Autumn is slowly ending which means many people will be getting their cookbooks ready to prepare some hearty comfort food - and this chicken dish is guaranteed to warm anyone up.

Mary Berry’s firecracker chicken is a flavourful dish made with smoky paprika, rich maple syrup and tangy Worcestershire sauce that is incredibly simple to make.

It only takes five minutes to prepare this dish before leaving the chicken to marinate in a delicious sauce and then placing it in the oven for 30 minutes once you are ready to cook.

In her cookbook ‘Simple Comforts’, Mary shared that this is a great recipe for November as it be made as a tasty party food for Guy Fawkes night or as an easy dinner for when you cannot be bothered cooking in the cold weather.

She wrote: “Simple food that can be hand-held like these drumsticks is perfect for a November evening, sitting round a bonfire with the children. The sweet smoked paprika gives a lovely woody taste.”

Method 

To begin, preheat the oven to 220C (200C for fan ovens or Gas Mark 7) and then line a large roasting tin with baking paper.

Place all the ingredients except the chicken drumsticks into a bowl and mix well, making sure to season with salt and pepper.

Once the sauce is made add the chicken drumsticks to the mixing bowl and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but leave longer if you have the time. The chicken can be marinated for up to a day ahead if you wish to prepare this dish.

When you are ready to cook, lay the drumsticks single file in the roasting tin and then pour the remaining marinade over the chicken.

Place the drumsticks in the oven and cook for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown and crispy.

Take out the oven and your mouthwatering chicken drumsticks are ready to eat.