Sweet ‘n Sticky Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Until this recipe, I had found a struggle in getting my clunker of an apartment oven to produce a perfectly crispy, moist piece of chicken. The thing is a workhorse with terribly inaccurate temperatures, so rarely do I push it up to 450 degrees. However, I was determined to make this recipe work without a grill, without burning down my apartment building, and with a lot of ease.

Well, wouldn’t you know, my trusty, rusty old oven pulled it off. Crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, these chicken drumsticks were deeee-licious and ready for devouring in under an hour.

First, I marinated the chicken in a mixture of balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and minced garlic, which gave a nice balance of sweetness and saltiness. Then, onto a cooling rack they went, which went on top of a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.

The leftover marinade was then simmered in a small pot, slathered over the drumsticks, and baked for 10 more minutes at 450° until the chicken was fully cooked.  

Though I can’t say I’ll be firing up my oven to such scorching temps this summer, I will be experimenting with our grill plenty! Hopefully then, I can come up with a recipe as finger lickin’ good as these tasty and tender chicken drumsticks.

Sweet ‘n Sticky Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Yields 12 chicken drumsticks

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 garlic cloves, minced

12 chicken drumsticks

2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic cloves in a large resealable bag. Add the chicken to the bag and seal. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Top with a cooling rack. Remove the chicken from the bag, reserving the marinade, and arrange the drumsticks on the cooling rack. Bake until the skin is caramelized and dark in spots, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the leftover marinade in a small saucepan, uncovered. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes. Use a pastry brush to brush the cooked marinade on the chicken.  Return to the oven for 10 more minutes.

Place the chicken on a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Group Recipes