Stuffed chicken drumsticks on a bed of zucchini

Name: Stuffed chicken drumsticks on a bed of zucchini
Ingredients: 5 slices of zucchini (300 g); 1 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper; 10 slices of ham (150 g); 5 bone-in chicken drumsticks (750 g); 150 g mushrooms; 2 medium tomatoes (240 g); 1 medium onion (150 g); 100 g semi-hard cheese; 25 g butter; 1 tablespoon oil; 150 ml water

Meat - Stuffed chicken drumsticks on a bed of zucchini by Tamara H. - Recipia

Stuffed chicken drumsticks on a bed of zucchini bake with a slice of ham underneath each piece and another on top. The slits are filled with mushrooms, tomato, onion and cheese; in the oven, the zucchini softens and the ham on top browns. I put the slice of zucchini on my plate too, so it can soak up some of the juices left in the pan. Prep: 20 minutes. Cooking: 45 minutes. Total time: 65 minutes. Serves: 5. About 420 kcal and 28 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

5 slices of zucchini (300 g)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
10 slices of ham (150 g)
5 bone-in chicken drumsticks (750 g)
150 g mushrooms
2 medium tomatoes (240 g)
1 medium onion (150 g)
100 g semi-hard cheese
25 g butter
1 tablespoon oil
150 ml water

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 190°C. Arrange the zucchini slices in a baking dish and sprinkle them with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. 2. Pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels and make slits in the meat. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into the slits and over the outside, then place a slice of ham under each piece of chicken. 3. Fill the slits with the sliced mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced onion and grated cheese. Add the pieces of butter on top; the filling should stay tucked into the slits. 4. Cover each drumstick with a slice of ham. Pour the oil and water into the baking dish, then bake for 45 minutes, until the ham is browned and the meat juices run clear.

Notes

Choose a firm zucchini with no soft spots, so the slices can support the meat in the baking dish. Slices about one centimeter thick hold their shape better; very thin slices soften quickly under the chicken. Drumsticks that are similar in size cook more evenly, while very large ones may need a few extra minutes, until the meat near the bone is no longer pink. Fresh mushrooms can be wiped with a damp towel; if you rinse them, dry them well so they don’t release water into the filling. Ham and cheese are already salty, especially if you use smoked ham, so you can reduce the salt sprinkled on the meat. Serve them with soft polenta, so you can scoop up the juices and zucchini from the pan too. Instead of the 100 g of cheese, you can use 70 g of less salty telemea; the cheese and butter mean this dish contains dairy. Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat only the portion you’re going to eat.