Super Easy, Oven-Baked, Honey-Soy Chicken Drumsticks

Adapted from The New New York Times Cookbook (Craig Claiborne, 1979) Notes: If making a small batch — 5 drumsticks or 4 thighs, etc. — halve the sauce recipe but keep the cooking time the same. I typically make it with 4 to 5 thighs and 4 to 5 drumsticks, but I've made it with as many as 8 thighs and 5 drumsticks in one 9x13-inch pan. Wings are perfect for a Super Bowl party or other gathering.

Recipe by Alexandra Stafford on February 26, 2013

Prep time: PT5M

Cook time: PT1H15M

Total time: PT1H20M

Rating

4.7 stars ( reviews)

Keywords

honey, soy sauce, garlic, olive oil

Ingredients

18 chicken wings or 10 drumsticks or 4 thighs and 5 drumsticks, etc.
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons oil — peanut, canola, vegetable, olive, etc.
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup honey
2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced

Cuisine

Asian

Steps

Preheat oven to 400ºF. If using wings: wash and dry, cut off wing tips and place on a rimmed baking sheet. If using the larger quantity of drumsticks and/or thighs: wash and dry and place in a 9 x 13-inch pan; if using the smaller quantity, wash and dry and place in a 8×8-inch (or something similar) pan. Season lightly with salt (as soy is salty) and pepper to taste.
Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Toss chicken (with your hands, if you don’t mind, or with tongs, if you do) and then arrange skin-side down in the baking pan. Place in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove pan, turn chicken over, and return to the oven for another 30 minutes, keeping an eye on the chicken to ensure it isn’t browning too quickly — turn the temperature down to 375ºF if it is.
Remove the pan and turn the chicken over once more. I find that the chicken is usually done at this point, but my mother likes to cook hers for another 15 minutes, which is what the original recipe calls for, too, although the original recipe also calls for baking it at 375ºF for the entire time. It’s your call — you can’t mess it up. I suggest turning the oven down to 375ºF if you do bake it for an additional 15 minutes.
If your sauce is not the thickness you like, but the chicken has completed its cooking, you can transfer the sauce to a small sauce pan and simmer it down on the stovetop till it thickens.

