Name: Easy Pan Fried Chicken Drumsticks and Gravy
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 33 min
Ingredients: 8 chicken drumsticks; 1 tablepsoon olive oil; ½ teaspoon garlic powder; ½ teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked; ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon dried parsley; ½ cup chicken broth / stock ((125ml))

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Tender and juicy, these pan fried chicken drumsticks and gravy are a flavourful, easy dinner ready in only 30 minutes. Turn simple store cupboard ingredients into a budget friendly, high protein meal perfect for the whole family.

Close-up of pan fried chicken drumsticks.

This is SUCH an easy weeknight dinner. If you haven’t tried it, where have you been?

The tender chicken is coated in so much flavour from spices and homemade gravy, just add some veggies and rice or potatoes and you’ve got an incredible (and cheap!) healthy dinner.

Why not try it with slow cooker collard greens, charred broccoli, roasted frozen green beans and olive oil mashed potatoes?

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Drumstick Recipe

Simple recipe using store cupboard ingredients
Ready in about 30 minutes – perfect for busy weeknights
Cheap and healthy
Dairy free

Ingredients and Substitutions

Ingredients for pan fried chicken drumsticks.

Chicken drumsticks: Go for chicken thighs if you prefer. Boneless cook quicker, so fry for 3-5 minutes per side and then cook in the stock for 10-15 minutes, checking for doneness after 10. If, like me, you often forget to get your meat out of the freezer, make sure you follow our tips for defrosting safely before you cook.
Olive Oil: Or any other neutral cooking oil.
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Paprika: Use sweet or smoked. I personally LOVE smoked paprika but either will taste great.
Salt
Dried parsley
Chicken stock/broth

How to Make Simple Skillet Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

Step 1 – Place 8 chicken drumsticks in a large mixing bowl. Add 1 teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon dried parsley and rub into the chicken until it is evenly coated.

Seasoning drumsticks before frying in a skillet.

Step 2 – Heat 1-2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken drumsticks to the pan. It should be hot enough to sizzle. Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side until well seared and beginning to turn golden brown.

Step 3 – Reduce the heat to medium low, add ½ cup hot chicken stock, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Flip the drumsticks and cook for a further 7-10 minutes.

Step 4 – Check for doneness by cutting into one of the drumsticks (the inside should no longer have any pink) or use a meat thermometer to check it has reached in internal temperature of at least 165F/74C.

Step 5 – Remove from the heat and serve with rice or mash and veggies.

Finished pan-fried chicken drumsticks and gravy.

Leftovers

In the fridge Once cooled to room temperature, place the drumsticks in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

To reheat Place in a saucepan over medium low heat until fully heated through. Check the internal temperature is 165F/74C before consuming.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, boneless chicken thighs are a great option as they cook more quickly and taste really good with the gravy. We suggest pan frying for 3-5 minutes on each side and cooking in the gravy for 10-15 minutes, checking for doneness after 10 minutes. The internal temperature should have reached 165F/74C.

Chicken breasts would also work, but would need a slightly longer cooking time than boneless thighs due to their larger size.

Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch (cornflour for UK readers!) with 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry. Pour into the gravy, stir and continue to heat until thickened.

Yes, this chicken drumstick recipe is ideal for making in advance. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stovetop over a low heat, adding a little more stock or water to loosen the gravy if needed. When reheating, the internal temperature should reach 165F/74C.

Rice, mashed potato, roasted vegetables or green veggies go really well with pan fried chicken drumsticks and gravy as they soak up the gravy really well.

Our favorite sides with this chicken dinner are dairy free mash, southern slow cooked collard greens, oven roasted broccoli or roasted green beans.

Skillet chicken drumsticks served on a plate.

Looking for more easy dairy free dinner recipes?

Check out these delicious options:

If you make this Pan-Fried Chicken Drumsticks and Gravy recipe I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram (@thesunshinepantry) or Facebook so I can see your amazing creation!