Kids will love getting involved in cooking these fun and easy BBQ chicken drumsticks by Adam Shaw, founder of At Dad's Table and author of How to Grow your Family.

With the kids home over the summer holidays, and three meals a day needing to be made, I like to involve them in cooking as much as possible. Mealtimes tend to go more smoothly when I give my children a choice about food and involve them in the preparation. 

We will make a meal plan and shopping list, take time looking for the best produce, and then cook together. I always ask my four-year-old to help chop some vegetables (using kid-safe cutlery) or portion some pasta or rice. 

This BBQ chicken drumsticks recipe is great to make with the kids over the summer holidays. You can make them outside on the BBQ or in your oven. They are quick, easy and delicious. And with a Thermapen meat thermometer on hand, you can ensure they are safe for everyone to eat while having fun teaching the kids about food safety!

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken drumsticks
• 100ml orange juice
• 50ml soy sauce
• 4 tbsp runny honey
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• A squeeze of tomato puree
• Sesame seeds, for decorating

Why I love the Thermapen for family-friendly cooking

It's really important to me that the food I serve my young children and pregnant wife is cooked to a safe temperature. 

I use it on everything from sausages on the BBQ to chicken on the hob and roasts in the oven. I love being able to quickly and regularly check the temperature so I know the food I'm serving is safe and cooked just right (no dry chicken with Thermapen!)

The Thermapen ONE reads in one second, which is perfect for quickly taking the temperature of lots of food, like drumsticks.

Temperature tips for BBQ chicken drumsticks

• Always find out the temperature you need to aim for before starting to cook. Check out the Thermapen Temperature Guide to find which temperatures you need. Involve your kids in finding the required temperature and noting it down. Remember, the Thermapen isn’t just for cooking meat, it’s perfect for cakes, bread, confectionery and reheating leftovers too!
• When taking a reading, always insert the Thermapen probe into the thickest part of the meat and avoid touching the bone or you will get an inaccurate reading. You can also test different parts of the meat to show them how the temperature can change.

• My kids love watching the temperature climb, so make a game of it. Try getting them to guess the temperature, or the first one to shout when we reach the target temperature wins.
• Use it as a learning opportunity. Using a Thermapen is a great opportunity to teach children about food safety and quality by cooking to temperature.

Directions

• Mix the marinade ingredients together, then cover the chicken drumsticks. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
• Heat the BBQ or grill and add the drumsticks, pouring the rest of the marinade over the chicken.
• Turn regularly. Use the Thermapen on the thickest part of the meat (but avoid touching the bone) and cook until you have a reading of 74 °C.
• Remove from the heat. Sprinkle some sesame seeds over the drumsticks to finish.

Adam Shaw

Chef & founder of At Dad's Table

@at_dads_table

"As a dad of three very young children it's imperative to me that everything I serve is cooked safely. I use my Thermapen every day, from checking sausages on the BBQ to chicken on the hob and cakes in the oven!"