Oven-Baked Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks with Sauce

Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks

These oven-baked drumsticks brown before they get a light, glossy honey-soy-garlic glaze. Adding the sauce late keeps the honey from spending the full cooking time in the oven, where it could darken too quickly. Part of the sauce stays untouched for serving alongside the whole drumsticks, finished with sesame seeds and sliced green onion. No marinating is needed.

Serves: 4, about 2 drumsticks each. Prep: 15 minutes. Cook: 50–55 minutes. Total: About 70–75 minutes, including resting.

Ingredients for Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks

• 8 bone-in chicken drumsticks, about 2½–3 pounds (about 1,250g)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for the pan
• ⅓ cup honey (about 115g)
• ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce (about 60g)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

How to Bake Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks

1. Prepare the chicken: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Lightly oil a large rimmed baking sheet. Pat the drumsticks dry, season with black pepper, and arrange them in one layer with a little space between them. Use two pans if needed rather than stacking the chicken.
2. Bake before glazing: Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, until the skin has begun to brown. Leaving off the honey sauce at this stage gives the chicken time to color without burning the glaze.
3. Make and divide the sauce: While the chicken bakes, combine the honey, soy sauce, and garlic in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon but remains pourable. Divide it between two clean bowls before either portion touches the chicken: one for basting and one for serving.
4. Drain and glaze: Carefully remove the hot pan and pour off excess accumulated juices so they do not dilute the glaze. Turn the drumsticks, brush them lightly with sauce from the basting bowl, and return the pan to the oven.
5. Finish baking: Bake for about 20–25 minutes more, brushing once again with basting sauce about halfway through. Start checking around 45 minutes of total baking time, or sooner for small drumsticks. The chicken should be glossy and amber-brown with some darker roasted edges. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest meat without touching bone; it must read at least 165°F (75°C). Discard any sauce left in the basting bowl.
6. Rest and serve: Let the drumsticks rest for about 5 minutes. Arrange them in a loose pile on a large platter, scatter the sesame seeds and green onion over them, and serve the reserved clean sauce in a small dish alongside.

How to Keep the Honey Glaze from Burning

Watch the drumsticks during the glazed stage: honey can darken quickly near the end. If the edges are getting very dark, check the internal temperature rather than judging doneness by color alone. Rotate the pan if one side is browning faster; larger drumsticks may need more time than smaller ones.

Serving the Extra Sauce

Use only the sauce reserved before basting for the serving dish. Spoon it over the chicken or serve rice and steamed broccoli alongside. If the reserved sauce thickens as it sits, warm it gently and stir in 1–2 teaspoons of water until pourable.

For another sweet garlic chicken dinner, try these brown sugar garlic chicken drumsticks.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Cool leftover chicken and sauce, then refrigerate them in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat until hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened. For longer storage, freeze the chicken and sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Nutrition

Approximate per serving (2 drumsticks with sauce and garnishes): 420 calories, 36g protein, 20g fat, and 25g carbohydrates. Approximate per 100g of edible chicken with sauce: 210 calories, 18g protein, 10g fat, and 12g carbohydrates. Values vary with drumstick size, the amount of edible meat, and how much sauce is served; bones are not included in the per-100g estimate.