Easy

Pilons de Poulet à l'Orientale

Name: Pilons de Poulet à l'Orientale
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 12 chicken drumsticks; 0.5 cup plain yogurt; 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp sumac; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper; 3 cloves garlic, grated; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 cup cucumber, grated, for sauce; 0.5 cup yogurt, for sauce; 1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, for sauce

(278)

55 min4320 cal

By Chef Marco Deluca·Red Seal Certified Chef|May 25, 2024

These Pilons de Poulet à l'Orientale are marinated in a blend of Middle Eastern spices — cumin, coriander, paprika, and sumac — then roasted until the skin is crispy and caramelized. The yogurt marinade tenderizes the meat while the spices create a fragrant, golden crust. Served with a refreshing cucumber-mint yogurt sauce.

orientaldrumsticksspicedroasted

Pin This Recipe

Share on:

Ingredients

Servings:

Instructions

👨‍🍳Chef's Notes

Mise en Place Saves Time

“Even for quick recipes, spend 3 minutes measuring and prepping everything before you turn on the heat. It sounds counterintuitive, but it actually speeds up cooking because you're never scrambling mid-recipe.”

Bring to Room Temperature

“Take chicken out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before cooking. Cold chicken straight from the fridge cooks unevenly — the outside overcooks while the centre stays underdone.”

Nutrition Per Serving

320

Calories

30g

Protein

18g

Fat

Carbs

Fiber1g

Sugar3g

Sodium490mg

Reviews

4.8 / 5 (278 reviews)

Sarah J.

Jan 23, 2025

This is comfort food at its finest. Pure perfection.

David C.

Oct 11, 2025

Made this for a dinner party and everyone asked for the recipe.

Michael A.

May 3, 2025

Simple ingredients, amazing results. Highly recommend.

Recipe at a Glance

Prep:

15 min

Cook:

40 min

Total:

55 min

Servings:

Difficulty:

Easy

Pro Tips

1Scoring the drumsticks lets the marinade penetrate deeper.
2Yogurt in the marinade tenderizes the meat via lactic acid.
3Sumac adds a citrusy tang — it's worth seeking out at Middle Eastern grocers.

Variations

Use chicken thighs instead of drumsticks.
Grill instead of roasting for a smoky char.
Add za'atar to the spice blend for extra herbiness.

International Chicken Recipes

Pilons de Poulet à l'Orientale

This is THE Pilons de Poulet à l'Orientale recipe you have been looking for.

by ChickenRecipes.ca

Pin This Recipe

Trending Recipes

Chef Marco Deluca

Head Chef & Recipe Developer

Marco is a Red Seal certified chef with over 15 years of professional kitchen experience across Canada. After training at George Brown College in Toronto and working in acclaimed restaurants from Vancouver to Montreal, he founded ChickenRecipes.ca to share his expertise with home cooks. Marco specializes in making restaurant-quality chicken dishes accessible for everyday Canadian kitchens.

Red Seal Certified ChefGeorge Brown College Culinary Arts Graduate15+ years professional kitchen experience