Crispy Roasted Chicken Drumsticks with Baked Sweet Potato Fries and Steamed Green Beans

Golden-brown chicken drumsticks roasted until the skin goes crispy and the meat turns tender. Sweet potato fries baked until the edges caramelize. Green beans steamed just until they still have a little snap. Everything cooks on its own schedule so you can plate it all hot at once. Simple, wholesome, and exactly what hungry kids (and adults) want on the table.

By TasteBuds

Recipe details

Yield
4 people
Prep time
20 minutes
Cook time
45 minutes
Total time
55 minutes

Ingredients

  • 8 drumsticks (about 2½ lb) Chicken drumsticks, patted dry
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil (for the chicken)
  • 1½ tsp Salt (for the chicken)
  • ½ tsp Black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 2 large (about 1½ lb) Sweet potatoes, scrubbed
  • 2 tbsp Olive oil (for the fries)
  • ½ tsp Salt (for the fries)
  • 1 lb Green beans, trimmed
  • ¼ tsp Salt (for the beans)

Instructions

  1. Pat 8 chicken drumsticks (about 2½ lb / 1.1 kg) dry with paper towels. Dry skin crisps better.
  2. In a large bowl, toss the drumsticks with 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml), 1½ tsp salt (7.5 ml), ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper (2.5 ml), 1 tsp garlic powder (5 ml), and 1 tsp paprika (5 ml). Make sure every piece is coated.
  3. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).
  4. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the seasoned drumsticks on it in a single layer, skin side up, leaving space between each piece so the heat can circulate.
  5. Slide the chicken into the oven and roast for 40 minutes. No need to flip. The skin will bronze and crisp on its own.
  6. While the chicken roasts, scrub 2 large sweet potatoes (about 1½ lb / 675 g) under running water.
  7. Cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise, then cut each half into wedges about ½ inch thick. You want them all roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
  8. Toss the sweet potato wedges in a bowl with 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml) and ½ tsp salt (2.5 ml).
  9. Line a medium rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Spread the wedges out in a single layer, cut side down where possible. That contact with the pan helps them caramelize.
  10. When the chicken has been roasting for 15 minutes, put the sweet potato sheet on the lower rack. The chicken stays on the upper rack. Both will finish around the same time.
  11. Trim the stem ends off 1 lb green beans (450 g). You can line up a small handful at a time and slice them all at once.
  12. Fill a large pot with about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Fit a steamer basket or colander on top, making sure the water does not touch the bottom of the basket.
  13. When the chicken and sweet potatoes have about 5 minutes left (after they have been cooking for 35 and 20 minutes, respectively), add the trimmed green beans to the steamer basket, cover with a lid, and steam for 5 minutes. They should still have a little bite.
  14. Pull the chicken and sweet potatoes from the oven. The drumsticks should register 175°F (80°C) on an instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part without touching bone, and the skin should be deep golden and crisp. The sweet potato edges should be caramelized and a fork should slide in easily.
  15. Toss the steamed green beans with ¼ tsp salt (1.25 ml).
  16. Plate each serving with 2 drumsticks, a pile of sweet potato fries, and a portion of green beans. Eat while everything is still hot.