Super Crunchy Oven Fried Drumsticks

Yield: about 10 drumsticks (recipe easy to multiply; see notes)

Crispy, crunchy and no fryer needed! Perfect for picnics, tailgating, kids’ parties, family dinners, packed lunches and more. May be served warm, cold or room temperature－and note the helpful advance prep tips.

Preheat the oven to 400℉ for a regular oven or 375℉ for a convection oven. Lightly grease a large, rimmed baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. (If using foil, lightly grease that.)  Set aside.

Add the potato chips and Bisquick to the bowl of a food processor and process into a nice crumb mixture. (Depending on the size of your food processor bowl you may need to add the chips in batches.) Place the mixture into a large plastic bag, add the pepper and give it a shake to incorporate. Set aside. (Prep ahead tip: Crumb mixture may be prepared several days in advance and stored in an airtight container.)

Using your hands, slather each drumstick with mayonnaise. (Two tablespoons doesn’t seem like a lot, but it’s just enough to lightly coat 10 or so drumsticks.) Drop a drumstick into the plastic bag with chip mixture, and shake vigorously to completely coat. Repeat until all drumsticks have been coated.

As you coat the drumsticks, place them on the prepared baking sheet. (Prep ahead tip: After coating all of the drumsticks, you may refrigerate, uncovered, for 8 hours or so. This actually helps dry the skin and improve crispness.)

Mist the chicken with the cooking spray. Bake for 35-40 minutes, and then remove from the oven and turn the pieces over. Return to the oven and bake for another 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is nicely browned and cooked through. (Tip: I like drumsticks to be cooked beyond the usual recommendation of 165 degrees F, so I look for a nice, crusty, golden brown exterior and don’t worry if the internal temp exceeds this number. Drumsticks are hard to dry out and, I think, more tender when cooked well.)