Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Name: Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 8 chicken drumsticks (skin removed); non-stick cooking spray; 1 cup water; 1 Tablespoon sriracha sauce ( (more or less to taste- I used about 1/2 Tbsp and it was perfect for me)); ½ cup balsamic vinegar; ½ cup soy sauce; 4 teaspoons sugar; 3 cloves garlic (minced); 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated); 2 Tablespoons scallions or chives (diced); 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

Jump to Recipe

35 Comments

4.74 from 15 votes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy.

This Asian-glazed chicken drumstick recipe uses soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, and sesame seeds for an ideal game day hot appetizer.

Get your pans ready for the best Asian-glazed chicken drumsticks recipe that you have ever tasted. It is one of those recipes where you should just start out doubling the recipe if you have good eaters, because this one will impress.

Plus, this is one of the healthier chicken drumsticks recipes because you do not have to fry the chicken to create a wonderfully flavorful and tender drumstick. When you make our soy sauce chicken recipe, make sure you plan for how much spice you and your family like. This does have a little “kick”, but you can add more or less “kick” based on your own preference!

A plate of glazed chicken drumsticks garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

A plate of glazed chicken drumsticks garnished with sesame seeds and green onions, served next to a bowl of white rice.

Recipe Ingredient Notes

Chicken drumsticks (skin removed)
Nonstick cooking spray
Water
Sriracha sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Soy sauce
Garlic cloves minced
Fresh ginger, grated
Scallions or chives diced
Sesame seeds

Equipment Needed

Large heavy skillet pan (THIS is a great one and comes with a lid!)
Wooden Spatula

A skillet filled with glazed, cooked chicken drumsticks garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Plate of glazed chicken wings garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions, placed on a wooden board against a plain white background.

How to Make Asian-Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Alright let’s begin by getting out your large and heavy skillet pan.
Then, spray the bottom of the pan with a little bit of nonstick cooking spray and add in the chicken drumsticks and let them brown.
It should take 3-4 minutes on each side for the chicken to get a nice browned layer (perfect to hold in the flavor).
Once you have created that nice brown color, add in the water, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, fresh ginger, and sriracha sauce into the pan, stirring it around.
Cook everything together on high until the liquid comes to a boil.
Once the sauce reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it all simmer together for about 20 minutes with the pan covered.
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and return it to high heat allowing the sauce to reduce down and create the perfect glaze texture.
Let it cook for about 8-10 minutes to get that glaze texture turning the chicken a few times during that time. Be careful to watch the sauce as you don’t want it to burn when it starts to thicken up.
Once you have achieved a sticky glaze, turn off the heat and remove the chicken from the pan, placing them on another plate or platter.
After you have removed all the chicken, pour the glaze over top of the chicken and then top them with your chopped scallions and sesame seeds and serve them hot with your favorite sides!

A plate of glazed chicken drumsticks garnished with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. A fork is placed beside the plate, and a bowl of white rice is in the background.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Long Do Chicken Drumsticks Take to Cook?

Baked chicken drumsticks take between 35 to 45 minutes when baked at 375 degrees. This cooking time is typically the same when baking at any temperature between 350 and 425 degrees. Keep in mind that cooking times will vary by oven. However, these will be cooked in a pan on the stove so the time can very slightly, but will still be around 30-40 minutes to achieve the Asian glaze!

Are Chicken Drumsticks Healthy?

Yes, oven roasted chicken drumsticks are healthy. Chicken is a lean meat and has a very high protein content and you can usually get drumsticks for an inexpensive price, making them a budget-friendly healthy protein option.

Explore More Chicken Appetizer Recipes

Join The Discussion

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Questions & Reviews

Lindsay says:

Oh, yummy! We loved glazed chicken, so this looks like a fun spin on it!
Anonymous says:

Do you think you could use skinless boneless chicken instead or no?
Camille says:

Funny you should ask that because I was just thinking that same thing this morning! The only thing that would change would be the cooking time- I think that you might need to cook them a little bit longer to make sure they are cooked all the way through. Other than that, I see no problems whatsoever!
Lindsey says:

Looks great! Question, does the hot sauce just add flavor or does it make it spicy? Thanks! Look forward to viewing more of your recipes!
Camille says:

@Lindsey- it definitely adds a little spiciness to the chicken (but in a good way!). I am totally a "heat wimp" and I thought it was the perfect amount of spicy. However, both of my kids thought it was kind of hot and didn't eat much of it.
Camille says:

@Lindsey- it also adds delicious flavor!! :)
KrispieKritter says:

Quick question....the recipe directions mention Agave...but it's not listed in the ingredients?? What is that and how much do I need?
Camille says:

@KrispieKritter- Sorry about that! You can substitute 4 tsp agave for 4 tsp sugar if you want. :)
KrispieKritter says:

Okay, great...thanks!
Shelby says:

Looks great! Do you know if the sauce is gluten free? We have two celiacs in my family.
Stacy says:

Found this off Pinterest and made it tonight. I had pretty much everything for it in my pantry as well. I added a bit of orange zest and juice to it. It was delicious!! My husband was skeptical but went for seconds (and saved the one drumtick left over for lunch tomorrow). Will be added to our meal rotation.
Unknown says:

Made this for my girlfriend last night, and she LOVED it! The only problem I had was that the sauce didn't reduce down to a 'thick glaze'... even after about 15-17 minutes. What'd I do wrong?
Camille says:

I am so sorry! I don't know why it didn't work! Sometimes it does take quite a bit longer to thicken up, but it seems like it would thicken up after more than 15 minutes! I am so sorry!
Cat G says:

This is a great recipe! The sesame seeds and sriracha add a nice kick to it. The recipe is very close to the Filipino adobo that I'm so used to making.
Colleen says:

Trying this tonight!!
Jordan says:

Is this made with the small "chicken wing" drumsticks or the full sized ones?
Jennie says:

I'd love an answer to Jordan's question (above). When I went shopping (this is the 1st time I'll be making drumsticks), I was the little drumsticks you get if you order chicken wings from a pizza place. At the store, I could only find much bigger ones. The recipe calls for medium-sized ones, so I assume - & really, really hope! - that what I bought is right! My parents are coming on Saturday to celebrate a belated Christmas with our family, so I'll be making pizza & these drumsticks to go with it! I know I can't go wrong with a Six Sisters Recipe; we always love them! Thank you for your help!!
Six Sisters says:

You don't want to use the mini ones which you often get with buffalo wings. Jennie, it sounds like you bought the medium ones so you will be fine.
Jennie says:

You were right! It was absolutely perfect... everyone loved them. We love all your recipes, & I can't tell you how often I recommend your site!!! I also had a problem with the glaze, though... even after I removed the chicken & let the sauce boil on high for quite a while, it never thickened. But it tasted DELICIOUS!!! Thank you!
Cams says:

I gave this a try but the sauce didn't thicken at all, very watery and the balsamic tasted very strong.
Rachel says:

I made this tonight and read all the comments first, so I thought I would need to let the sauce stay on the heat longer to thicken up, it was on for less than 8 minutes and I burnt it! Haha, next time I'll know better. Otherwise, the Drumsticks were very good.
Cyd says:

If you look on our post for this recipe it says that this recipe source is Skinny Taste. We always give credit to other bloggers if we adapt one of their recipes.
Shauna says:

I tried this recipe and everyone loved it! I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it turned out just fine.
Katie says:

I made this tonight for my family and it was delicious! I cooked the chicken on the grill then transferred it into the thickening sauce because I made extra chicken. The meal was very tasty with a nice kick to it. I will definitely be making it again! Thanks!
Jessica says:

Do you think that this could all be dumped in the slow cooker instead? Thanks for the recipe!!
Cyd says:

Not sure if that would work, the glaze could burn if cooked too long.
Brooke says:

Has anyone tried this in a crock pot?
the Spaghetti Boss says:

great i like your recipe
Marie says:

Delicious! My family loves this recipe. And the entire house smells great. I made it twice now, bumped the siracha up to 1.5 tbsp...perfect for us...spicy but not hot. The only thing I would add is that it takes longer for the sauce to thicken than is indicated on the recipe. I removed the chicken when it was cooked, and then kept stirring, with high heat, until it thickened. I serve it with a brown rice combo and roasted veggies. I will be doing this again!
Linda says:

Delicious recipe, I too had issues with sauce thickening so I added a tad of corn starch mixed with water and it thickened right up. Will make again
Maui mom says:

Saw majority has issues with sauce thickening so I went ahead and brought the sauce to a boil, no water, and simmered the entire time while baking the chicken in the oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour, turning halfway through. Then topped with the thickened glaze before serving! Was perfect!! Not spicy hot at all with the whole tablespoon hot sauce.
Tausha says:

This recipe was a hit with our whole family!
JenniG says:

Very heavy on the soy sauce taste. Couldn’t get the sauce to thicken after 30 min of boiling. Feel like it should be 4 TBSP sugar, not tsp.
Marie Miller says:

Delicious, we LOVE this. Have been making it for a few years. I make with skinless chicken thighs and rice or farro on the side. The only issue is that the chicken cooks rather quickly, so I remove it when done. The sauce takes much longer to thicken, but I don’t serve till it thickens. It is so delicious.
Marie Miller says:

I make this often, we love it. I use skinless chicken thighs. The only issue is that it takes so long for the sauce to thicken. Am I missing something? But it’s so delicious, I make it often.