon Butter Chicken Drumsticks recipe is super easy to make.
When my weeknights are jampacked with dance classes for the girls and karate classes for my son, slow-cooker meals are a lifesaver.
And my kids love their chicken drumsticks, so coming up with new ideas and recipes are a must.
These are super tender and juicy and paired with creamy garlic and chives mashed potatoes and vegetables, or salad and chips are just a couple of ways to serve this meal.
How to make slow-cooked lemon butter chicken drumsticks
The best thing about this recipe is that if you do not have chicken drumsticks, you can use a whole chicken instead. So long as the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 75°C or 165°F before eating.
Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks
- Unsalted Butter
- Lemon Juice (fresh or bottled)
- Sweet Hungarian Paprika
- Crushed Garlic
- Sea Salt
- Black Pepper
- Brown Sugar
- Dried Rosemary
Ingredient Substitution Tips:
Sometimes you either don’t have what you need or are unable to get it, so here are a few tips on substituting the following ingredients.
- If you do not have Sweet Hungarian Paprika, you can use Cayenne Pepper. But as it is hotter than paprika, so you would need to use less of it.
- You can use salted butter instead of unsalted; just leave the extra salt out.
- If you need to substitute brown sugar, you can do several things. Mix 1 cup of white sugar with 1 tablespoon of pure maple syrup or molasses to make brown sugar. Or you can use raw sugar instead.
Method
Add the butter, lemon juice, paprika, sea salt, black pepper, crushed garlic, brown sugar, and rosemary in a small pot.
Place on the stove over low heat and combine, melting the butter slowly. Once the butter is melted, remove it from the heat.
Tip: If you are using an all-in-one cooker that allows you to do this step in it, feel free to do so. I have shown the stovetop method for those who cannot melt the butter in their slow cooker.
Add 8 to 10 chicken drumsticks to the slow-cooker. Then pour the melted butter mixture over the top.
Using a basting brush, dip it into the liquid and coat the chicken if needed. Make sure every bit of the chicken is covered in the liquid.
Place on the lid, set to the low setting, and cook for 6 hours or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 75°C.
Ensure the top is set to vent if you use the Phillips all-in-one cooker like mine.
If you are able, halfway through the cook, remove the lids and swap any chicken drumsticks that are not fully covered in the liquid with the chicken that is.
Pro Tip: rotating the chicken allows the flavours of the liquid to get into those that are not fully covered in the juice. However, it is not required.
Once cooked, serve with your choice of sides. Here are just a few that pair well with slow-cooked lemon butter chicken drumsticks.
Have you tried these great Slow-Cooker Recipes from Just So Yum?
I love putting everything into one pot in the morning and walking away to let it cook during the day. Here are just some of our favourite ones.
- Easy Meatballs in Tomato Soup has been a family favourite since I was a little girl. Super easy to make and great for any time of the year.
- Yummy Slow Cooker Beef Casserole – when you are looking for a great wintertime casserole that is a lot less work than a stovetop one.
- Slow-Cooked Corned Beef Silverside – Never eat over-salted beef silverside again. This recipe is excellent for saving time in the kitchen and a yummy budget style meal.
Slow-Cooked Lemon Butter Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
- Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 8 Chicken Drumsticks
- 125 g Unsalted Butter
- ⅓ cup Lemon Juice
- 1 tbsp Sweet Hungarian Paprika
- 2 tsp Crushed Garlic
- 2 tsp Sea Salt
- 1 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Brown Sugar
- ½ tsp Dried Rosemary
Instructions
- Add butter, lemon juice, paprika, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, brown sugar and rosemary to a small saucepan. Place on the stove over low heat and melt the butter, or do this in your slow-cook if you are able.
- Place the drumsticks in the slow-cooker, pour the melted butter mixture over the top. Baste any drumsticks that are not full in the liquid.
- Place on the lid and cook for 6 hours on low or until the drumsticks are cooked.
