LCHF Crispy Butterflied Chicken Drumsticks. Sounds delicious. But what exactly does butterflied mean?
I have to admit I hadn’t heard the term often until my Italian butcher asked if I wanted him to butterfly some large turkey drumsticks I’d bought. I’d never been offered that in England, so I asked what he meant. Butterflying is a simple technique: the meat is opened out and flattened so it cooks faster and more evenly.
What impressed me most was the skill involved. The young butcher — he looked about sixteen — worked with a precision that was almost artful. He made careful cuts along the leg bones, removed small bits of cartilage and even cleaned up the fibula, then showed me the finished piece and asked if I was happy. I was. Very happy.
The photo below shows a complete chicken leg rather than just a drumstick, but it demonstrates what a properly butterflied piece looks like.
Butterflying is especially useful for chicken because it reduces the tendency to overcook. Once you learn the technique it’s not difficult, and you can do it yourself if your butcher doesn’t offer the service. The key is a very sharp knife — sharpen it first if you can. Using a dull blade will only lead to frustration, wasted meat and a messy result.
These LCHF Crispy Butterflied Chicken Drumsticks are simple to make and full of flavour.
To prepare these drumsticks you only need rolled pancetta (or sliced pancetta), coconut oil and a few basic spices. Turmeric lends a warm flavour and a golden colour to the cooking juices — it’s a healthy addition and I tend to sprinkle it into many dishes now.
If you don’t have coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil is a fine substitute.
I love cooking meat in a halogen oven because it contains splatter, allows easy basting, and doesn’t require preheating, which can save energy. My first halogen oven was bought as a temporary solution during a kitchen renovation and has been in constant use for years. I now have a second unit for my other kitchen because I rely on it so much.
A halogen oven does take some counter space, but it makes roasting and grilling easier and cleaner than a conventional oven. If you don’t own one, you can still cook these drumsticks in a standard oven using the same temperatures and cooking times given in the recipe.
Serve these drumsticks with a fresh avocado salad, buttered courgettes, or a simple Italian peperonata — enjoy!
- For the chicken:
- 4 chicken drumsticks
- 8 thin slices rolled pancetta (or sliced pancetta)
- 1 heaped tbsp coconut oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
- Fine Himalayan pink salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Turmeric, a pinch
- Chicken seasoning, to taste
- Paprika, to taste
- For the salad:
- Mixed salad leaves
- 1 small courgette (zucchini)
- 1 ripe avocado
- Butterfly the drumsticks by cutting along the bone and opening the flesh so the pieces lie flatter.
- Spoon coconut oil into the base of a halogen oven (or into a baking dish if using a conventional oven) and heat on high for 2 minutes until melted.
- Roll the butterflied chicken in the melted oil so both sides are coated.
- Season both sides with salt, pepper, turmeric, chicken seasoning and paprika. Add about 50ml water to the base to keep the meat moist.
- Cook at 200ºC (high fan) for 20 minutes, then place pancetta slices on top of the chicken and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Turn the drumsticks so the pancetta is underneath and cook for another 15 minutes or until the skin and pancetta are nicely crisp.
- For the salad: put mixed leaves in a bowl, add cubed avocado and courgette ribbons or thin slices.
- Drizzle with olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar, then toss to combine and serve alongside the drumsticks.
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