Broiled Jerk Chicken Drumsticks

Spicy, with some heat, and broiled to a tasty finish

Adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking magazine.

• Servings: 4.

For fans of dark meat chicken and spicy flavors, this recipe, adapted from one published in Fine Cooking magazine, uses a quickly made paste of scallions, chili peppers, and garlic that becomes a rub, flavoring the meat in only 10 minutes.  The drumsticks cook in 20 minutes under a broiler, producing a brown crispy skin and a complex flavor with a touch of heat.

Use your favorite chilis depending on your heat preferences.  This recipe works well with a tiny amount of Scotch bonnet chili pepper, although these are at the top of the temperature chart.  If you want less heat, instead use a little habanero, a Thai chili, or even just a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Ingredients

• 8-10 scallions, white and tender green parts only, cut into 1" chunks
• 1 seeded and cut up chili -- Scotch bonnet, habanero or Thai chili (see above note); if you don't have a chili pepper on hand, use a pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons white wine or Champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 10 chicken drumsticks with skin on (about 3 pounds)

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients -- except the chicken drumsticks -- in a food processor. Pulse until the garlic is finely chopped and everything combines into a thick paste.
2. Place the chicken pieces into a large bowl or ceramic baking dish and toss with the paste to coat all the drumsticks.
3. Leave at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
4. Position the oven rack to the center of the oven so that the chicken will be about 5" or 6" from the broiler flame (if it's closer, the chicken will cook too quickly, getting dark on the outside and undercooked inside).
5. Turn on the broiler to high.
6. Use either the stove's broiling pan or a sheet pan into which you've placed a rack. Because the paste coating the chicken, plus any fat that will cook out of the meat, can combine to be a bit messy, it can be a good idea to first line any pan you're using with foil.
7. Arrange the chicken pieces, still covered in the paste, onto the pan or rack.
8. Place the pan in the center of the oven and broil for 10 minutes.
9. Using tongs, turn the drumsticks over and continue cooking for another 10 or so minutes, for about 20 minutes in total, until the drumsticks are fully cooked and brown.

Tip:  When seeding a powerful chili like a Scotch bonnet, consider wearing latex or rubber gloves when handling it because the scorching heat from the chile can remain on your fingers even after you wash them, making it a lingering risk when rubbing an eye, your nose, or having an open scratch or cut on your hands.  If you do experience a chili burn, apply milk, not water, to cool the burn.