Crisp and golden chicken drumsticks are baked in a delicious sauce made with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and bell peppers. The sauce is absolutely out of this word and just perfect to serve over pasta or rice.
There's something really iconic about a chicken dinner. Chicken is usually liked by everyone, even picky eaters, so it's perfect when you want to satisfy everyone's taste buds.
I created this chicken drumsticks with tomatoes and peppers meal because I'm always looking for new ways to use chicken drumsticks. I also love when you can cook the meat and vegetables all at once. All you need is to make a quick pot of pasta, rice or mashed potatoes and you're all set. Of course, this is also perfect if you're having guests in your home too. With some rolls and a salad, you've got yourself a restaurant-worthy meal.
The sauce that you get from the tomatoes, peppers, onions, and garlic is phenomenal. The fresh tomatoes make a sauce that is so much smoother and less acidic than canned tomatoes. Of course, you can also use canned tomatoes if you don't have fresh tomatoes available, and I explained how to make the adjustments in the recipe instructions. The sauce is fresh and bright and still has some texture from the peppers and onions. The chicken gets really soft and tender as it braises in the sauce and picks up all the flavors from the vegetables.
Ingredients:
8 chicken drumsticks (you can also use chicken thighs, chicken wings or chicken breast)
1-2 Tablespoons oil (olive, grape seed, avocado, etc.)
salt, ground black pepper, to taste
1 large onion, sliced
4-6 garlic cloves, minced or sliced
2-3 sweet bell peppers, julienned
2 ½ lbs of fresh tomatoes, peeled and crushed (about 4 cups total when crushed), or crushed canned tomatoes
1 Tablespoon dry herb seasoning (a chicken seasoning mix, dry thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, etc.)
1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil
Instructions:
Preparing the Chicken:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Season the chicken drumsticks with salt and ground black pepper. Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat and brown the chicken until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes, then flip the chicken over and cook until golden brown on the other side as well, about 3-5 minutes.
Set the chicken aside. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point but will continue cooking in the oven.
Preparing the Tomato and Pepper Sauce:
While the chicken is cooking, prep the tomatoes if you haven't done so already.
To peel tomatoes, cut a small, shallow X on the stem and bottom of each tomato. 
How to Peel the Tomatoes:
How to Peel the Tomatoes:Place all the tomatoes in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the tomatoes and let them stand for about 1 minute.
Then pour the boiling water off and place the tomatoes in a bowl filled with ice water. Another way I do it is to boil a large pot of water and drop a few of the tomatoes into the boiling water at a time for about 30 seconds, scooping out the tomatoes and placing them into a bowl filled with ice water. The peel comes right off.
Cut out the stem from each tomato. Place the tomatoes into the food processor or blender and crush them until the tomatoes are as smooth or as chunky as you like.
You can also use crushed canned tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes. Use a little bit less of the crushed tomatoes and add some water to dilute the tomatoes. Their flavor will be more concentrated, so I would also recommend adding a teaspoon of sugar.
In the same skillet that you used to cook the skillet, add more oil if you need to and add the onion, seasoning with salt to taste. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onions, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release all the browned bits from the chicken for about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and peppers, seasoning with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until the peppers have softened as well, 3-5 minutes.
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, seasoning once again with salt and ground black pepper, as well as any dry herbs that you like, a chicken seasoning mix, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, etc.
Bring the tomatoes to a boil, reduce them to a simmer and cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
Baking the Chicken in the Tomato Pepper Sauce:
Pour the sauce into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Nestle the browned chicken drumsticks on top of the sauce.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes.
Garnish with fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil.
Chicken Drumsticks With Tomatoes and Peppers
Crisp and golden chicken drumsticks are baked in a delicious sauce made with fresh tomatoes, onions, garlic and bell peppers. The sauce is absolutely out of this word and just perfect to serve over pasta or rice.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 65 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 mins
- Yield: 6
- Category: Entree
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks (you can also use chicken thighs, chicken wings or chicken breast)
- 1-2 Tablespoons oil (olive, grape seed, avocado, etc.)
- salt, ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 4-6 garlic cloves, minced or sliced
- 2-3 sweet bell peppers, julienned
- 2 ½ lbs of fresh tomatoes, peeled and crushed (about 4 cups total when crushed), or crushed canned tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon dry herb seasoning (a chicken seasoning mix, dry thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, etc.)
- 1 Tablespoon fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Season the chicken drumsticks with salt and ground black pepper. Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in a skillet over high heat and brown the chicken until golden brown, about 5-8 minutes, then flip the chicken over and cook until golden brown on the other side as well, about 3-5 minutes. Set the chicken aside. The chicken will not be cooked through at this point but will continue cooking in the oven.
- While the chicken is cooking, prep the tomatoes if you haven't done so already.
