Caribbean-Style Chicken Drumsticks

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Serves 4 to 6

Cooking Time 3 to 4 hours on Low

Slow Cooker Size 5½ to 7 Quarts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: The smoky, spicy, and sweet flavors in Caribbean jerk chicken sounded like a perfect match for tender slow-cooker chicken drumsticks. We started by building flavor with a dry rub of brown sugar and ground allspice—a classic spice in Caribbean cooking—then cooked the chicken in the slow cooker until tender. To get the skin appealingly crisp and browned, the drumsticks just needed a quick trip under the broiler for a lightly charred exterior. To make a flavorful paste to coat the chicken, we combined scallions, thyme, smoky chipotle chile, garlic, and lime zest along with molasses for sweetness and oil to bind everything together. The blender made quick work of mixing the ingredients. We brushed the drumsticks with the paste twice as they broiled until they were well browned and sticky. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

1	tablespoon packed brown sugar
2	teaspoons ground allspice
	Salt and pepper
4	pounds chicken drumsticks
6	scallions, chopped coarse
3	tablespoons molasses
3	tablespoons vegetable oil
2	teaspoons dried thyme
1½	tablespoons minced chipotle chile
2	teaspoons minced garlic
2	teaspoons lime zest

1. Mix sugar, allspice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together in bowl. Rub mixture evenly over drumsticks; transfer to slow cooker. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 3 to 4 hours on low.

2. Adjust oven rack 10 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place wire rack inside aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet and spray with vegetable oil spray. Transfer drumsticks to prepared sheet; discard cooking liquid. Broil until lightly charred and crisp, about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking.

3. Meanwhile, process scallions, molasses, oil, thyme, chipotle, garlic, lime zest, and ½ teaspoon salt in blender until almost smooth. Brush drumsticks with half of paste and continue to broil until drumsticks are browned and sticky, about 10 minutes, flipping and brushing drumsticks with remaining paste halfway through cooking. Serve.