Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks (Print Version)

Tender drumsticks in savory-sweet Asian glaze with soy, honey, and hoisin. Falls off the bone after 4 hours of slow cooking.

# 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
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

# Steps:

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 thoroughly combined.
02 - Arrange chicken drumsticks in the slow cooker. Pour the prepared glaze over the chicken, turning each piece to ensure even coating.
03 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours until chicken is thoroughly cooked and tender, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F.
04 - Transfer drumsticks to a serving platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to retain heat.
05 - Pour the cooking liquid into a small saucepan. Combine cornstarch and water in a separate bowl to create a slurry, then stir into the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens.
06 - Brush or spoon the thickened glaze generously over the drumsticks. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds immediately before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The glaze thickens into this gorgeous sticky coating that youll want to put on everything
  • Your slow cooker does all the heavy lifting while you go about your day
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day, if there are any
02 -
  • The sauce will seem thin when you first pour it into the slow cooker, but that is exactly how it should be—the reduction on the stove is what creates the perfect glaze consistency
  • If you have time, marinate the chicken in the glaze for an hour before cooking, but honestly it turns out fantastic either way
  • That final 2-3 minute broil creates the most beautiful caramelized spots if you want to take it to restaurant level presentation
03 -
  • Line your slow cooker with a parchment paper sling for easy cleanup—those sticky sugars can be brutal to scrub off later
  • If the glaze thickens too much on the stove, whisk in a teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency

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