This chicken drumsticks recipe is such a fun take on your everyday chicken recipe & it is sponsored by Idaho Potato and LiteHouse Spices. Thank you!

They might remind you a bit of my crispy fried chicken on a stick. It's mashed potatoes meets fried chicken in one bite! Fluffy mashed potatoes, deliciously seasoned chicken, melty cheese crispy coated on a drumstick rivals anything you'd order at a restaurant.

With this easy-to-follow recipe, you’ll have one of your new favorite chicken recipes that will be on full dinner rotation from here on out. They’re a comfort food that’s simple enough for a casual weeknight dinner but outside the box enough to impress your guests!

What Makes These Drumsticks Different?

When you think of crispy chicken drumsticks you might be thinking about sinking your teeth into a juicy, succulent, fall of the bone piece of chicken leg. I love a good traditional drumstick as much as the next person, but these are a specialty I like to reserve for when I’m in the mood for something a little different!

They’re seasoned, nicely cooked, and still juicy. The difference is, that the meat is taken off the bone, mixed in with mashed potatoes and shredded cheese, then folded back onto the bone! Once this is done it is then coated in a crispy breadcrumb coating and fried until golden brown.

They are irresistible and so easy to make!

Ingredients for Crispy Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks - Remove the skin. This is one time we’re not after a crispy skin!
Seasoning - Poultry spice, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. These seasonings will be used for the chicken as well as the mashed potatoes.
Oil - For browning the chicken as well as frying the drumsticks.
Water - Once the initial browning of the chicken has happened, we add a little water to the skillet to finish cooking the chicken while keeping the moisture in.
Potatoes - You can use whatever your favorite potatoes are for mashing. Both russet and Yukon Gold are great choices.
Cheese - Freshly grated sharp cheddar is always a nice flavor addition to potatoes and chicken. Adds a nice salty, sharp note.
Flour - You’re going to set up a dredging station. The flour is used to help the egg mixture stick to the chicken.
Eggs - The eggs then help the breadcrumbs stick!
Breadcrumbs - The breadcrumbs are what give everything that deliciously crispy crunchy coating.

How to Fry Chicken Drumsticks

Step 1: To start, you want to mash your potatoes. This is a great way to use up any leftovers you have in the fridge. If not, you can boil them on the stove or make Instant Pot mashed potatoes. If using the stove, you can either peel before or after. Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes can easily be pierced with a knife. Then mash.

Step 2: Remove the skin from the drumsticks and season with paprika, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and salt and pepper.

Step 3: Preheat oil in the skillet, add the seasoned drumsticks in, and brown the chicken on all sides until golden brown. Then, add water and cook chicken until it cooks thru, flipping once.

Step 4: Transfer chicken to a large plate and remove the meat off of the bone. Place it in a mixing bowl along with potatoes and the remainder of the seasoning. Mix everything to combine.

Step 5: Next, using wet hands grab a handful of the mixture and flatten it out. Add cheese in the middle and place the chicken drumstick bone over the top. Fold the mixture to form a drumstick. Freeze for 30 minutes -1 hour.

Step 6: Set up a dredging station. One bowl will have the flour, one will have the whisked eggs, and one with the breadcrumbs.

Step 7: Reheat the skillet with the cooking oil until it’s hot again. While it’s heating up, carefully, roll the drumsticks in the flour, egg wash, and last, the breadcrumbs.

Step 8: Fry the drumsticks in the hot skillet until golden color on the outside, turning few times.

Eat while warm. Enjoy!

Tips for Success

To make this even more convenient, plan ahead and prepare your mashed potatoes in advance. This way, you’ll have dinner on the table even faster!
For a boneless version, discard the bones, and serve these as potato croquettes filled with chicken and cheese.
Have a dredging station set up and ready to go to streamline the process.
Use freshly grated cheddar as opposed to the pre-shredded packaged cheese. Those packs come with anti-clumping agents which not only taste different, they don’t melt as nicely.
Swap the cheddar for your favorite cheese instead.
Like a spicier drumstick? Think about tossing in a few red pepper flakes, diced jalapeno, or a bit of hot sauce to the potato chicken mixture.

What Can I Serve With This Chicken Drumsticks Recipe?

Since these crispy chicken drumsticks already have a complete meal built right in with both chicken and potatoes in one, all I really serve it with is a light salad or veggies on the side.

Salads like a Caesar salad with homemade dressing, sliced cucumber in an apple cider vinegar dressing, or a delicious Greek salad are some of my favorites.