These paprika chicken drumsticks are a family favorite, kid-friendly meal. They are so easy to prepare, in just 10 minutes, and then you just toss them in the oven and let it do all the hard work.
Everyone loves easy and quick meal recipes, especially if you are a parent and have to multitask and keep everyone full and happy. This recipe for chicken drumsticks for kids and babies that follow the BLW method is one of our favorites.
Chicken is my go-to protein if I want a quick meal, as it doesn't take long to cook, and it's quite soft and easy to chew for the baby. I'm not using any salt in this recipe, just paprika and other spices, as it's meant for babies from 6 months old. If you have older kids in your family, feel free to adjust it and add a pinch of salt along with the rest of the spices.
For a healthy full meal, you could serve them with some
- sweet potato fries
- crispy zucchini fries
- steamed broccoli drizzled with olive oil and lemon
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👩🏻🍳 Why you should try my recipe
- Easy to prepare, in just 10 minutes.
- Delicious! A big hit with babies, toddlers and older kids.
- Baby-friendly from 6 months old.
- Tips on how to serve for babies that follow BLW method.
🥘 Ingredients
To make these kid-friendly chicken drumsticks, we will need: chicken drumsticks, olive oil, yogurt, paprika, ground pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning or oregano.
For full quantities and to print the recipe, see the recipe card below.
🔪 Step-by-step Instructions
So get your ingredients ready and let's get started!
01. To start, I'm poking some holes in the drumsticks to allow the marinade to work faster. Just 2-3 cuts with a knife are enough to do the job.
02. Then I add the olive oil, yogurt and spices: paprika, ground pepper and garlic powder. I'm using Greek yogurt cause that's our favorite yogurt and we always have some in the fridge. You could use any yogurt your family likes or a non-dairy one.
03. Using my hands, I massage the drumsticks for a couple of minutes to cover all sides with the marinade. Then I leave them in the fridge for 10 minutes to rest while I preheat the oven.
04. You could use a pyrex tray or a baking tray lined with some parchment paper. Whatever you prefer. I like to use a pyrex tray as some of the marinade ends up at the bottom and then I shred the chicken for the kids and cover it with the sauce.
05. It will take about 40-45 minutes for the drumsticks to get ready. I like to turn them around halfway through so they get nice and crispy on all sides. For an even crispier result, turn the heat up for the last 5 minutes.
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Buy On Amazon📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Instead of Italian seasoning, you could use a mixed herbs spice or oregano.
- For older kids and adults, you could add a pinch of salt to the spices for taste.
- Instead of chicken drumsticks, you could use chicken wings or boneless chicken thighs.
- Instead of yogurt, you could use sour cream or a dairy-free type of yogurt.
🍽 Serving suggestions
I like to serve these paprika chicken drumsticks with some steamed or boiled vegetables or some salad and some rice or mash or some healthy fries on the side, like my zucchini fries.
Babies (6-12 months): For babies under 12 months, I would offer the chicken drumstick as it is so the baby can hold it and suck on the meat or I like to cut the chicken into strips. In those early months, babies are still learning how to chew and often suck all the meat juices and then spit it out if it gets very chewy and hard to swallow.
All other ages: For older kids and adults, you could just put one or two drumsticks on the plate with the sides. If they can't handle kids' cutlery yet, you could get the meat off the bone for them and offer it in strips.
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I got this set of cutlery for my preschooler and she absolutely loves it. The knife is not very sharp but she can easily cut her food. She also loves the little dino touch on each piece.
Buy On Amazon🧰 Storage
I usually make 5-6 drumsticks, enough for a family of 2 adults, a preschooler and a baby. If you make double the portion or you simply have leftovers of these paprika chicken drumsticks, then you should store them in the fridge and consume them within 2 days.
You could warm them up in the microwave or the oven until piping hot. Make sure it's not too hot to hold when you offer it to your baby, as their little hands are more sensitive than ours.
💭 Tips
- Poking the drumsticks a couple of times with a knife, helps to marinade the meat fast and get more flavor.
- Turn over the chicken drumsticks halfway through to get a crispier result.
- For older kids and adults, add a pinch of salt with the spices for more taste.
❓ FAQ
Chicken drumsticks are a great choice for protein for babies from 6 months old and toddlers. They can easily hold the chicken drumstick from the bone and munch on the meat. It can also improve their motor and oral skills.
You could either offer the whole drumstick to your baby and he can hold it by the bone and munch on it, or you could cut it into strips that they can grab with their little fingers and bring to their mouth.
📋 Recipe
Paprika Chicken Drumsticks For Kids
Ingredients
- 5 drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons yogurt
Instructions
- Poke the drumsticks with a knife 2-3 times each.
- Place the drumsticks in a bowl with the yogurt, olive oil, paprika, garlic powder, ground pepper and Italian seasoning.
- Using your hands, massage the drumsticks to cover them with the marinade.
- Leave them to rest for 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 375℉ / 190℃.
- Place the drumsticks in a pyrex tray or a lined baking tray.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, turning them over halfway through.
Video
Notes
- For a crispier skin, turn the heat up for the last 5 minutes.
- Serve with some vegetables and healthy fries or mash on the side.
🥣 Related
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