With the price of groceries going through the roof, chicken drumsticks still remain a budget-friendly(ish) meat option for families. And if your family LOVES a sweet marinade, this is a chicken drumsticks recipe you don’t want to miss!
Sticky honey soy chicken drumsticks recipe a hit with the kids
I don’t know if it’s the chicken on the leg bone which provides a fantastic handle for kids to eat around, or if it’s the sweet and sticky marinade that tingles their tiny tastebuds and excites the kids for this recipe. Perhaps it’s a combination of the two. Nonetheless, when the kids see and smell this dish baking in the oven, it’s a definite winner, winner, chicken dinner!
For best results, prepare the night before
This honey soy chicken drumsticks recipe really does benefit from a good marinating time so if time allows, bang it all in a ziplock bag the night before (or in the morning) the day you want to cook it. That patience pays off, you’ll be TASTING the benefits with this sweet and succulent thigh and leg meat of this delicious bake!
Sticky honey soy chicken drumsticks recipe
Ingredients
- 8 skin-on chicken drumsticks
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tbsp tamari sauce (or light soy sauce)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp cornflour
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
- Black pepper
Method
1. Mix together the balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, tamari (or soy sauce), minced garlic, ginger and pepper in a jug and whisk until combined completely. Place the chicken drumsticks in a large ziplock bag.
2. Pour the marinade into the bag, seal properly and give the bag a gentle squish and shake to move the marinade around the chicken. Place in the fridge for eight hours or overnight. Turn the bag over a few times during the day if you remember!
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the chicken from the bag, keeping the marinade as you definitely don’t want to throw that away as you’ll be basting with it throughout the cooking process. Place the chicken on a baking tray, lined with baking paper (with a high edge). Bake the chicken drumsticks for 25 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil for a minute. Then reduce the heat. Whisk in the cornflour and stir until it has thickened and become glossy.
5. After the chicken has baked for 25 minutes, remove it from the oven and baste with the boiled marinade using a silicone pastry brush. Return the chicken to the oven for 10 minutes. Repeat the process once again until the chicken is cooked through.
TIP: You can baste more often if you wish – the more you baste, the thicker and stickier the marinade will be.
6. Before transferring the chicken to a serving plate, sprinkle the honey soy chicken drumsticks with sesame seeds and chopped parsley.
TIP: This honey soy chicken drumsticks recipe is sensationally delicious when eaten hot, but they’re also super tasty when eaten cold – so keep it in mind for your next picnic! You can even cook them in a hooded BBQ to avoid heating the kitchen during summer.
Do your family love chicken drumsticks too? Let us know in the comments below what your favourite way to cook (and eat!) them is, I’d love to know – and you’ll be inspiring other mums’ wanting to make the most of their grocery budget!
