Honey Garlic Baked Chicken Drumsticks (Printable)

Sticky honey garlic glazed drumsticks, caramelized to perfection

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil for easy cleanup.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, vinegar, ginger, black pepper, paprika, and salt until well combined.
03 - Pat chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels. Add them to the bowl and toss thoroughly to coat with the marinade.
04 - Arrange drumsticks on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer. Reserve remaining marinade for later use.
05 - Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and brush drumsticks generously with the reserved marinade.
06 - Return to oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or until drumsticks are golden and cooked through. Internal temperature should reach 175°F.
07 - For extra caramelization, broil for 2-3 minutes at the end, watching closely to prevent burning.
08 - Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped parsley or green onions if desired. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The glaze creates that sticky finger licking experience that usually takes hours of stove watching but happens entirely hands free in your oven
  • Everything comes together in one bowl and the cleanup is basically nonexistent if you line your pan like I suggest
  • The balance of sweet honey and savory garlic hits that perfect spot where both kids and adults reach for seconds
02 -
  • Do not skip the step of patting the chicken dry because moisture creates a barrier between the meat and glaze leading to patchy seasoning
  • The glaze will look very thin when you first apply it but thickens beautifully in the oven so resist the urge to add more honey
  • Using parchment paper instead of foil makes cleanup significantly easier because hardened honey glaze can be stubborn to remove from metal
03 -
  • Position your oven rack in the upper third position for better caramelization on the glaze without drying out the chicken meat
  • Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly so let the drumsticks sit out for 20 minutes before baking if you remember

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