These sweet & sticky baked chicken drumsticks are the perfect appetizer or easy dinner! Tender chicken legs are coated in a sticky, addictive glaze packed with Asian flavors and baked until juicy. These are the BEST baked drumsticks!
Why You’ll Love This Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
- Easy: Whisk together the Asian inspired sauce, let your chicken marinate and then bake until they are perfectly sticky and tender. While not a “quick” recipe, this sticky chicken recipe is *so* easy!
- Flavorful: Juicy drumsticks are baked in a sweet and sticky sauce flavored with soy sauce, ginger, balsamic vinegar, a little brown sugar and honey. So good, you won’t be able to resist seconds!
- Easy Freezer Meal: I always make a double batch and freeze the chicken in the marinade for a super easy dinner another day.
- Versatile: Serve these drumsticks as a meaty appetizer, brunch pairing or a simple dinner, they are perfect with just about any time!
If you love a good chicken dinner, be sure to check out my best oven baked chicken recipe! For a quick and easy poultry fix, enjoy this garlic brown sugar chicken or sticky chicken tenders!
Ingredients Needed
With a few simple ingredients, most of which you will find in your pantry or spice rack, you will be marinating your drumsticks in no time. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Chicken Drumsticks: You can also use chicken legs, wings or even breasts. I recommend using skin-on chicken as it holds onto the sauce the best. Adjusting the cooking time as necessary.
- Balsamic Vinegar: This adds a great depth of flavor to the marinade, do not substitute.
- Honey: Agave can be used instead.
- Brown Sugar: You can swap this for additional honey if you prefer, but I like the balance of both.
- Soy Sauce: I used low sodium soy sauce, you can also use coconut aminos.
- Garlic: Mince fresh cloves for the best flavor.
- Ginger: Freshly minced ginger adds a little bite and Asian flavor.
- Spice: Originally I used freshly cracked black pepper, but in the years since I have used crushed red pepper flakes or Sriracha hot sauce. Any of these options will work great!
- Garnishes: While optional, toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro are highly recommend!
How to Make Sticky Chicken Drumsticks
These chicken drumsticks with crispy skin and a sweet and sticky glaze are a super low-maintenance recipe. They are ready in just three simple steps: whisk, marinate and bake! Scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post for full detailed instructions.
- Marinate: Whisk together the sauce and add the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Give the bag a shake whenever you think about it.
- Bake: Place a baking rack over a baking sheet lined with foil. Remove the chicken, reserving the marinade, and place drumsticks on the rack. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes.
- Thicken Sauce: Place the leftover marinade in a small saucepan and bring to a full, rolling boil for about a minute. Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook until thickened.
- Glaze: Remove the drumsticks from the oven and coat with the thickened marinade, using a silicone pastry brush. Bake for 10 more minutes. Coat the chicken once again and cook for 5 minutes more, until they reach an internal temperature of 175°F.
- Serve and Enjoy: Coat the drumsticks one last time with any remaining sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and parsley and serve immediately!
Chef’s Tips for Success
- Doneness: I highly recommend an instant read meat thermometer. The internal temperature should reach 165°F for any cut of poultry for safety, but for dark meat aim for 175°F.
- Wire Rack: I highly recommend lining your baking sheet with a wire rack to keep the chicken elevated from any excess sauce. This creates a crispier baked chicken drumstick, all the way around.
- Less Dishes: No wire rack? Not a problem! Spray the baking tray generously with non-stick cooking spray. This ensures easily removable, super sticky drumsticks.
- Easy Freezer Meal: These baked chicken drumsticks make a great freezer dinner! Add the chicken to the marinade in a freezer safe zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
What To Serve With Baked Chicken Drumsticks
When serving these sweet and sticky baked chicken drumsticks as a dinner, you may need a perfect pairing. Here are some tasty side dish ideas:
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Fridge: Store cooled drumsticks in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Reheat on a baking tray sprayed with non-stick cooking spray at 400°F. Bake until warmed through about 10 to 15 minutes. Check often to ensure chicken glaze doesn’t burn.
- Freezer: I do not recommend freezing these drumsticks once baked, the texture will not be the same once thawed.
Yield: 6 Drumsticks
Sweet & Sticky Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Sticky chicken drumsticks are baked until oh-so-tender and juicy in an Asian-inspired sweet and savory glaze! They truly are the *best* baked chicken drumsticks!
Ingredients
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes or sriracha
- 6 chicken drumsticks, about 1.25 pounds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
- a few pinches chopped fresh parsley, or cilantro
Instructions
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In a medium bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and cracked black pepper. Pour into a large ziplock bag and add chicken drumsticks. Shake to coat chicken and refrigerate for 8 hours, or overnight, giving the bag a shake whenever you think about it.
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a cooking rack on top.
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Remove the chicken from the bag, reserving the marinade, and place the drumsticks on the rack. Bake the drumsticks, on the middle oven rack, for 25 minutes.
-
While the chicken is baking, place the leftover marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Cook over low heat, stirring as needed, for about 15 minutes or until thickened.
-
Remove drumsticks from oven (after first 25 minutes of cooking) and heavily coat with the thickened marinade, using a silicone pastry brush. Return to the oven and cook for 10 more minutes.
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Coat the drumsticks again and return to oven to cook for 5 more minutes, or until an internal temperate of 165°F is reached.
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Coat the drumsticks one last time, with any remaining sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds and parsley. Serve immediately.
Notes
Reheat: Reheat on a baking tray sprayed with non-stick cooking spray at 400°F. Bake until warmed through about 10 to 15 minutes. Check often to ensure chicken glaze doesn’t burn.
Freezer Meal: These baked chicken drumsticks make a great freezer dinner! Add the chicken to the marinade in a freezer safe zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and bake as directed.
Chicken: You can also use chicken legs, wings or even breasts. I recommend using skin-on chicken as it holds onto the sauce the best. Adjusting the cooking time as necessary.
Wire Rack: I highly recommend lining your baking sheet with a wire rack to keep the chicken elevated from any excess sauce. This creates a crispier baked chicken drumstick, all the way around.
Less Dishes: No wire rack? Not a problem! Spray the baking tray generously with non-stick cooking spray. This ensures easily removable, super sticky drumsticks.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 drumstick, Calories: 263kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 116mg, Sodium: 269mg, Sugar: 21g
More Easy Chicken Dinner Ideas
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