Creamy Chicken Drumsticks in an Easy Mushroom Sauce

About This Recipe – In More Detail

With simple ingredients that you can find in most supermarkets and grocery stores, you can make an impressive main course that your friends and family will simply love.

Creamy chicken drumsticks make a great family meal, any night of the week. From special occasions to a simple midweek meal, you can dress it up or down. Serve it with your favourite sides like these Roast Potatoes, or baby potatoes and a side of veggies or go for fries instead, the choice is yours and either way, this meal will taste great!

I am roasting the skin-on chicken drumsticks in the oven, until they are golden brown, cooked through and develop a nice crispy skin. For the delicious sauce, I have packed in the flavours. From mushrooms, onions and leeks to fresh sage and Parmesan, it’s an easy sauce, that’s rich in flavour and prepared on the stove top.

Even if you’re a beginner in the kitchen, you will be able to create this with ease, following my step-by-step guide.

Want to use a different cut of meat? You can use whole chicken legs, chicken wings and chicken breasts too! Or try the mushroom sauce with beef steak or pork chops. It’s versatile and goes with many things. You can even make a vegetarian version (use vegetable stock) and serve it up with this scrummy Nut Roast.

Ingredients

• Chicken Drumsticks – I am using Skin-On Chicken drumsticks for this recipe.
• Butter – I combine softened butter with fresh garlic and sage leaves to create a rub for the chicken drumsticks that gives them plenty of flavour when cooking.
• Garlic – To flavour both the chicken and the sauce.
• Sage – I am using fresh sage for this recipe but you can also use dried sage. Just use less as dried herbs are always more concentrated in flavour.
• Closed Cup Mushrooms – You can use other types of mushrooms too such as chestnut or a mixture of wild mushrooms (just be careful using porcini as their flavour can be intense and sometimes overwhelming to a dish.
• Leek – Added for texture and it’s mild onion flavour.
• Onion – I am using a small white onion, but you can also use a yellow onion, red onion or even shallots.
• Dry White Wine – Adds a mild acidity and cuts through the richness of the cream in the sauce. The cooking process will burn off the majority of the alcohol, but you can omit it or use a substitute if you’d prefer.
• Chicken Stock – Filled with flavour which pairs nicely with the drumsticks.
• Parmesan – I recommend using a good quality parmesan cheese like Parmigiano Reggiano, but you can also use any parmesan or Grana Padano.
• Double Cream – Also called Heavy Cream/Heavy Whipping Cream, we add it into the sauce for creaminess.
• Sea Salt and Black Pepper – For Seasoning. Add to suit your own taste preference. (Bare in mind that the parmesan and chicken stock usually contain salt, so add sparingly).

Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Creamy Chicken Drumsticks

Step 1: Preparing the Chicken Drumsticks

• Preparing the Butter Marinade:
  • Place 30g of softened butter into a small mixing bowl.
  • Finely chop 4 sage leaves and crush 1 garlic clove. Add to the butter and mix thoroughly. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
• Marinating the Chicken:
  • Use a sharp knife to score the chicken drumsticks in diagonal cuts across the meaty part, allowing the butter marinade to penetrate beneath the skin.
  • Spread the softened butter mixture all over the chicken drumsticks, placing them in a large dish or bowl. Cover with clingfilm/plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Step 2: Roasting the Chicken

• Preparing the Oven:
  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
• Roasting Process:
  • Place the marinated drumsticks on a lined baking tray, skin side up, in a single layer ensuring they are spaced apart.
  • Roast for approximately 45 minutes until the drumsticks are crispy, golden brown, and thoroughly cooked.

Step 3: Preparing the Mushroom Sauce

• Preparing Ingredients:
  • While the chicken is roasting, slice the mushrooms, leek, and onion. Set aside.
  • Crush 2 garlic cloves and finely chop the sage leaves. Set aside.
  • Finely grate the Parmesan cheese and set aside.
• Cooking the Sauce:
  • In a large frying pan, melt 30g butter over medium heat.
  • Add the chopped onion and leek to the pan, sautéing gently until they are soft and translucent.
  • Stir in the crushed garlic and sauté for another minute.
  • Add the mushrooms and chopped sage to the pan, sautéing until they are soft.
  • Pour in the white wine, increase the heat, and cook until the wine is reduced almost completely.
  • Lower the heat to low/medium and add the chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Simmer the sauce until it starts to reduce down and thicken. If preparing the sauce in advance, allow it to cool completely before storing.

Step 4: Finishing the Mushroom Sauce

• Adding Parmesan and Cream:
  • Just before serving, reheat the sauce and add the grated Parmesan cheese, stirring until melted.
  • Turn off the heat and stir in the cream. Do so gently, to prevent curdling.

Step 5: Serving

• Pouring Sauce Over Chicken:
  • Pour the creamy mushroom sauce over the roasted chicken.
  • Serve immediately while hot.

FAQ

Storage

• Storage: For best freshness, I would recommend to store the cooked chicken and mushroom sauce separately. Place any leftover cooked chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. Store the mushroom sauce in a separate container and refrigerate for 1-2 days. You can also store the uncooked chicken for 1-2 days in the fridge before roasting. The sauce should be stored before the cream and cheese is added for best results.

• Reheating: To reheat the chicken, preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the chicken drumsticks on a baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. For the sauce, gently warm it in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until heated, be careful not to let it curdle by stirring very gently.

• Freezing: For longer storage, freeze the chicken before cooking. After spreading with butter and marinating, place the chicken drumsticks in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. Store the sauce without the cheese and cream in a separate freezer-safe container for up to 1 month. Thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge before roasting, and thaw the sauce in the fridge overnight before reheating and adding the cheese and cream.

• Defrosting: Allow the frozen chicken to thaw in the fridge overnight before roasting. Once thawed, proceed with the recipe as instructed. Similarly, thaw the sauce in the fridge overnight before reheating. After thawing, gently warm the sauce on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally until heated through. Adjust the consistency with a splash of chicken stock if needed.