You won’t believe how delicious these Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks are. A simple marinade using store-bought red curry paste!
Drumsticks haters may convert
If you’re a follower of my blog, you’d be aware that I haven’t been posting as often as I like. Real-life events have consumed my time, making it difficult to spend time here. I promise I haven’t purposely neglected this blog! Just bear with me, as I have so many recipes to still share and hope to spend more time creating them soon.
Since our son, Kai, turned 4, our life has turned upside down. We’ve been sick for a month now, starting from when Kai began preschool. Taking no more chances, we all got vaccinated against the flu while we were feeling well. Guess what? Our poor boy had an adverse reaction to it and vomited in his sleep. On a chilly winter night, at 1am, we cleaned up Kai and his bed and moved him to our bed, only for me to be drenched in puke 15 minutes later, leaving my hair saturated. Sorry for over sharing 😁
The most important thing is Kai’s now doing well, but fighting off a cold once again. Poor little bugger! Sigh… I’m so glad that the school holidays are here! Anyway, I should steer away from vomit stories because this is a recipe blog 😂 Let’s focus on these mouthwatering Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks!
Do you avoid chicken drumsticks? If so, I can’t blame you because I usually do too. While I prefer wings and thighs, drumsticks deserve some appreciation too. You get more meat than wings and they’re cheaper than thighs.
Given the skyrocketing prices of groceries, it’s beneficial to cook smartly and improvise. This means we can save money without compromising on flavour! What’s the secret to making drumsticks enticing and scrumptious? We smoother them with a simple yet amazing marinade made from store-bought red curry paste.
Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks
What does Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks taste like?
The amazing taste of these Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks blew me away when I first tried them. It got me wondering why I never thought of using store bought red curry paste as a marinade! Slashed roasted tender chicken drumstick with deep aromatic and spicy flavours from the red curry paste, lime juice and brown sugar. Every mouthful is a flavour bomb!
Does the brand of Thai red curry paste matter?
Thai Red curry paste brands differ in ingredients, leading to variations in flavour, spiciness, and quality. When I look for store bought Thai curry, I try to buy the onces that are imported from Thailand. ‘Maesri’ red curry paste is my go-to brand because it’s the closest to homemade curry. I find this brand is hotter than other brands of red curry. Don’t worry if you can’t find a tin of Maesri because other Thai red curry paste will still make these drumsticks epic!
What is the purpose of slashing the drumsticks?
Slashing the drumsticks helps tenderise the meat. This allows marinades, seasonings, and flavours to penetrate deeper into the drumsticks, resulting in a more flavourful and tender chicken. Slashing the drumstick also helps it cook faster and evenly during roasting or grilling.
How long to marinate the drumsticks?
For the best flavour, it’s recommended to let meat marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Even without marinating, this recipe works wonders on boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they still turn out very tasty.
I roasted these chicken drumsticks in the oven, but to add smoky flavour you could grill them on the BBQ!
More scrumptious Thai inspired recipes to try:
Ingredients for Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks
Chicken – I used drumsticks with the skin on, but skinless would also work. Chicken thighs with or without bone will also work nicely, but adjust the roasting time.
Thai red curry paste – ‘Maesri’ red curry paste from Thailand is my top choice because it’s affordable and the nearest thing to homemade red curry. However, any good quality red curry paste would work too.
Light soy sauce is a savoury condiment commonly used in Asian cuisine. It has a rich, umami flavour and is often used as a seasoning or dipping sauce. Opt for light or regular soy sauce, as dark or sweet soy sauces aren’t interchangeable.
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How to make Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks
Step-by-step guide with photos
Take a sharp knife and slash the drumsticks on both sides, making 2 or 3 cuts down to the bone. Place the drumsticks in a large bowl along with the remaining ingredients except for the coriander. Using gloves, massage the ingredients well into the chicken. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Remove chicken from the fridge and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. When resting time is down to 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F) for fan-forced ovens.
Place baking/parchment paper in a roasting tray, followed by foil for easy cleanup. Place the drumsticks on a raised grill rack, then brush half of the marinade over the chicken.
Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the drumsticks over, brush on the remaining marinade and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Optional – For a nice colouring on the drumsticks, grill or broil on high for 5 minutes. Sprinkle coriander over the chicken and serve!
How to store Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken
Leftovers – Allow the Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer them into a sealed container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. When frozen, they’ll keep for 2 to 3 months.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Thai Red Curry Roast Chicken Drumsticks
Video
Ingredients
- 1.5kg / 3.3lb or 8 chicken drumsticks (NOTE 1)
- 6 (30g / 1oz) garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 30gm / 1oz ginger, peeled and minced
- ¼ cup (60ml / 2floz) fresh lime juice
- ¼ cup (65gm / 2.3oz) Thai red curry paste (NOTE 2)
- 2 tbsp (35gm / 1.2oz) brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup (80ml / 2.7floz) light soy sauce (NOTE 3)
- 2 tbsp (40ml / 1.4floz) peanut or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander / cilantro
Instructions
- Take a sharp knife and slash the drumsticks on both sides, making 2 or 3 cuts down to the bone.
- Place the drumsticks in a large bowl along with the remaining ingredients except for the coriander. Using gloves, massage the ingredients well into the chicken. Cover the bowl and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Remove chicken from the fridge and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. When resting time is down to 15 minutes, preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F) for fan-forced ovens.Place baking/parchment paper in a roasting tray, followed by foil for easy cleanup. Place the drumsticks on a raised grill rack, then brush half of the marinade over the chicken.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then turn the drumsticks over, brush on the remaining marinade and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Optional – For a nice colouring on the drumsticks, grill or broil on high for 5 minutes. Sprinkle coriander over the chicken and serve!
