Lemon Garlic BBQ Chicken Drumsticks w/ Feta Walnut Green Salad

Yay! Chicken with dark meat and skin. After a ton of chicken breast meals, it's nice to change it up. Though a bit higher in fat content, it's still a good alternative to other red meats. What's great with drumsticks are that a little seasoning goes a long way. You don't need to deep fry them in a fatty batter either and since it's summer, take advantage of your barbeque and get some real nice flavour on that meat.

A few pointers on why this recipe is good food good for you.

1. Lemon. Did you know that lemon can help reduce the risk of ischemic stroke? It can help break down the harden plaque on your arteries. It's also high in cancer fighting Vitamin C antioxidants, which also help with reducing blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, and blot clots. Basically, lemons are great for you.

2. Nuts. A lot of people assume that because nuts are high in calories that they're not good for you. But nuts, are high in good, unsaturated fatty acids and omega-3's that help reduce your LDL cholesterol. I added walnuts for two reasons, 1. I have them in the pantry and 2, to add some good fat to this dish.

3. Grill vs. fry. Hey, a drumstick tastes perfectly fine off the grill. Don't ruin your hard work (or heart) over a deep fried drumstick. Grilling gives great flavour without the bad, artery-clogging, unnecessary fat found in ingredients used to deep fry.

Skip ahead to the nutritional facts and printer-friendly version of this recipe.

Ingredients:

6 chicken drumsticks

1 tbsp olive oil 2/3 lemon juice (reserve a used, half lemon)

1 tsp paprika

1 tbsp oregano

8 cloves minced garlic

salt and pepper to taste

2 cup spring mix (or any fresh greens)

1 oz. crumbled feta

1/4 cup toasted, roughly chopped walnuts

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar 1/2 tbsp honey

1/4 cup, chopped mint

salt and pepper to taste

6 Easy Steps (Instructions):

Step 1: Mix the marinade for the chicken by whisking components together. Reserve about a cup of the marinade and half of a used lemon.

Step 2: Toss the drumsticks in marinade and let it sit for 20 minutes.

Step 3: In the meantime, toast walnuts. Do not chop them before toasting. Simply add walnuts to a lined baking sheet and bake at 350. Takes about 5-10 minutes to turn brown, watch often as they can burn quickly. When cooked, put aside to cool.

Step 4: Preheat the grill for medium-high. Add drumsticks. Try to scoop the garlic out and place on top of the chicken. You will need to turn and baste every 5 minutes for 30 minutes. I used the half of the lemon to dip into reserved marinade and baste. Yum.

Step 5: When drumsticks are almost done. Whisk the honey, oil, vinegar, salt and pepper together. Add greens, crumbled feta and chopped toasted walnuts. Step 6: Enjoy drumsticks with salad and the few days of summer left!

Enjoy! Nutritional facts and printer-friendly version of this recipe here.

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