Creamy Paprika Chicken Drumsticks (Printable)
Juicy chicken drumsticks in a rich, smoky paprika cream sauce — comforting and ready in under an hour.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 chicken drumsticks, skin on
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Dairy
04 - 3/4 cup heavy cream
→ Liquids
05 - 1/2 cup chicken broth
→ Spices & Seasonings
06 - 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
07 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
# How-to Steps:
01 - Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels. Season evenly with salt, black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika, coating all sides.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the drumsticks on all sides until golden brown, approximately 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
03 - In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in the remaining sweet paprika and smoked paprika. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and fully bloomed.
05 - Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer.
06 - Return the seared drumsticks to the skillet, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes, turning the drumsticks occasionally to ensure even cooking.
07 - Stir in the heavy cream and cook uncovered for 6 to 8 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the chicken is fully cooked through with an internal temperature of 165°F.
08 - Transfer to a serving platter, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot alongside rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce comes together in the same pan, so every caramelized bit gets folded back into something luxurious.
- It tastes like something from a European bistro but takes almost no skill to pull off.
02 -
- If you add the cream too early or on too high a heat, it can break and look curdled instead of silky, so always stir it in toward the end and keep the heat gentle.
- Do not skip patting the chicken dry, because wet skin will steam instead of sear and you will lose that gorgeous golden crust.
03 -
- Let the paprika toast in the hot oil for exactly thirty seconds, no longer, because it goes from fragrant to bitter very quickly.
- Always scrape the fond off the bottom of the pan when you add the broth, since those browned bits carry more flavor than anything else you will add.