Paprika chicken drumsticks with cucumber salad

Paprika chicken drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks are a superbly tasty cut of chicken. Anything cooked with bone in tends to yield exceptional flavour.  We love this with the cucumber salad we've included the recipe for below but this would pair lovely with rice or starchy potatoes if you want to turn this into a meal that you can batch freeze or to enjoy in the depths of winter. 

Paprika chicken 

1 tbs beef tallow 

1kg pack chicken drumsticks or chicken pieces broken down from a whole chook

1 large brown onion, diced 

4 garlic cloves, minced or finely diced

2 tbs Hungarian paprika 

1 tsp caraway seeds 

2 bay leaves 

3 large tomatos diced 

1 red capsicum diced 

500ml chicken broth, stock or filtered water 

Salt & pepper

Cucumber Salad

6 Lebanese cucumbers, sliced horizontally

1 small garlic clove grated 

1 red chilli, fine dice 

1 tbs white vinegar 

¼ tsp sugar  

Salt 

2 tbs sour cream 

Method 

1. In a bowl layer the cucumber slices and sprinkle with salt, repeat this process until you have used up all the cucumber. Place the bowl of cucumber into the fridge for an hour, this process with help draw moisture out of the cucumber and allow it to take on some of the salt also. 
2. Place a large pot on high heat and add the tallow until it melts and is hot. Place the drumsticks into the pot. Make sure the chicken is not overlapping (you may need to do this in batches), you want to colour each side of the chicken (a couple of minutes each side). Remove from pot and set aside.
3. Add the diced onion, garlic and capsicum to the pot and season with salt, cook until onion softens, about 6 minutes on medium-low heat. 
4. Remove the pot from the heat, add the paprika, cook for 30 seconds then place the pot back on the burner and cook for another 30 seconds on low. Make sure not to burn the paprika as it will make the dish taste bitter.
5. Add the remaining spices, chicken and diced tomato. Combine well then add the chicken stock—just enough to cover the chicken. Bring this to a  low simmer and simmer with the lid off for 1 hour. 
6. Remove the cucumbers from the fridge, squeeze the juice out. Place the cucumbers into a sieve and rinse the salt off with water and squeeze again. In a bowl place the cucumbers, diced chilli, finely grated garlic, vinegar, sugar and sour cream and combine well. Taste for seasoning and place into the fridge once you are happy with the flavour.
7. Chicken should be close to finishing at this point and the stew should have reduced a little. Season your stew to taste with salt and pepper. When the chicken is tender and easily falling from the bone the stew is done. You can thicken the liquid if you wish with cornflour, start with a teaspoon and stir through well. 
8. Serve with pasta or steamed potatoes with fresh parsley or rice. Any unused broth from the chicken can be frozen and used as the base for another dish.