Reviews

Dipti on 2020-07-08 (5 stars):
Very tasty dish. Amazingly simple and easy. Thank you so much for this recipe. Love it!!! ❤️
Macayla Han on 2019-01-12 (5 stars):
I made this recipe today and it was delicious. Super simple and quick to make. Definitely will be making again!
Simone on 2019-01-21 (1 stars):
This recipe does not at ALL come out like the picture. The sauce is still just watery by the end. It does not carmelize. It does not bubble up to a thick sauce as described. It’s just unfortunate that I wasted so much chicken and honey. Don’t waste your time people.
Keith on 2020-04-19 (5 stars):
This is a very good recipe. Wanted to try something different while home bored and hungry on the corona quarantine. This meal was simple to follow and the chicken came out delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Breanna on 2019-01-28 (5 stars):
I was a little worried at forst because of the 2 previous comments. But out turned out so good. I did however have to add more of the mixture (i only made 4 drumsticks) halfing the recipe wasnt enough. I will be doing this again with wimgs next :)
Nicole Williams on 2019-03-24 (1 stars):
Didn't work for me. Didn't wash the chicken, made sure the chicken was bone dry, baked at 400 for almost 2 hours. Basically came out boiled chicken with a tiny bit of flavor in watery sauce.
Michaela Simmons on 2019-05-05 (5 stars):
I wish I could show you a picture. The chicken came out exactly like the pics. I halved the sauce because I only had 5 chicken legs. But man!! Perfection! Meat basically falling off the bone. I’m posting to my recipe tried and love album. Thanks so much!!
Jam on 2019-06-17 (3 stars):
Did not thicken. Came out watery. 🙁Followed to a T.
Jam on 2019-06-17 (3 stars):
Maybe its the type of honey I used 🤔
Bec on 2019-10-20 (5 stars):
I did this today in a slow cooker! High for 4 hours then reduced the sauce in a pan and popped the drumsticks under the grill! Oh my gosh they were amazing!!! 😍 delicious! Thankyou for the recipe! X
Michelle on 2019-11-24 (5 stars):
My Son cooked this tonight his 8 yrs old. This was a big hit with my family. Thanks heaps
VWonders on 2020-04-04 (5 stars):
I've made this recipe several times and it has been fantastic every time. I love that it only takes a few basic ingredients that I always have on hand and that it is super easy! My favorite chicken recipe!
robert on 2020-04-06 (3 stars):
I made it last night and it came out all watery try to thicken in pan but did'nt work can you tell me what want wrong. I think it was the aluminum pan
Nana 3 on 2020-04-27 (5 stars):
WOW!!! Delicious. Sent recipe to my Brother who I new would love them too. I also used sweet baby ray honey BBQ sauce to replace ketchup. Yum Yum Yum!!!!
Jennifer Nichols on 2020-06-02 (5 stars):
I'm wondering if the people who had issues bought chicken injected with "flavor enhancers" (salty broth common in Walmart and Kroger products) or used chicken that wasn't completely thawed.
JILL on 2020-06-16 (5 stars):
Worked out great! It was tasty and would definitely be a crowd pleaser for wings in the future. Any suggestions for what ingredient to add to make a more spicy or tangy batch?
Yvette Sledge on 2020-06-25 (3 stars):
Loved the Flavor, but mine came out in thin juice also. I followed the instructions to a tee, washing, drying, squeezing out and additional fluids. I guess either the soy sauce should be less than half a cup or more honey should be added and/or be cooked at a lower temperature for a longer period to evaporate more of the fluid. Maybe I should have followed your Mom, and used a 375 Bake temp.
Emma Close on 2020-11-13 (5 stars):
Easy and delicious.
Katherine on 2021-01-29 (5 stars):
Loved this recipe and so easy with chicken legs - just out in dish, pour in the sauce and cook. Absolutely delicious! I only used half a cup of honey as a whole cup seemed too much and it was perfect, sticky, tasty, sweet and salty. Also added some chopped fresh ginger. Will def make again! 5 stars.
Kellie on 2021-08-11 (5 stars):
This recipe is amazing!! My family loves it, so I make it a lot!! For those who think it’s watery, well it is a bit. BUT, there is a really easy fix! At the end of the cooking time, just put the sauce in a pan and add some corn starch and it will thicken right up!! My family actually doesn’t care if it’s thick or thin. We put it over rice and add some cooked broccoli and it’s the best meal ever!!
Carole on 2021-10-04 (5 stars):
Hi Ali, you have another winner! Made this once with two legs and half the sauce, then made it again the other night, still just two legs but this time made a full batch of the sauce and took half to brush over eggplant slices that went into the oven about 15 minutes after the chicken. One thing I did do differently: I'd cut the honey down by half the first time, and while the flavor was wonderful, the sauce didn't thicken as in your photos (duh). So this time, I added a tablespoon of potato starch and a splash of water. It worked! Lovely, shiny sauce, just like in your photos. Thanks so much for this one. Can't wait to make it with wings. And I bet it would also be great on lamb ribs… Keep up the amazing work!
Tamar Dorfliger on 2021-11-13 (5 stars):
These were yum. I actually used way less honey (maybe 3 tablespoons), and they were still delicious. I have a tip also, if you can't be bothered cleaning your roasting dish or pan with elbow grease fill it with boiling water and a dishwasher tablet, soak it over night, should be good as new.
Jason Fenwrick on 2021-12-17 (3 stars):
Good flavor, just half pan of liquid at the end. Never thickened. Made it twice now. Thawed, washed and thoroughly dried both times. Boiled the sauce for 20 minutes after baking for an hour the second time. Still just liquid. Both times it was thinner than when I started actually.
Nicole on 2022-05-26 (5 stars):
My family loved it. I know some reviews said their sauce came out watery… mine did too, but i added a little corn starch to thicken in a saucepan and it was fine. Easy fix! I also substituted the ketchup with bbq sauce. I served it with fried rice and sautéed zucchini.