Sticky balsamic chicken drumsticks made on the stove with just 5 ingredients – chicken, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, sugar and garlic. It’s twice as fast as baking drumsticks and glaze is lip smackingly delicious! Watch the cooking video to see how easy it is – and how hopeful Dozer looks that one will come his way…
I take it very personally when people have trouble making a recipe of mine. I take a great deal of care writing and testing recipes before I share them, and you would probably be horrified at the number of beautiful photos I have trashed because I wasn’t happy with the recipe, or because I thought the “fail” risk was too high.
I posted this Balsamic Drumsticks recipe back in April 2015 and a handful of readers have had trouble with it. Specifically, getting the sauce to reduce down to a glaze. It’s not a technically difficult recipe, but it is unique because drumsticks are not usually cooked the stove in a braising liquid that transforms into a glaze and there are a couple of specific steps required to be followed to make this happen.
So I decided to repost this recipe with fresh new photos, even more concise steps and a cooking video. So you can see exactly how to make it. 🙂
These balsamic chicken drumsticks are based on this Sticky Stovetop Chicken recipe that I stumbled across. When I read the recipe, I thought it sounded quite similar to the flavour and method used for Filipino Chicken Adobo (one of my favourite Asian chicken recipes!), except that it is made with drumsticks (and with less ingredients).
This recipe is actually quite genius. I don’t think most people would think to cook drumsticks on the stove, and even if you did, getting a beautiful caramelisation and the glaze is another matter altogether.
I bet most people would never guess it wasn’t baked. Or that there’s only 5 ingredients in this. FIVE.
It’s a fairly classic sweet-sour taste made with a bit of sugar, balsamic and soy sauce. But then you add some water into the pot with the chicken and sauce so by the time the chicken is cooked, the braising liquid reduces down to a thick sticky glaze. And that glaze caramelises which adds even more flavour.
Yummy! Look at it. This is what it looks like straight off the stove.
I remember the first time I made this recipe, I took a bite and thought “Ew, this is terrible”. I stood over the stove with my hands on my hips, head cocked, wondering how I was going to salvage it. I thought back over the recipe. I mean, it only has 5 ingredients in it. And there were rave reviews by people who had tried it. Either all those people have terrible taste in food….or….I stuffed up.
Yep, you guessed it. I stuffed up a 5 ingredient recipe. FIVE INGREDIENTS and I managed to accidentally leave out the most important one – soy sauce.
DUH!
I managed to salvage my embarrassing disaster by taking out the drumsticks and remaking the glaze. And because the salvaged version was so tasty that I thought I had better make it again. I gave myself a big pat on the back for remembering all five ingredients the second time!
Now this is a classic back-pocket recipe of mine.
Sticky chicken – done – with less than 5 minutes of active effort. Can’t ask for much more than that! 🙂 – Nagi x
MORE CHICKEN DRUMSTICK RECIPES
-
Greek Chicken – ideal made with drumsticks instead of thighs
-
Baked Chicken and Rice – make this with drumsticks instead of bone in thighs!
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
5 Ingredient Sticky Stove Top Balsamic Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks (2 lb / 1 kg) (Note 1)
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce (all purpose or light, not dark)
- 3 tbsp sugar (brown)
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
Extra Flavourings (Optional)
- 2 tsp fresh grated ginger
- 2 tbsp Sriracha or 1 tsp red pepper flakes (Note 2)
Garnishes (optional)
- Parsley or shallots/scallions , finely sliced
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients (including Extra Flavourings, if using) in a large skillet/fry pan or pot (Note 3) over medium high heat. The chicken should be in a single layer.
- Bring to boil, turn chicken, then turn down to medium so it simmers energetically but not rapidly. DO NOT cover the pan with a lid.
- Cook for 20 minutes, turning the chicken at 10 minutes.
- At 20 minutes, the chicken should be cooked. Move the chicken to the side of the skillet, propping and stacking them up on the edges of the skillet to clear the surface of the liquid as much as possible so it can reduce.
- Simmer for 5 minutes or until the liquid thickens (consistency of thick pouring cream) and coats the chicken. Keep an eye on the sauce, once it starts to thicken it will reduce quickly, don't let it go too far. Roll the chicken in the glaze.
- Remove the skillet from the stove and stand for 5 minutes - the sauce will thicken slightly more. Roll the chicken in the glaze again, then serve, garnished with parsley or scallions if desired.
- (Note 4)
- Serve, garnished with scallions/shallots if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
* Originally posted in April 2015. Reposted with new photos and a cooking video.
LIFE OF DOZER
If you want your daily dose of Dozer, you’ll need to watch the video! He makes a cameo appearance…. 😉
And I just can’t believe it….people mocked me over his robe that I shared at the bottom of the Caramel Slice recipe. “Dogs don’t wear clothes!”, they declared. Boo to them!
This was amaze balls!?
So glad you loved it Lins!! Thank you for letting me know!! N x
Hi Nagi! I have a stainless steel frying pan and gas stove. I’ve read that you don’t need the heat as high for those pans. Would you still recommend high heat to cook it properly? Sorry also completely new to cooking!!
Hi Martinique! I still recommend starting on high, then turning the stove down per the recipe 🙂
Hi Nagi! I am making this TONIGHT! WHat kind of salad and dressing is served in the pic? Looks DELISH!