- To peel tomatoes, cut a small, shallow X on the stem and bottom of each tomato. Place all the tomatoes in a large bowl and pour boiling water over the tomatoes and let them stand for about 1 minute. Then pour the boiling water off and place the tomatoes in a bowl filled with ice water. Another way I do it is to boil a large pot of water and drop a few of the tomatoes into the boiling water at a time for about 30 seconds, scooping out the tomatoes and placing them into a bowl filled with ice water. The peel comes right off. Cut out the stem from each tomato. Place the tomatoes into the food processor or blender and crush them until the tomatoes are as smooth or as chunky as you like.
- You can also use crushed canned tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes. Use a little bit less of the crushed tomatoes and add some water to dilute the tomatoes. Their flavor will be more concentrated, so I would also recommend adding a teaspoon of sugar.
- In the same skillet that you used to cook the chicken, add more oil if you need to and add the onion, seasoning with salt to taste. Lower the heat to medium and cook the onions, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release all the browned bits from the chicken for about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and peppers, seasoning with salt and ground black pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until the peppers have softened as well, 3-5 minutes.
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes, seasoning once again with salt and ground black pepper, as well as any dry herbs that you like, a chicken seasoning mix, thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, etc. Bring the tomatoes to a boil, reduce them to a simmer and cook for about 5-8 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Pour the sauce into a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- Nestle the browned chicken drumsticks on top of the sauce.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-45 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil.
So yummy! I cooked my rice right underneath the chicken and tomatoes. I added a little chicken stock and it turned out great!
I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Elaina! What a great idea to add the rice - genius!
thanks and I loved the recipe.
just a note for you ....
"In the same skillet that you used to cook the skillet".
chicken, perhaps.
Michael
Amazing! I made it for dinner today and the whole family loved it! And what I've especially enjoyed is an aromatic smell around the house 🥰
I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Olga. Thank you for taking the time to cook. I agree that one of the most rewarding things about cooking homemade meals is the wonderful aroma in the home as it's cooking:).
I just finished doing this fantastic recipe...the chicken was so tender. Instead of doing water with the tomato paste I used chicken broth plus added 3 tablespoons of dark brown sugar...I used the first set of spices and wow what a great combination of spices. Thank you for sharing Olgak. A recipe I will be sharing ...
I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe, Barb. Thank you for taking the time to write.
Hi, I made this for dinner tonight with a side of rice and it was absolutely delicious. My family has several tomato plants in the backyard. Once they're ripe I'm making it again--so excited. Thank you so much
Thank you for sharing this recipe! I was looking for a recipe to use up some bell peppers I had. It turned out great! The sauce gets even better after baking
Hi Evelina,
Yes, salt the chicken to taste.
Hi Olga, thanks so much for the recipe, made it yesterday and my husband really liked it. God bless
I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the chicken, Dasha.
Olga,
What do you usually serve this with? I’m considering making it and serving it with spaghetti. Thanks and happy holidays!
This meal is so versatile, you can serve it with just about anything - pasta, rice, potatoes, couscous. I am sure it will pair well with spaghetti.
its looking delicious
Hi, I hope you’re able to answer this question fairly soon. I made this recipe earlier this year and it turned out delicious. I’m planning to make it on Sunday for guests, but need to have it ready to go quickly after church. Will it still turn out great if I prep the sauce and brown the chicken, then on Sunday morning put it into the slow cooker to be ready after church? If so, how long should I leave it in the slow cooker? Thanks so much! Your website is amazing and so helpful! God bless your family
Hi Oksana,
I usually don't make dishes like this in advance because when you are browning the chicken, it isn't completely cooked through, so I would be careful about that aspect. You can certainly make the sauce in advance.
I have never made this dish in the slow cooker, so I'm not sure exactly how long it will take. I rarely use a slow cooker, so I don't have personal experience with this dish.
If you make this recipe in advance, Saturday night, could you reheat it Sunday noon with (almost) the same taste and freshness?
My husband couldn’t stop complimenting this sauce! Said it was the best sauce he’s ever had. Do you know if I can freeze just the sauce then add it to the chicken later?
That's awesome, Yuliya! Yes, you can freeze the sauce separately. I'm so happy it was such a big hit in your family:). Thank you so much for taking the time to write.
I just unthawed some sauce for dinner tonight and it was just as good!!!! Can’t wait to try it with Turkey for thanksgiving this year! Thanks again for making me look good in the kitchen.
This looks so good! Will have to give it a try😋
Do u think i can do this with chicken wings?
I think so, Nina. Let me know how it turns out, if you try it.
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recipe!! I made this for lunch today! Hubby loved it, and asked for seconds! Thank you so much for your wonderful and delicious recipes!
That's wonderful! I'm so happy to hear that, Yelena. Thanks for taking the time to write.