Fruity chicken drumsticks on the grill or braai says to me, it is summer! Gone with the soups and stews and in with salads,  grilling and chilling!

Fruity chicken recipes are never-ending, it seems as if chicken just leans itself to be paired with some kind of fruit! For me pineapple is a classic combination with chicken and I  use it in my Chicken Burgers, Chicken kebabs. Other fruits that brings out the best in chicken are plums, nectarines, oranges and even dried fruit comes to the party!

Summer is here and although early mornings and late nights still justify me wearing my gown, our days are glorious and we dare not complain! With summer of course comes the urge to braai or grill as often as we can! With a delicious piece of grilled meat a big salad and maybe a jacket potato or  a fresh bread, supper is done in no time! No mess, no fuss, just how I like it!

As I have said, pineapple and chicken goes together like Ginger and Fred so  pineapple basting sauce to go with the chicken drumstick would be a match made in heaven! The pineapple can be canned or fresh, it really does not matter! At the moment there are lots of fresh pineapples available so I opted for the fresh ones. Also, the amount of chili can be adapted to your taste buds, but hey, s the saying goes…. if you can;t stand the heat,, stay out of the kitchen! So I like lots of heat! So, I hope you will like these fruity chicken drumsticks, but the basting sauce will be perfect for pork too!

Fruity Chicken Drumsticks

serves 8 people ( 2 per person)

Ingredients

For the pineapple basting

1 small pineapple – or 1 tin ( 440 g) pineapple chunks

125 ml sugar

125 ml white wine vinegar

5 ml smoked paprika

10 ml chopped ginger

10 ml chili flakes

10 ml chopped garlic

250 ml water

salt to taste

15 ml olive oil

15 ml tomato sauce (ketchup)

For the fruity chicken

16 drumsticks

15 ml olive oil

salt and pepper

Method

Peel and core the pineapple and cut in small chunks. Place in a small pot. If you are using tinned pineapple, use the juice of the pineapple too, just reduce the water in the recipe with 125 ml. Place all the ingredients in  the pot with the pineapple and bring to the boil. Once it boils, reduce the heat and simmer for at least 15 20 minutes or until the sauce has reduced a little. Remove from the stove and pour into a food processor. Pulse until smooth and pour it into a glass jar and keep until needed.

Preheat the oven to 200 C.  Rub the chicken drumsticks with a little oil  an season with salt and pepper. Place in a roasting tray and roast until cooked halfway. Use a brush and start basting the chicken with the pineapple basting sauce. Do it a few times, turning the chicken all the time. One you can make a small incision in the chicken and the juice that runs out is clear, your chicken is done. This takes about 30 – 35 minutes. Serve with your fruity chicken drumsticks with coleslaw and a few crispy potato wedges!