This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Spice up your life with these honey Sriracha chicken drumsticks! This easy crispy baked chicken drumsticks recipe can be made in under an hour.
So this is another one of those recipes that I’ve been making for a few years now, and finally getting it on to the blog! If you’re a fan of Sriracha sauce (which I sincerely hope you are) you will LOVE these crispy chicken drumsticks!
Can we have a quick sidebar though? I get a little confused with the different cuts of meat. Chicken legs and chicken drumsticks are often used interchangeably in recipes online and it confuses the heck out of me. Aren’t legs supposed to be those bigger hunks of meat that have a bit of a handle? Also…what IS the drumstick? Like, what is it. Do we have drumsticks?!
Whatever. They’re delicious….these ones, I mean.
The other nice thing about this particular cut of meat is that they’re CHEAP! It’s a really affordable piece of the chicken and you can often buy them in bulk. Helpful, if you’re feeding a lot of people! I usually buy a big pack and then portion it into freezer bags.
For ultra crispy baked chicken drumsticks, make sure you’re leaving the skin on.
How do you make honey Sriracha chicken drumsticks?
You first want to make sure you crisp up the chicken properly before adding the sauce. How you go about doing THAT is by patting the chicken dry with a paper towel, then placing it into a large freezer bag with a mixture of baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. The baking powder is what will really help crisp up that chicken skin! The other seasonings are full a bit of extra flavor.
Can you use cornstarch instead of baking powder?
You absolutely can! Some people find that baking powder might cause a bit of an aftertaste when used to crisp up their meat, but I’ve honestly never noticed one. The nice thing about baking powder is that it is very low-carb, versus traditional cornstarch! If you care about that sort of thing 😉
Regardless of what you toss it in, the chicken will need to bake in the oven at 425 F for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken reaches a temperature of 165 F. Turn the chicken halfway to get an even bake. I like to check it around 30-35 minutes to see how it’s doing, and to make sure I don’t over-bake it!
OH – another thing to point out. I place the chicken on a baking pan that is lined with a wire rack, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. This ensures the chicken skin doesn’t stick to anything, and the elevation ensures equal crispiness!
What’s in the honey Sriracha sauce?
The sauce is very simple! While the chicken is baking, combine together in a small saucepan over low-medium heat:
- Sriracha sauce
- honey
- coconut oil
- minced garlic
When the chicken has finished cooking, remove the pan from the oven, and use a pastry brush to “paint” on the honey Sriracha sauce, covering each piece of chicken generously with the sauce. Place the chicken back in the oven for 4-5 minutes, then remove and serve immediately!
We like to have a bit of extra sauce to coat onto the chicken just before eating. Serve the chicken with rice, or a side salad. Easy peasy!
What do you serve Sriracha chicken drumsticks with?
I have a few side dishes on the blog that would be perfect, but we love eating these with:
Print
Honey Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 8 drumsticks 1x
Description
Spice up your life with these honey Sriracha chicken drumsticks! This easy crispy baked chicken drumsticks recipe can be made in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp baking powder*
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- pinch of salt and pepper
- 8 chicken drumsticks, skin-on
Honey Sriracha Sauce
- 1/3 cup Sriracha sauce
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- sesame seeds, green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, and place a wire rack over the pan. Spray the wire rack with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large freezer bag, place the baking powder, garlic and onion powder, salt and pepper. Use a paper towel to pat dry the chicken drumsticks then place them into the bag along with the seasonings. Close and shake the bag until the drumsticks are thoroughly covered. Gently place the chicken on the wire rack, a few inches apart. Bake the chicken for 40-45 minutes, checking at 40 minutes with a meat thermometer. The chicken should bake to 165 F internally.
- While the chicken is baking, place the Sriracha, honey, coconut oil and minced garlic in a small saucepan over low-medium heat, stirring to combine. Once the chicken has baked, remove it from the oven and use a pastry brush to generously coat the chicken drumsticks with the Sriracha honey sauce. Place the chicken back in the oven for an additional 4-5 minutes, then remove and garnish with sesame seeds and diced green onions. Serve immediately.
Keep leftover chicken in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.
Notes
*Some people do not like the taste of baking powder; in this case, you can use cornstarch!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: dinner
- Method: oven bake
- Cuisine: vietnamese
These look so succulent. Honey and sriracha are a great combo! Pinning! xo
SUCH a great combo!! Thanks Kim!!
I love your new picture! Or if it’s old, forgive me. Love this recipe. And I do love munching on chicken legs, as awful as that sounds! Great recipe.
Thanks Mimi! It is fairly new. And it doesn’t sound awful! I love it too 😉
‘If you’re a fan of Sriracha’ – I’ve got two spare bottles for when the one that is permanently on my table goes empty! I love this dish, I bet it would also be brilliant on some wings for watching the game!
Haha, sounds like our household, Matt! I want to cry when I run out of Sriracha! Thanks my friend!
Love sriracha very much and chicken drumsticks too ! Perfect Saturday lunch with some rice aside.Thank you !
Thanks Davorka. It would definitely make a nice easy lunch!
Sriacha drumsticks will be a big hit in my house! Can’t wait to make them for my family. Looks like the perfect mix of spicy and sticky!!
That sticky, spicy flavor gets me every time. You’d love these! Thanks Tasia!
Spicy sweet is always a winning combo for me, Katherine – and these look amazing! So juicy!! Definitely want to try these out for our next game night! Extra sriracha for me 😉
I sure love spicy sweet, too!! It is such a great combo. Extra Sriracha for me too 😉 Thanks girl!
This is my kind of chicken Katherine — I love sweet ‘n spicy! Sriracha is one of the most delicious things on the planet to me, so these wouldn’t last long around me!
I totally agree, Marcie. Especially combined with honey! I just love it! Thanks my friend!
Lol! Do we have drumsticks! I think some of us do at the end of the holiday season😉 I’m loving the heat from the Sriracha and the chicken looks perfectly cooked through and tender!!
Hahah yes I think so too!!! Too funny. Thanks girl!
Didnt realize how strong the baking powder taste would be. Followed directions exactly. Now I’m ordering pizza for my fam. Use cornstarch not baking powder ever. Wow is it a really strong taste and I’m not sensitive to the taste normally but wow.