Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

Sticky Chicken Drumsticks are a thing of beauty. Not only are they amazing to eat but very simple to prepare. I create the marinade a day in advance for the drumsticks have a chance to really absorb the flavours. Served as a main dish or side dish these are perfect on the BBQ and in the oven. I spread sesame seeds or chopped pistachios on the chicken but his is optional in case of allergies.

Some dishes just invite a bit of joyful chaos at the dinner table, and Sticky Chicken Drumsticks are absolutely one of them. They’re the kind of food that makes you forget your cutlery even exists. Before you know it, you’re rolling up your sleeves, reaching for a napkin (or three), and tucking in with the sort of enthusiasm that only truly satisfying comfort food inspires. As a home cook, I’ve learned that these are the dishes people remember most — not the fussy ones, not the delicate ones, but the ones that make everyone grin while eating.

What I love most about Sticky Chicken Drumsticks is how incredibly simple they are despite their bold personality. You start with something so ordinary — drumsticks — the kind of humble cut you can always rely on. But with the right marinade, a bit of patience, and just the tiniest touch of heat, they’re transformed into glossy, aromatic, irresistible little flavour bombs that demand your full attention.

The magic begins hours before the cooking even starts. This is not a dish you rush; it’s one that rewards the wait. When the drumsticks are tucked into their marinade and left to rest in the fridge, they soak up every drop of flavour. The garlic does its soft garlicky thing, the chilli infuses gentle warmth (or more, depending on how mischievous you’re feeling with the seeds), and the soy sauce comes in with its unmistakable richness. Then there’s the honey — the unsung hero — which clings to the chicken as it cooks and slowly turns into that unmistakable sticky glaze. It’s a proper culinary makeover for a simple piece of chicken.

Cooking sticky chicken drumsticks feels a bit like a performance. You start them in a hot pan, turning them frequently as they sizzle away, browning and caramelising as the aromas drift through the kitchen. There’s always that moment when someone wanders in and asks, “What on earth smells so good?” That’s when you know you’re on track.

And then comes the best bit: the sauce. It starts out thin and loose, but after a few moments of bubbling in the pan, it begins to thicken into a dark, glossy glaze that sticks lovingly to everything it touches. When the drumsticks go back in for their final simmer, they’re almost fully cooked, so the real purpose is indulgence — letting them bathe in that rich sticky coating until they shine like lacquer.

By the time the sticky chicken drumsticks are finished, the drumsticks look like something out of a street food stall, deeply coloured and impossibly inviting. A sprinkling of scallions brightens everything up, adding a fresh bite, and a handful of sesame seeds or chopped pistachios brings crunch to contrast with the sticky exterior. It’s this little touch — that mix of textures — that elevates the dish from simply tasty to properly memorable.

Sticky Chicken Drumsticks are the perfect thing to serve when you want a meal that gets people talking and eating with enthusiasm. They shine at casual gatherings, weeknight dinners, family spreads, or even tucked into a lunchbox for something a bit special. There’s no pretence to them, no unnecessary ceremony — just honest, lip-smacking flavour.

And yes, they’re messy. But that’s part of the charm. It’s the sort of dish where the messier your fingers, the better the cook you feel. And truly, that’s what home cooking is all about: simple ingredients, time well spent, and the joy of sharing something delicious.

Let the napkins be plentiful — you’re going to need them with sticky chicken drumsticks. Enjoy every sticky, glossy, savoury bite.

Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

Sticky Chicken Drumsticks are a glossy, flavour-packed dish where tender drumsticks are coated in a sweet, savoury, and slightly spicy glaze. The marinade of soy sauce, honey, garlic, and chilli creates a rich, sticky coating that clings beautifully as the chicken cooks. The sticky chicken drumsticks are finished with fresh scallions and a sprinkle of nuts or seeds, they make a fun, messy, and utterly satisfying meal.

4.79 from 282 votes

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Course: BBQ, Main Dish, Marinade, Side Dish

Cuisine: Chinese, Far East

Keyword: Bake, BBQ, Chicken, Chillies, Marinade, Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Marinade: 12 hours hours

Total Time: 12 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4 People

Calories: 451kcal

Equipment

• 4 Serving Bowls
• 1 Mixing Bowl
• clingfilm
• 1 Frying Pan

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Ingredients

 

MetricImperial

• ▢ 12 large chicken drumsticks skin on
• ▢ 1 large red chilli remove the seeds for less heat
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic peeled and crushed
• ▢ 1 inch ginger grated
• ▢ 3 tbsp runny honey
• ▢ 100 ml dark soy sauce
• ▢ 4 large scallions spring onions
• ▢ 3 tsp sesame seeds or chopped pistachios

Instructions

• Add the crushed garlic, chilli, runny honey, ginger and the soy sauce to a large mixing bowl and thoroughly combine.
  1 large red chilli, 5 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp runny honey, 100 ml dark soy sauce, 1 inch ginger
• Add the drumsticks to the bowl, rubbing the marinade all over the drumsticks.
  12 large chicken drumsticks
• Tightly cover the bowl with plastic wrap/cling film and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours but ideally overnight.
• When ready to cook, add a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and add a drop of olive oil.
• Remove the drumsticks from the marinade and fry in the pan for about 12 – 15 minutes turning frequently to prevent the marinade from catching on the pan.
• When the drumsticks are golden brown, remove and put to one side for now.
• Pour all of the marinade into the same pan and return to the heat. Bring the marinade to a boil stirring constantly whilst it thickens and becomes a lovely sticky sauce. Reduce the heat to a rolling simmer.
• Place the drumsticks back in the pan with the sauce and cook for another 5 – 10 minutes or until the drumsticks are fully cooked.
• Remove from the pan and place the sticky chicken drumsticks in serving dishes, garnishing with nuts and sliced scallions.
  4 large scallions, 3 tsp sesame seeds
• Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 209mg | Sodium: 1213mg | Potassium: 737mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 461IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 3mg