Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks (Printable)

Tender drumsticks slow-cooked in savory-sweet Asian glaze, perfect for easy family meals.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

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

→ Asian 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 (optional)
11 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
12 - 2 tablespoons water

→ Garnish

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

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk together soy sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a medium bowl until fully incorporated and smooth.
02 - Arrange chicken drumsticks in the slow cooker insert. Pour prepared glaze over the meat, turning pieces to ensure even coating on all sides.
03 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F and meat is tender enough to pull from the bone easily.
04 - Transfer drumsticks to a serving platter using tongs. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to retain heat while preparing sauce.
05 - Ladle cooking liquid into a small saucepan. In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth to create a slurry.
06 - Bring sauce to boil over medium-high heat. Stir in cornstarch slurry while whisking constantly. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until sauce reaches desired consistency.
07 - Brush or spoon thickened sauce generously over each drumstick, ensuring all pieces are coated with the glossy glaze.
08 - Sprinkle sliced scallions and sesame seeds over glazed drumsticks. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The glaze creates this sticky, finger-licking coating that makes these completely addictive
  • Your slow cooker does almost all the work while you go about your day
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully and actually taste better the next day
02 -
  • Resist the urge to lift the lid too often—every peek adds about 15 minutes of cooking time
  • The sauce will seem thin when you first pour it, but that cornstarch trick at the end makes everything perfectly thick and glossy
  • If you want extra caramelization, pop the glazed drumsticks under the broiler for just 2 minutes before serving
03 -
  • Pat the drumsticks dry before adding them to help the glaze adhere better
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check for doneness at 3.5 hours to prevent drying
  • Double the sauce recipe if you love having extra for drizzling over rice

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