Moroccan Spiced Grilled Drumsticks

Hello friends,

Are you into football? Well, I am not much of a football person but my husband is. In fact he loves watching sports in general and plays as well. I do sometimes watch it on TV with him, but it is for the sake of good time in his company rather than the sport itself. As the FIFA world cup 2018 is now on, that means he will be watching every game as he can and surprising us with grilled food every weekend for the next month. Incidentally, this Friday he had a day off so he grilled up a batch of Moroccan spiced chicken drumsticks. You can’t watch a game without a platter of chicken to devour!

Grilled chicken is a perfect example of how you can get creative instead of making just hot dogs or burgers for family or guests.  Not only is it a great healthy option for lunch or dinner, but chicken can often be a blank canvas to all kinds of marinades and rubs. You can simply marinate for few hours or the night before, and cook them on the grill when you want. Grilled chicken can be made ahead of time and kept warm in a warming drawer or reheated in the oven.

If you love spices you will definitely love this recipe. It is quite easy to make and delivers big flavors with a punch. My husband used the delicious spice mixture – ras el hanout. Combined with yogurt, saffron, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, the marinade could not be simpler. And, the result-utterly flavorful chicken, crisp on the outside and teneder and juicy on the inside.

Ras el hanout is a classic spice mixture used in Moroccan Cuisine. The name means top of the market and just like most traditional spice blends the mix can vary according to the maker’s preferences which means the flavors profile is also variable. Spices used in many ras el hanout typically include coriander, ginger, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon along with other less common ingredients like rose petals and lavender.

Whether you buy store-bought ras el hanout or make your own the end result will be great.  I recommend marinating the chicken overnight because it helps attain deep, balanced flavor profiles. But if you are on a deadline 30 minutes to 1 hour is fine too. While packed with flavor, these drumsticks are not spicy-hot but will make your family and guests asking for more. Serve them with quinoa pilaf and salad or roasted vegetables of choice.

How to Grill Chicken drumsticks on gas grill

Grilling chicken drumsticks can sometimes be tricky. When grilled properly they are delicious, and tender with charred exterior. Here are a few tips for grilling the perfect chicken drumsticks.

• First and foremost make sure that your grill grates are clean and well-greased. To grease, coat the grill grates with non-stick grilling spray or rub canola oil with paper towel.
• Remove the marinated chicken from fridge to bring at room temperature.
• Turn all the burners on high and close the lid to heat the grill.
• Once heated turn off all (if you have three) but one burner to maintain a temperature of 350 degrees. If you cook the chicken on too hot a grill, the skin will burn before the flesh cooks.
• Place marinated chicken on the hot grill. Cover the grill with the lid and let the drumsticks cook.
• After 15 minutes, check the chicken for turning. As chicken cooks, it becomes firmer. Flip the chicken.
• You’ll notice as you cook that some areas on your grill brown the food faster than others. You can rotate and move the chicken around to ensure even cooking. After about 30 -35 minutes, the chicken should be cooked. Check if the chicken reaches the temperature of 165 degrees f with a meat thermometer or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced.
• Serve the drumsticks after they’ve cooled for a few minutes.

I am bringing this Moroccan drumsticks recipe to #cookblogshare @Monika’s Everyday healthy recipes and to Savorymoment’s  cookout week and also at Jenny’s Cookiescoffeeandcrafts.