Soy sauce, sriracha, honey and balsamic vinegar bring amazing flavor to these super tender Slow Cooker Asian Glazed Chicken Drumsticks! You’re going to love this easy chicken dinner recipe.
The Most Flavorful Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
You know what they say: friends don’t let friends make bland chicken! Okay, fine, maybe that’s not a real saying, but it should be! Because, making super flavorful chicken is easy, and that’s where this simple and delicious recipe comes in.
Here, we’re going with chicken drumsticks. I think drumsticks are an under-appreciated part of chicken. They’re juicy, flavorful, and they cook easily in a crock pot. They also stand up well to the bold flavors of balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, sriracha and more.
What Makes This Recipe So Good? The Sauce!
So let’s talk about the sauce. Do you sometimes feel intimidated by sauce-making and unsure how to go about it? Don’t be! Making a sauce can be really complex if you want it to be, but it can also be simple! Some of my favorite sauces are nothing more than a few tasty ingredients mixed together in proportions that work.
This sauce is a perfect example! It’s not necessary to steep this or saute that, to pull out your double-boiler or coddle any eggs. Instead, we’re just going to whisk together some easy-to-use, easy-to-find ingredients.
But, the result of this honey-sriracha-sauce is out of this world! It’s a wonderful balance of sweet, salty, tangy and hot. You’re gonna want to make it again and again.
Ingredients
You’ll notice that this recipe makes about 3 pounds of drumsticks! That might seem like a lot, but it really isn’t. A lot of the weight is because we’re using bone-in chicken. If you’d like, feel free to substitute bone-in thighs; they’re equally delicious.
- Drumsticks: You’ll need 3 pounds of chicken drumsticks. Some people prefer skinless, but you can use either.
For the Sauce
- Honey: The sweetness in the sauce is from ¼ cup of your favorite honey.
- Soy Sauce: You’ll also need ¼ cup of soy sauce; I use low-sodium soy sauce. If you’d like, you can substitute tamari or coconut aminos.
- Balsamic Vinegar: This richly-flavored condiment adds an amazingly savory flavor to the sauce.
- Brown Sugar: Just a couple of tablespoons.
- Fresh Garlic: Mince or press six cloves of garlic. You can substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of garlic powder, if necessary.
- Sriracha: I love sriracha! It has such an intense, umami flavor, full of heat and deliciousness. 1 tablespoon gives the sauce a nice kick.
- Ground Ginger: Just a teaspoon picks the sauce up and gives it a lovely fresh zing.
For the Slurry
- Water: You’ll need 2 tablespoons of cold water.
- Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons of cornstarch blended with the water make the perfect sauce thickener.
Optional Garnishes
- Toasted Sesame Seeds
- Chopped Fresh Cilantro
How to Make Slow Cooker Asian Glazed Chicken Legs
This is a really easy, basic method for cooking chicken drumsticks. They always come out tender and full of flavor! You can thicken the sauce using a slurry, or serve it as-is.
- Make Sauce: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, sriracha and ground ginger.
- Pour Sauce Over Chicken: Place the drumsticks in a 6.5-quart or larger slow cooker; pour the soy sauce mixture over the chicken drumsticks and gently toss to coat.
- Slow-Cook Chicken: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours.
- Thicken Sauce (Optional): If you’d like to thicken the sauce, make a slurry about 15 minutes before the chicken is done, by whisking together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Stir the slurry into the chicken and sauce; cover again, and cook on HIGH heat for 10 to 12 more minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.
- Enjoy! Serve your drumsticks with sauce and top with sesame seeds and cilantro.
Tips for the Best Chicken Drumsticks
But wait, there’s more! Yes, this recipe is great on its own, but I’ve also got a handful of nifty tips to help you make the most of your delicious ingredients. Read on, and enjoy!
- Use a Liner: Crock pot liners are so helpful, especially when you’re making a glazed recipe like this one. It’ll save you time and hassle, making clean-up super easy.
- Broil ‘Em Up: Want to get a little crispy finish on your drumsticks? No problem! Just line a baking sheet with parchment paper and throw your drumsticks under a hot broiler for a minute or two. This will take them from glazed, to glazed AND crispy!
- Watch the Time: Most people cook chicken in the crock pot until it’s fall-off-the-bone tender. I love it that way too, but you can also turn the crockpot off sooner, for less meltingly tender chicken. Just make sure it is fully cooked at 165°F – use an Instant Read Meat Thermometer to check.
Serving Suggestions
Need some good ideas for sides and appetizers? I’ve rounded up a few that I think you will love. They’re easy, healthy and delicious!
- Egg Drop Soup: A takeout favorite, Egg Drop Soup has a light, nourishing flavor thanks to the broth, and a satisfying texture thanks to oodles of ribbony eggs. Best of all? It’s easy, fast, and fun to make!
