When Haley was old enough to start eating table food, I went full steam ahead. Nothing was off limits, assuming it was safe. Fruit and veggies were easy and pretty much a hit out of the gate, since she had already been accustomed to them in puree form. I incorporated shrimp into some pasta dishes, fish into some soup dishes. All with acceptance. But meat? Not so much.
Chicken, for some reason, was her least favorite. It didn’t matter if I grilled it, baked it, sautéed it…wouldn’t have mattered if I dipped it in chocolate. She wasn’t having it.
She was, however, fascinated with bones. Fascinated. I made these chicken drumettes one time and she couldn’t wait to dive in. I mean, she got to actually touch the bone. Oooo aaaah. She likes chicken now, and requests these little gems often.
Paul calls them “little pieces of chicken candy.” Indeed.
BBQ Chicken Drumettes
Serves 8
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• Salt and ground pepper
• 6 pounds chicken drumettes, patted dry
Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds; line two rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil.
In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire, and vinegar; season with salt and pepper.
In re-sealable plastic bags, toss the chicken with 1 cup of the sauce (reserve the rest for baking).
Divide drumettes between baking sheets. Bake chicken for 15 minutes, toss with more BBQ sauce. Rotate sheets and bake for another 20 minutes, until opaque throughout.
Serve right away or at room temperature.
These are awesome! I always buy the bottled BBQ sauce and really see no point in making my own since there are such good quality premade ones out there. I also love how they come in such a large variety from sweet honey to spicy and smoky. One of my favorite brands is Bulls Eye. When I was little, I used to love sucking on chicken bones too! I would LOVE to serve these at my next party!