Baked Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks

 

This is what I call a 'foolproof' recipe that anyone can manage.  Get yourself some chicken drumsticks, make up a simple marinade to sit them in, then pop them into the oven, and voila!  You can have these for dinner with rice and vegetables, or take them to a picnic and eat them cold with a salad.   Soy sauce and honey is a marriage made in heaven.  While soy sauce provides the rich, savoury element and gives the chicken a nice colouring, honey balances the saltiness with sweetness and enhances the flavour by caramelising the chicken as it cooks.  A sprinkling of sesame seeds and chopped spring onions just before serving is like adding icing to the cake.

Serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kg /2lb 3oz chicken drumsticks (about 8)
• ⅓ cup light soy sauce
• ¼ cup honey
• 3 tablespoons Shaoxin wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• a sprinkling of freshly ground black
• 1 tablespoon toasted black or white sesame seeds, for garnishing
• 1 spring onion, chopped, for garnishing

METHOD

1. Make up the marinade by combining light soy sauce, honey, wine, garlic, ginger, sesame oil and black pepper in a large bowl.  Add the drumsticks, cover, and let them marinade for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.  Turn the drumsticks over once or twice to ensure they are evenly coated with the marinade.  For better results, marinade for a few hours prior to cooking.  
2. Line a large oven tray with baking paper.  Transfer the drumsticks together with the marinade to the tray.  Lay the drumsticks side by side (not crowded on top of each other) to allow for even browning and caramelisation.
3. Place the tray in a preheated 200°C/400°F oven and let the drumsticks cook for 15 minutes.  Take the tray out and turn the drumsticks over before returning them to the oven for another 15 minutes, or until they are fully cooked.
4. Remove from the oven and serve.  Drizzle over the drumsticks with the marinade and juice from the tray.  Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions.   

Source (with adaptations): mykoreankitchen.com