Garlic and Paprika Chicken

Garlic and Paprika Chicken – Deliciously baked, crispy, juicy and tender chicken drumsticks with a garlic and smoked paprika sauce. A great chicken recipe that’s been on a the blog for years, and a reader favorite!

The Best Garlic And Paprika Chicken Recipe

If your spice cabinet is without smoked paprika, I have a revelation for you my friend. It combines the sweetness of regular paprika with some smoked complexity and adds so much depth to literally any dish you can imagine adding it to! This chicken is fall off the bone tender, smothered in a sauce so good you’ll be licking your plate clean as soon as it’s done – I promise!

Not only is this recipe a reader favorite, but this is a recipe that makes its way often in my kitchen because it’s also one of my favorites! It’s a recipe I make often, especially if I have guests coming over. In other words, it’s really quick to put together and it’s really impressive.

• Chicken – I used drumsticks today but feel free to use any kind of chicken you’d like! This sauce is spectacular no matter the cut.
• Olive oil – We want a nice neutral tasting oil that will ensure our spice blend sticks to our chicken and crisps up the exterior nicely.
• Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
• Spices – Smoked paprika and red pepper flakes for some added heat. Feel free to omit the red pepper if you’re spice averse.
• Herbs – Fresh parsley and oregano are needed in this Garlic Paprika Chicken. If dried is all you have keep in mind that dried herbs are more potent than fresh, 1 teaspoon equals 1 tablespoon of fresh.
• Seasoning – Salt and pepper to taste.

This super quick and easy tasty drumstick recipe is going to show you how seasoning chicken with a bit of paprika and spices that have been sauteed together with olive oil is a total game changer! It adds incredible layered flavor with very little effort!

To begin, you need to preheat your oven temperature to 400°F (204°C) so that it is ready to go once the chicken is seasoned. Then grab a 9×13-inch baking dish, spray it with non-stick cooking spray, and set it aside for a later step. You can also use a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper, but a baking dish works better for this recipe. 

In this recipe, the seasonings used to give the chicken flavor are first sautéed for a bit. So heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Then add the garlic, smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, and herbs to the pan and sauté everything for about 1 minute. It’s very important not to burn the garlic so do not cook this mixture for more than a minute. 

Before you season the chicken, pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Next, generously sprinkle them with salt and black pepper to taste and put them in a large bowl. Then pour the olive oil mixture over the legs and then toss to coat them well with all the seasonings. 

Once the drumsticks are thoroughly coated in the paprika and olive oil mixture it’s time to bake! So transfer the chicken legs to the baking dish and then put them in the preheated oven to bake for about 45 minutes. To be considered fully cooked, the legs should read at least 165°F (74°C) when checked with a digital cooking thermometer. Then when the garlic and paprika chicken is ready, serve it with all your favorite sides to enjoy!

Other Cooking Options

Slow cooker

Combine the sauce ingredients plus the oil in a bag with the chicken drumsticks and shake to coat evenly. Line the bottom of your slow cooker with sliced white onion and spread the chicken over top. Place the lid on your slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 2 – 4 hours.

Pressure cooker

Insert a cup of water or chicken broth into the pressure cooker and place the provided trivet on top. Place the sauce ingredients and the drumsticks in a bag and shake well to ensure the chicken is fully coated, place the chicken over the trivet and close the lid according to manufacture guidelines. Cook on manual HIGH for 15 minutes before allowing the steam to release naturally and serve the chicken hot.

How To Cook With Paprika

Cultures that love to cook with paprika already know what I’m about to tell you, that being generous with this spice will add so much depth and a mild burn to whatever dish you sprinkle it in. Smoked paprika adds a little more heat than its regular counter part, so keep this in mind while cooking. Be gentle with your paprika as it tends to burn easily if heated directly in a skillet.

This spice is delicious in nearly any protein dish, placed into omelettes or scrambled eggs, or even sprinkled over top soft cheeses like brie before being baked till gooey in the oven.

Leftovers

Fridge

Stored in an air tight container properly cooled, this chicken dish will keep for 3 – 4 days in the fridge. Just reheat in the microwave or the oven if you’d prefer when ready to eat.

Freezer

Place the drumsticks on a baking sheet and allow to freeze till frozen through, place the drumsticks in a freezer bag or an air tight container after wards and this method will allow them to keep for 4 – 6 months. Remove from the freezer and allow to thaw in the fridge over night when ready to eat. Just reheat in the oven at 350°F(177°C) till warmed through and enjoy!

Other Delicious Chicken Recipes To Try

• Roast Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Tikka Masala
• One Pan Roasted Honey Orange Chicken And Potatoes
• Chicken Rice Pilaf
• Chicken Pot Pie Pasta
• Garlic Butter Chicken
• Firecracker Chicken Meatballs