Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Drumsticks (Printable)
Tender drumsticks with sticky honey garlic glaze, perfectly caramelized for an easy family dinner.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 8 chicken drumsticks (approximately 2 pounds), skin-on
→ Marinade & Glaze
02 - 1/3 cup honey
03 - 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
04 - 3 tablespoons olive oil
05 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
07 - 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
08 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
09 - 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Garnish
11 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
12 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or green onions
# Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to facilitate cleanup.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, ginger, black pepper, smoked paprika, and salt until well combined.
03 - Pat chicken drumsticks thoroughly dry with paper towels. Add drumsticks to the bowl with marinade and toss to coat completely on all sides.
04 - Place drumsticks on prepared baking sheet in a single layer without overcrowding. Reserve remaining marinade in the bowl for later use.
05 - Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush drumsticks generously with reserved marinade.
06 - Return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes until drumsticks are golden brown and cooked through. Internal temperature should reach 175°F when tested with a meat thermometer.
07 - For enhanced caramelization, switch to broiler setting for 2 to 3 minutes. Watch closely to prevent burning.
08 - Remove from oven and let drumsticks rest for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped parsley or green onions if desired. Serve while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The marinade doubles as a glaze so every bite is packed with flavor instead of just sitting on the surface
- Clean up is essentially nonexistent thanks to parchment paper which means you can actually relax after dinner
- These reheat shockingly well for lunch the next day if you somehow have leftovers
02 -
- Line that baking sheet with parchment paper or foil because the honey will create a sticky mess that is miserable to clean off bare metal
- Letting the chicken rest for five minutes might feel like torture but it makes a huge difference in keeping everything juicy
03 -
- Pat the chicken absolutely dry before adding the marinade or the glaze will slide right off instead of sticking
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly so pull it out of the fridge twenty minutes before you start