These oven-baked Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks are salty sweet and finger-licking good. They are super juicy, full of flavor, and quick and easy to make for any occasion.
The honey, soy, and garlic butter is brushed over the drumsticks just before baking in a hot oven until golden brown. Serve as is for a tasty little appetizer, or as a main course paired with a light salad, veggie, or roasted potato side dish.
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Oven-Baked Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks
If you follow this blog already, you know that we are huge fans of oven-baked chicken drumsticks. Not only do they stay nice and juicy, but they are inexpensive, require minimal effort and make a super easy substitute for chicken breast when you want to mix things up. And for whatever reason, kids seem to find it so much fun to eat these with their hands!
The particular flavor combination going on in these Soy and Honey Chicken Drumsticks is pretty hard to beat. They are a little salty, a little sweet with a little kick from the ginger. You can even add a little splash of Sriracha or Tabasco to the sauce if spicy is your thing.
Soy Honey Chicken Drumsticks Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks - you can also substitute chicken thighs, which have a similar cooking time, or chicken breasts or wings, which will cook slightly longer.
- Salt and Pepper
- Soy Sauce - you can use your favorite brand. Either regular or low sodium will work.
- Honey - we prefer any type of pure honey since many of the others will contain large amounts of corn syrup or other artificial sweeteners.
- Garlic Powder and Onion Powder - these give a nice and sweet onion and garlic flavor that won’t burn in the oven.
- Avocado Oil - this is a great oil to cook with because it has such a high smoking point. You could also substitute vegetable oil, or add a touch of sesame oil if you would like.
- Ginger Powder - this is optional, but highly recommended if you like ginger. You can use fresh ginger instead, in which case you would need about ½” sliced.
- Green Onions - this is an optional garnish that adds a great freshness and flavor to the dish.
How to Make Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks
- Prep chicken drumsticks. Remove drumsticks from their package, gently pat them dry with a paper towel and place into a baking dish or baking sheet. Season all sides with salt and pepper.
- Make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, avocado oil and ginger powder. Whisk ingredients together, then pour over the drumsticks.
- Bake. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes, turning once or twice during baking. Cook until chicken is golden brown and a digital thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part.
- Serve. Once baked, remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to brush on the honey soy sauce from the bottom of the baking dish. Let rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with sliced green onions and serve. Garnish with green onions and serve. Enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- In order to be sure that fresh ginger doesn’t burn while baking, you can grate or zest it right into the honey soy sauce.
- While we don’t recommend covering the chicken at the beginning of the baking process, you can cover the baking pan loosely with aluminum foil if you notice the skins are getting too dark.
- If you like spicy foods, you can add a squeeze or two of Sriracha and/or red pepper flakes.
- You can prepare the honey soy sauce a few days ahead of time and store in the fridge if you want to get a little ahead.
Recipe Variations for Honey Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Here are some creative and delicious variations to try:
- Garlic Parmesan Drumsticks: Mix grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and melted butter in a bowl. Roll the drumsticks in the mixture and bake until crispy and golden brown.
- Lemon Pepper Drumsticks: Combine lemon juice, black pepper, and olive oil in a bowl. Coat the drumsticks in the mixture and bake.
- BBQ Chicken Drumsticks: Slather your favorite BBQ sauce onto the drumsticks before popping them into the oven. For a smokier flavor, add a sprinkle of smoked paprika.
- Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks: Mix together plain yogurt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, and paprika in a bowl. Dip the drumsticks in the mixture and allow them to marinate for at least an hour before baking.
- Ranch Chicken Drumsticks: Mix together ranch seasoning, breadcrumbs, and melted butter in a bowl. Roll the drumsticks in the mixture and bake until crispy.
Frequently Asked Questions
400 degrees F. The cooking time, however, will vary slightly depending on how large or small the drumsticks are.
The only sure way to know for sure if your Honey Soy Drumsticks are done is to take the internal temperature using a digital thermometer. Your chicken needs to reach 165 degrees F in order for it to be safe to eat. Be sure you are checking the temperature in the thickest part of the chicken and that the thermometer isn’t touching any pieces of bone.
Make sure to cool the honey soy chicken drumsticks completely before transferring to an airtight container. These can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days, then reheated in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until warmed through.
If you are serving them as a main course, we suggest 1 drumstick per child and 2 per adult. For appetizers, it depends on how much else you are serving but generally, we would say 1 per person.
Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs Chicken Drumsticks
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
- ½ cup Soy Sauce
- 3 Tablespoons Honey
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion Powder
- 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
- ½ tsp Ginger Powder or ½" fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 teaspoon Green Onion sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Remove chicken drumsticks from their package, gently pat them dry with a paper towel, and place into a baking dish or baking sheet. Season all sides with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, honey, garlic powder, onion powder, avocado oil and ginger powder. Whisk ingredients together, then pour over the chicken.
- Bake in a preheated oven for about 35-40 minutes, turning once or twice during baking. Cook until chicken is golden brown and a digital thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted into the thickest part.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and use a pastry brush to brush on the honey soy sauce from the bottom of the baking dish. Let rest for 10 minutes, then garnish with sliced green onions and serve. Garnish with green onions and serve. Enjoy!
Nutrition
More Chicken Drumsticks Recipes
- Garlic Butter Drumsticks
- Simple Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks
- Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
- BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Garlic and Herb Chicken Drumsticks
- More Chicken Recipes
- More Healthy Chicken Recipes
Our Honey Soy Drumsticks are a little salty, a little sweet and extra saucy and delicious. Plus, they are super quick and easy to throw together for any occasion.
Suzy
These baked up perfectly! And the flavor was amazing!
Jill Baird
So happy to hear that! Thanks for letting me know!
Gina
Made this the other night! Everyone loved it!
Jill Baird
Hooray, thanks for letting me know!