Easy Oven Roasted Honey Garlic Chicken Legs

Asian inspired drumsticks.

I went back and forth between a few titles for this recipe. Sesame Soy Chicken Legs. Honey Chinese 5 Spice Drumsticks. Honey Garlic Chicken Legs. I went with title #3, but regardless of food blog details, this is a recipe to save.

How to prep chicken legs.

The chicken legs used in this recipe came from All Grass Farms of Dundee, Illinois. Their chickens are raised on pasture, where they are able to safely forage and live out their days breathing fresh air.

The night before, I salt the chicken and leave it uncovered in the refrigerator. This is known as a dry brine. I do this for a few reasons:

1. Flavor. Salt brings out the flavor and is able to truly penetrate the meat before cooking. Make sure to salt underneath the skin!
2. Juiciness. Salting helps the meat retain its own juices by changing its protein structure.
3. Draws out blood.

For 8 drumsticks, I used 1 tsp of Redmond’s Real Salt. Depending on the salt you are using, use more or less. Keep in mind, soy sauce is used in the marinade, so don’t overdo the amount of salt in the brine!

Chicken leg marinade details.

If you love Asian flavors, chances are, you have everything you need for this marinade already in your pantry.

Honey. The sweet, floral notes balance out the saltiness of other ingredients.

Soy Sauce. Sweet, meet salty. Use reduced sodium soy sauce. Soy sauce adds a depth of flavor, rich and complex.

Rice Vinegar. This is different from rice wine vinegar. The acidity brightens and enhances the overall flavor.

Garlic. 5 medium garlic cloves are roughly chopped for the marinade. When reducing the glaze, the garlic is strained out prior. This ensures that the garlic doesn’t overpower the sauce.

Sesame Oil. A little goes a long way. The unmistakable nutty, mildly sweet taste pairs well with the sweet and spicy elements of the marinade.

Seasoning. A mix of smoked paprika, Chinese 5 Spice and red chili flakes lend spice and warmth. Chinese 5 Spice is a strong spice blend that stands out and makes this recipe really something special.

In a bowl lined with a plastic bag, combine all marinade ingredients along with the chicken legs. Push out all the air and seal the bag. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours but 4-8 is ideal.

What temperature do you cook drumsticks?

Once the chicken legs have marinated, transfer to a foil lined sheet pan.

SAVE THE MARINADE! That is really important to remember.

The chicken legs need 45-50 minutes in a 375F oven. Roasting something with honey can be tricky because sugar can burn. If the sugar burns up it can become bitter. Here are a few tips for perfectly saucy, sticky, NOT BURNED chicken legs.

1. Don’t overcrowd the pan. We are aiming for caramelization. The legs need leg room. Just make sure they aren’t on top of each other.
2. When removing the legs from the marinade, remove the bits of garlic that may cling to the meat. The garlic will burn if left.
3. After removing the chicken, strain the marinade through a fine mesh strainer into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer then set the heat to low. Add arrowroot powder to thicken. After a few minutes, a utensil should be able to make a line in the sauce and it will briefly remain. Alternatively, it will be able to coat the back of a spoon. Once it has reached this point, turn the heat off.
4. Around 30 minutes, baste the chicken with the beautiful glaze. Next, cover the chicken with foil and roast another 15-20 minutes.

Serving tips.

Upon removing from the oven, baste again. You really can’t overdo the glaze. A sprinkle of sesame seeds and scallions (also called green onions) is the perfect way to finish off this dish.

Some of the glaze may be remaining. Either serve it on the side of toss it with cooked soba noodles for an easy side dish.

Stir fried veggies, rice or noodles are all excellent side kicks.