Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks (Printable)

Tender drumsticks in savory-sweet Asian glaze, slow-cooked to juicy perfection with flavors of soy, honey, garlic, and ginger.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 12 chicken drumsticks (approximately 3.3 lbs), skin removed if preferred

→ Glaze

02 - 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
03 - 1/4 cup honey
04 - 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
05 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
06 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
07 - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
08 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
10 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons water

→ Garnish

13 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
14 - 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, minced garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until completely smooth and combined.
02 - Arrange the chicken drumsticks in the slow cooker. Pour the prepared glaze over the chicken, turning each piece to ensure even coating on all sides.
03 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours or until the chicken registers 165°F internally and the meat is tender enough to pull easily from the bone.
04 - Transfer the drumsticks to a serving platter using tongs and cover loosely with aluminum foil to retain heat while preparing the sauce.
05 - Pour the cooking liquid from the slow cooker into a small saucepan. Mix the cornstarch and water in a separate small bowl until smooth to create a slurry.
06 - Stir the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan with the cooking liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
07 - Brush or spoon the thickened glaze generously over the drumsticks. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and sesame seeds immediately before serving.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • The sauce cooks right into the meat, so every bite is infused with flavor
  • Cleanup is practically nonexistent since everything happens in one vessel
  • You get that fall-off-the-bone tenderness without standing over a stove
02 -
  • Cornstarch needs to be mixed with COLD liquid or it will clump up miserably
  • The sauce keeps reducing in the slow cooker, so do not salt beforehand
  • Low and slow wins here, high heat makes the chicken tough before the flavors develop
03 -
  • Marinate the chicken in the glaze for an hour before cooking for next-level flavor
  • Line your slow cooker with parchment for even easier cleanup

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