- Crab Rangoons: Another yummy takeout-inspired side dish, these Crab Rangoon Wontons are crispy, crunchy, and full of creamy crab filling.
- Zucchini Fries: The mellow flavor and bold crunch of Air Fryer Parmesan Zucchini Fries is a fun way to serve more veggies, and they go super well with this yummy chicken!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- To refrigerate leftover drumsticks, place them (along with any leftover sauce) in airtight containers and keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- To reheat them, place the drumsticks and sauce in a covered saucepan or skillet over low heat until completely heated through. You can also bake the drumsticks, covered, at 350°F until heated through.
Can I Freeze These?
- Sure! You can definitely freeze these tasty glazed drumsticks. Just place them in freezer bags and press out as much air as possible before sealing.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
- Frozen drumsticks will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Slow Cooker Asian Glazed Drumsticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks
For the Sauce
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
For the Slurry
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Optional Garnishes
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
- Freshly chopped cilantro, for garnish
Instructions
- Place drumsticks in a 6.5-quart, or larger, slow cooker; set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, minced garlic, sriracha and ground ginger.
- Pour soy sauce mixture over the chicken drumsticks and gently toss to coat.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or on HIGH for 2 to 3 hours. Chicken is cooked through when internal temperature register at 165˚F.
- If you’d like to thicken the sauce, make a slurry about 15 minutes before the chicken is done: in a small bowl or cup, whisk together water and cornstarch.
- Remove cover from slow cooker and stir the slurry into the sauce; recover and cook on HIGH heat for 10 to 12 more minutes, or until sauce has thickened.
- Serve drumsticks with sauce and top with sesame seeds and cilantro.
Notes
- To crisp up the drumsticks, after cooking them, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, arrange drumsticks on the baking sheet and pop them under a hot broiler for a minute or two, or until crispy.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and cilantro, and serve.
Nutrition
More Chicken Recipes to Try
I’m a firm believer that you can never have too many chicken recipes! Here are a few more of my very favorites.
19 Comments
Vik
Mar 11, 2021 at 5:55 amThese are the tastiest drumsticks! Loved making them almost as much as I loved eating them
Katerina Petrovska
Mar 11, 2021 at 6:23 pmThank you so much! I’m very glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Allyson Zea
Mar 11, 2021 at 4:17 pmMaking these in the slow cooker is such a timesaver, and so convenient! I love the flavors of this recipe!
Katerina Petrovska
Mar 11, 2021 at 6:22 pmI am very glad you enjoyed them! Thank YOU! 🙂
Catalina
Mar 11, 2021 at 8:57 pmI can’t resist this chicken! It looks amazing! The best!
Katerina Petrovska
Mar 16, 2021 at 5:08 pmThank YOU! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Beth
Mar 13, 2021 at 6:22 pmWow! This looks amazing and so delicious! My family is going LOVE these! So excited to make these!
Katerina Petrovska
Mar 16, 2021 at 5:08 pmThank you so much! I hope you and your family enjoy it! 🙂
Kevin
Apr 12, 2021 at 3:05 pmI love this slow cooker dish! I love these drumsticks! Cannot wait to these for dinner!
Katerina Petrovska
Apr 13, 2021 at 2:04 pmI hope you enjoy them! Thank YOU! 🙂
Angela
Jun 20, 2022 at 6:36 pmThese have been the most requested from my family of any recipe I’ve made! Trying it tonight with chicken thighs as it’s what I have and the sauce is so great! Thank you for this recipe!
Michelle
Jul 14, 2022 at 12:24 amHow much balsamic vinegar?
Johanna
Aug 11, 2022 at 5:26 amIs the nutritional facts based on one drumstick? Or the 3# of drumsticks?
Katerina
Aug 12, 2022 at 7:15 amHi!
Nutritional facts are based on servings. With this recipe, 3-pounds of drumsticks serves 6, thus 8 ounces of drumsticks equals one serving. Also, keep in mind that about 25% of a drumstick is bone.
Mary
Sep 27, 2022 at 8:17 pmThis a truly wonderful recipe, fantastic flavour and the meat falls off the bone, it’s the only way to enjoy drumsticks, you won’t be disappointed.
Katerina Petrovska
Sep 28, 2022 at 2:06 pmThat’s wonderful to hear! I’m very happy you loved it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Melissa
Jan 21, 2023 at 12:46 pmI doubled the recipe for a family gathering and it was awesome. I did wonder if the sauce was going to get on each of the pieces so I made the sauce in a different bowl and then dipped it in the sauce before putting it in the crock pot. I then poured the rest of the sauce right back on top.
Delish. It was gone within minutes.
Katerina Petrovska
Jan 22, 2023 at 11:51 amThat’s great! I’m very glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
GREGORY
Jan 26, 2023 at 10:01 amWhat size slow cooker did you use when you doubled it, and did you increase the cook time?