By I closed on a beautiful home in Hyde Park this week. The buyers — a young couple, first-timers — looked at the keys the way I looked at my real estate license in 2012: like they were holding the future in their hands.
Sunday dinner at Mama's was the usual controlled chaos. Mama made roasted chicken and it was, as always, extraordinary. The table held fourteen people. The arguments held more opinions than the chairs held bodies. This is how Greek families communicate: loudly, with food, over each other.
Some weeks are ordinary. This was an ordinary week. I sold houses. I cooked dinner. I called Mama. I drove to Tarpon Springs on Sunday. The extraordinary thing about ordinary weeks is that they are the ones you miss most when they are gone.
I braised a lamb shoulder in red wine and herbs for four hours until it surrendered at the touch of a fork. Served over mashed potatoes. We ate at the kitchen table, just the two of us, and for a moment the house was not quiet or loud — it was exactly right. Full. Fed. The sound of forks on plates is the sound I love most in this world.
The olive oil in my kitchen is from a Greek import shop in Tampa that sources from Kalamata. It is expensive. It is worth it. I use it on everything — salads, fish, bread, vegetables, the edge of a pot of soup — because olive oil is not a condiment in this family, it is a philosophy. Use it generously. Use it without apology. Use it the way you use love: poured freely, never measured, always more than you think you need.
Mama’s roasted chicken at Sunday dinner reminded me, as it always does, that the simplest preparations are often the most profound — and that lemon, garlic, and thyme are not just ingredients in a Greek kitchen, they are a birthright. After a week of big moments dressed up as ordinary ones, I wanted to bring that same warmth to my own table without the four-hour braise. These drumsticks carry the same spirit: generous with the olive oil, unapologetic with the garlic, and finished with enough lemon to make the whole house smell like home.
Lemon, Garlic & Thyme Drumsticks
Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks, patted dry
- 1/4 cup good-quality olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Lemon wedges and fresh thyme sprigs, for serving
Instructions
- Marinate. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. Add the drumsticks and toss until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight for deeper flavor.
- Preheat. When ready to cook, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly oil the rack.
- Arrange. Remove the drumsticks from the marinade, letting any excess drip off, and arrange them in a single layer on the prepared rack. Discard remaining marinade.
- Roast. Roast on the center rack for 40—45 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the skin is deeply golden and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).
- Rest and serve. Let the drumsticks rest for 5 minutes before serving. Arrange on a platter with fresh lemon wedges and thyme sprigs. Pour any pan juices over the top.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 390 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 27g | Carbs: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 520mg