Sticky Chicken
Dress up your drumsticks with this Sticky Chicken recipe! This one-pan main dish is a family favorite with chicken drumsticks and a sweet and sticky sauce.
I’m all about easy recipes with loads of flavor, and one of the best ones I know is this yummy recipe for Sticky Chicken. It makes a great addition to your dinner table and is ready to eat in about 30 minutes. Talk about an easy dinner recipe.
What’s great about Sticky Chicken is that it can be made with any chicken cut. I wanted a cut with skin, so I chose chicken drumsticks. They are budget-friendly and always turn out delicious.
You could also make this recipe with chicken wings or chicken thighs. Both would be equally yummy! Trust me, you’ll want to sop up all that sticky chicken sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- A family favorite recipe ready in 30 minutes
- Pairs with a wide variety of side dishes
- Easy to find ingredients at the grocery store
- Sweet and sticky glaze is the BEST
- Can be used with other cuts of chicken (dark meat or white meat)
- Can be doubled or tripled if you need to make more
- Perfect recipe for busy weeknights
Ingredients
The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.
- Chicken drumsticks
- Soy sauce – Use low-sodium soy sauce if you watch your salt intake.
- White vinegar
- Dry mustard powder
- Granulated sugar
- Paprika
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Sesame seeds
How to Make Easy Sticky Chicken
Follow along to learn how to make sticky chicken!
- Step One: Add soy sauce, vinegar, paprika, dry mustard, sugar, and oil to a large skillet and stir to combine. Place chicken drumsticks in the pan. Pour water on top. Bring to a boil.
- Step Two: Boil until water has reduced by half. Reduce to medium heat. Continue to turn the chicken frequently until cooked through.
- Step Three: Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot.
What Side Dishes to Serve with It
- Rice. Try brown rice, white rice, jasmine rice, or cauliflower rice. It’s the best way to soak up all that sweet sauce.
- Roasted veggies. Love these Roasted Root Vegetables. You could also try roasted broccoli, cauliflower, or sweet potatoes.
- Salad. Try a tossed salad loaded with fresh veggies, pasta salad like this Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, or a potato salad like my Herb Potato Salad.
- Garlic bread. It goes with everything!
- Mashed potatoes. A classic! Love this Twice Baked Potato Casserole.
Variations and Substitutions
- Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds for freshness and color.
- Use hoisin sauce, tamari sauce, or coconut aminos instead of soy sauce.
- Add one tablespoon of fresh ginger and/or minced garlic to the sauce. You can also add one teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Add one tablespoon of sweet chili sauce or chili garlic sauce to the sauce mixture for an extra kick.
- Try a different oil like olive oil, sesame oil, or canola oil.
- Use a different type of chicken. Try boneless skinless chicken thighs, boneless chicken breasts, or chicken breasts cut into strips or 1-inch cubes.
- Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for extra heat.
- Substitute the sugar with honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, or light brown sugar.
- Instead of white vinegar, try rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover sticky chicken pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can I Freeze?
Yes! You can freeze leftovers for later or make a bunch of sticky chicken in advance to freeze.
Let the chicken cool to room temperature first. Then, place it in freezer bags or freezer-safe containers and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to thaw the chicken, place it in the refrigerator overnight. Then, heat it in the oven, microwave, or stovetop.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Use bone-in, skin-on chicken. I love chicken drumsticks or thighs. The higher fat content means juicy, incredibly moist, and tender chicken.
- Don’t overcook the chicken. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness. It should have an internal temperature of 165°F. No one likes tough or dry chicken.
- Reduce the sauce if needed. If the sauce is not reduced enough to your liking by the time the chicken is done, make a cornstarch slurry! Use one tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with one tablespoon of the sauce liquid (or water). Then add it to the pot and stir frequently until the sauce thickens.
FAQ
Yes, you can make Sticky Chicken in a slow cooker! Mix soy sauce, white vinegar, dry mustard, sugar, paprika, vegetable oil, and two tablespoons of water in a bowl. The slow cooker version requires less water.
Cook on low heat for 4 to 6 hours or high heat for 2 to 3 hours or until the chicken is cooked.
Remove the drumsticks and place on a baking sheet. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes until the skin gets crispy.
Add the remaining liquid in the slow cooker to a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water) and cook for 1 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Pour sauce over the cooked chicken.
Yes, you can air fry your meal instead.
Preheat the air fryer (if your model calls for preheating) to 375°F. Whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, dry mustard, paprika, sugar, vegetable oil, and two tablespoons of water in a small bowl.
Place the chicken in the air fryer basket. Brush the sauce over the chicken drumstick on all sides.
Air fry for 20 to 25 minutes or until the chicken’s internal temperature is 165F. Flip the chicken halfway through cooking.
Add the remaining sauce to a saucepan and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Stir in a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water) and cook for 1 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Pour sauce over the cooked chicken.
Chicken Recipes
- No Peek Chicken
- Russian Chicken
- Sour Cream Chicken Bake
- Oven Baked Chicken Wings
- Low Carb Chicken Divan
- Hot Honey Chicken Tenders
- Smothered Chicken
- Pizza Stuffed Chicken
- Copycat Panda Express Mushroom Chicken
- Hawaiian Chicken
- Slow Cooker Lemon Herb Chicken
- Peking Chicken
- One-Pan Maple Dijon Chicken
- Hurry Chicken
- Pineapple Teriyaki Chicken
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Sticky Chicken
Ingredients
- 10 chicken drumsticks
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp dry mustard powder
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Pinch paprika
- 2 ½ cups water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- Sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Add soy sauce, vinegar, paprika, dry mustard, sugar and oil to a large pan and stir to combine. Place chicken drumsticks in pan. Pour water on top. Bring to a boil.
- Boil until water has reduced by half. Reduce heat to medium. Continue to turn the chicken frequently until cooked through.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve hot.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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My friend made some Sticky Chicken when I visited a couple of weeks ago and I have been thinking about it ever since, this was just the recipe I needed thank you 🙂
These chicken drumsticks look so good! I am always looking for new ideas to fix for family dinner so I can’t wait to try these!