As Promised...Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks

This is a recipe I found and followed....50% of the time, at best :) I had a nearly full package of chicken drumsticks in the freezer and didn't want to shake-n-bake them into unhealthiness, so I found this recipe this afternoon, whipped it up, and BAM! Sean took it as his lunch and said it was excellent!

First, I'll show you the recipe. Then, I'll tell you what I changed. Fair deal?

http://www.mealsmatter.org/recipes-meals/recipe/49164

Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks
Contributed By: bronwynp
allyou magazine

Great for Kids

Ingredients

1/2 cup Soy sace
2 tbsp. Packed dark brown sugar
1 Garlic clove, chopped
1/2 Inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Cornstarch
8 Chicken drumsticks (about 2 lb.)
Salt and pepper
Preparation

1. Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Add 2 Tbsp. water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly and strain, discarding solids. Preheat a broiler to high and place a broiling rack 6-8 inches from heat source. (Alternatively, light a charcoal fire and let coals burn to gray ash).

2. Arrange drumsticks snugly on a large foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and season with salt and pepper on all sides. Pour sauce over and turn drumsticks several times to coat thoroughly. Broil or grill until chicken is browned, about 25 to 30 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife. While cooking, turn pan around from back to front every 2 to 3 minutes and use tongs to turn drumsticks over. If liquid in baking sheet starts to scorch, add water, 1/4 cup at a time.

3. Remove drumsticks from pan and cool slightly before serving.

Cook's Notes

Tips: Remove the solids: Be sure to strain the sauce - the garlic and ginger will burn if left in Keep watch: Broiling under direct heat requires close attention. The legs can char and the pan can burn if it isn't turned and water added as needed.


Now for my modifications:

1. I didn't use any solids. I bought garlic powder and curry powder. Honestly I don't think this took away from any of the flavoring, but it definitely took away some prep time!
2. I used curry powder in place of ginger. Honestly I was doing it because I walked to the grocery store to save time and they had no ginger. So, I decided to read the labels of some of the mixes. What do you know, curry powder had ginger in it!! So, I used that instead!
3. This one'll hurt you: I didn't measure a thing. Not one blessed thing. I did everything by taste. A lot of soy sauce, brown sugar, everything else, THEN I tasted it and added some more brown sugar if it was too strong. Deeeelish!
4. I used a whisk to help evenly thicken the sauce over the stove. It certainly helped - I was thawing the chicken in the microwave and cooking rice at the same time, and nothing burned!

For a simple dish, I made brown rice while I was making the sauce thick (I wouldn't recommend that) and put it under the drumsticks. Then I spooned some sauce to cover the drumsticks and drip onto the rice...yum!

What recipe have you tried lately that needed a tweak? :)