Here’s an easy, flavor-packed Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks recipe — sticky, savory, and perfect for busy days 🍗🍯🥢
🍯🥢 Slow Cooker Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks
🛒 Ingredients
- 8–10 chicken drumsticks (skin on or off)
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated (or ½ tsp ground ginger)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional but delicious)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (for thickening, optional)
- Sesame seeds & sliced green onions (for garnish)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Mix the sauce
In a bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, ketchup, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and sesame oil.
2️⃣ Add to slow cooker
Place drumsticks in the slow cooker and pour sauce over them. Turn to coat.
3️⃣ Cook
- Low: 5–6 hours
- High: 3–4 hours
Chicken should be tender and reach 165°F (74°C).
4️⃣ Thicken the sauce (optional but recommended)
- Remove drumsticks and set aside.
- Mix cornstarch and water.
- Stir into sauce in slow cooker, cover, and cook on HIGH for 10–15 minutes until thickened.
- Return chicken to coat in the thick glaze.
5️⃣ Optional sticky finish (highly recommended)
Place drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil 3–5 minutes until caramelized and slightly crispy.
6️⃣ Garnish & serve
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions.
🍽️ Serve With
- Steamed rice
- Stir-fried vegetables
- Noodles
- Simple cucumber salad
🌟 Tips
- For heat: add ½–1 tsp red pepper flakes or sriracha.
- For deeper flavor: add 1 tbsp hoisin sauce.
- You can substitute chicken thighs if preferred.
If you’d like, I can also give you a 4-ingredient super simple version or a meal-prep freezer version you can dump straight into the slow cooker.
