046 / 75 · A Little Meat or Fish
Chicken Drumsticks with Tomato Bulgur and Peas
4 servings, each with 2 small drumsticks and one-quarter of the tomato bulgur · Active 20 min · Total 1 hr
Print recipe · PDFEight small chicken drumsticks share the oven while a pan of tomato bulgur and peas cooks on the stove. Bone-in chicken gives each plate a clear centerpiece without needing boneless breast meat. The grain cooks in the tomato juices with a measured amount of water. Check the chicken temperature near the bone rather than judging only its browned skin.
Buy a useful pack, then size the portions
Drumsticks vary widely in size. The recipe uses eight small pieces totaling about one kilogram, so each person receives two. Four exceptionally large drumsticks would give a different eating portion and may take longer to cook. Keep the raw chicken on its own board and do not rinse it, which can spread splashes around the sink. Rub the measured seasoning over the skin and place the pieces with space between them. Turn once while roasting. A thermometer should enter the thickest fleshy part without touching bone, and several pieces should be checked.
Tomato counts as cooking liquid
Bulgur absorbs more than plain water here: the canned tomato brings its own juice. Start with the listed water rather than automatically pouring in the packet quantity on top of the tomato. Keep the pan covered at a low simmer and check near the end. If the grain is still firm and the pan looks dry, add water a tablespoon at a time. Add the peas late enough to keep their shape, but cook them for at least their packet time. The covered rest lets the final liquid settle into the grain while the roasted chicken rests nearby.
Ingredients
- 8 small chicken drumsticks (about 2 lb 3 oz/1 kg total)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (30 ml), divided
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika (2 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (0.5 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt (3 g), divided
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (0.5 g)
- 1 medium onion (150 g), finely diced
- 1 cup medium bulgur (180 g)
- 1 can chopped tomatoes, 14 oz/400 g, with juice
- 1/2 cup water (120 ml), plus a little if needed
- 1 cup frozen peas (140 g)
Set out
Roasting tray, Medium saucepan with lid, Food thermometer, Separate raw-chicken board or washable preparation area
Allergens
Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Heat oven to 425°F/220°C. Pat chicken dry with disposable paper, then coat with 1 tablespoon/15 ml oil, paprika, oregano, half the salt and pepper. Arrange on the roasting tray with space between pieces. Wash hands and clean raw-chicken contact surfaces.
- Roast for 35–45 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until browned and every tested thick part reaches 165°F/74°C without the probe touching bone. Rest for 5 minutes.
- After the chicken has roasted for about 10 minutes, heat remaining oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for 6 minutes. Stir in bulgur, tomatoes, measured water and remaining salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low for 8 minutes.
- Stir in frozen peas, cover and cook for another 5–7 minutes, or longer if required by their packet, until peas are hot and bulgur is tender. If the pan becomes dry before the grain softens, add water a tablespoon at a time. Remove from heat and stand covered for 5 minutes.
- Divide bulgur and peas among four plates and add two small drumsticks to each.
Compare usable portions
Compare the actual price and portion size of the chicken packs available to you. Bone weight is part of the purchased drumstick weight; it does not become extra meat on the plate.
A useful detail
The base uses medium bulgur. Fine quick-soaking bulgur and very coarse bulgur behave differently; follow the grain’s texture and adjust with small amounts of water rather than leaving it dry or soupy.
Another way
- Replace bulgur with 180 g white long-grain rice and increase the measured water to 3/4 cup/180 ml. Simmer the rice-tomato mixture for 15 minutes before adding peas, then cook until rice and peas are tender, usually 5–7 minutes more; rest covered for 10 minutes. Allow about 10 extra minutes overall.
- Use 8 small bone-in chicken thighs at the same total weight if they fit your actual shopping price; roast until all thick parts reach 165°F/74°C, allowing longer for larger pieces.
Keep it well
Cool chicken and bulgur promptly in separate shallow portions within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C. Refrigerate covered at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat both throughout to 165°F/74°C. If using the rice variation, apply the collection’s conservative 24-hour refrigerator limit and reheat the rice only once.