HI Mrs Smith! I’m confused – no salad in these photos!!
Made these for dinner tonight…. two thumbs up! The kids (ages 4 & 9) and adults loved it, and couldn’t be easier! Thank you
YAY!!! Thank you Danyce, I’m so glad you loved it!!
Did you remove the skin from the drumsticks prior to cooking?
Nope! The skin goes lovely and jammy!
Made this tonight when we realized it was already 9 pm and we needed a quick dinner–yum! This is great! We’ll definitely be making this again. The sriracha addition adds a nice heat, too.
YAY! I’m so glad you enjoyed it Catherine!!
Made this last night. Did exactly what the recipe said and added a little sriracha sauce. My pickest eater ate three legs and left NUTHIN on the bone. We were fighting over the last leg! hahaha. Can’t wait to make with boneless skinless thighs. We even found ourselves swirling our cucumber slices in the sauce. SO GOOD! Thanks for a simple and awesome recipe.
YAY YAY YAY! Thank you so much for sharing your feedback!!! N x
Ugh. Did everything exactly like it’s said except I had one extra. Drumstick. Sauce will not thicken for the life of me. Been on medium heat uncovered for about 40 min now. I don’t know what I could’ve done wrong.
Hi Rita – that’s odd! Any sauce cook in an uncovered pot should reduce down and when it reduces, it becomes more syrup like. Wish I could be in the kitchen with you to help troubleshoot! 🙂
I have had a bad experience or Rio cooking chicken. I’m so scared of not cooking time enough that I overcooked it
So I gave up. I buy precooked or we go to my moms to eat lol. So when I saw this recipe, the picture stopped me in my tracks. I was drueling. I ran to the store and bought some drumsticks and balsamic vinegar. I had the rest of the ingredients. My chicken is thawing in the fridge and I am going to attempt to make this tomorrow if I don’t “chicken” out. No pun intended….im not sure if this is a recipe an amateur like myself should try but hey. What the heck? Wish me luck!!!
You don’t need luck! This one is super easy. 🙂 5 ingredients! Just don’t be like me and forget one of them!!! 🙂
I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I FORGOT AN INGREDIENT TOO. Realized 25 minutes in that I forgot the sugar! Ah!! Still delicious though
BA HA HA!! You make me feel BETTER!!! 🙂
Hi Nagi!
I’m going to make these on Saturday night for a home viewing of the AFL final but want to make it with wings instead.
Any tips? How many wings (kg) would the sauce for this recipe work for?
Can’t wait to try it!!
Hi Elisa! I haven’t tried this with wings but it should work! I think about 800g of wings would work well. 🙂
I sent him a link to your FB album & asked him to tell me if he saw anything he liked. This is the first of his selections. He walked in the house while it was cooking tonight & commented on how delicious it smelled. I’ve served it with rice & a tossed salad.
I did two batches; one with ginger & crushed peppers, the other without. There is no clear winner. No one can decide. I added more garlic than the recipe calls for, as we’re garlic fiends. This was really wonderful. Thanks again.
P.S. Please open future contests to Canada!
HA! I love it, Facebook Menu!! 🙂
I just wanted to tell you, I’ve made this a few times and it’s always a success. My husband is pretty picky but when i tell him this is for dinner he’s excited to eat it. I serve it with white rice and some sort of veggie, tonight is sauteed squash. I found the recipe on Pinterest and I’ll be checking out your other recipes. Thank you for sharing this one!
I’m so glad you and your husband love this! It is quite surprising that something so yum can be made with so few ingredients, isn’t it? Hope you have a lovely weekend!
Absolute disaster, I doubled the quantity, because I had 16 chicken drumsticks. Followed the instructions but the glaze did not thicken at all. Clearly you are not supposed to double the quantity of the glaze?
Hi Donna. I’m so sorry, no, this recipe is one of the very few on this site that is not suitable for scaling up. Saying that, the glaze would have thickened if you left it cooking for a lot longer (taking the drumsticks out). 🙁
Do you think this would work in the crock pot? Remodeling and the stove is not an option right now.
Hi Dwight! It will work if your crockpot has a saute setting, but if not, then it won’t work unfortunately because the lid needs to be off in order for the liquid to reduce down to the sticky glaze. Jealous that you’re getting a remodel! 🙂
This looks delicious! I’m going to make it for my family for lunch!
I was wondering, I’m going to use 3 chicken breasts and I’ve seen all your directions about adding extra oil and stuff. I was wondering, should I remove the chicken breasts from the pan at a time and leave the glaze to cook?
Hi Maria! Yup, that’s right. I’m worried about the breast overcooking if you leave it in there for the whole time. 🙂
Can I make in advanced for a picnic by any chance?
Hi Rehana! You sure can 🙂 I recommend making sure it’s at room temperature so the sticky glaze is a glaze rather than “jelly like” which is what happens when it is refrigerated. Hope you love it! 🙂
I made these and they were DELICIOUS. they took longer than I hoped but that’s just because they were huge legs! my whole family loved them 🙂
Hi Ashley! I am SO GLAD you enjoyed these! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know you loved them. 🙂
This recipe is awesome. I have been cooking this all the time! I have told friends and family about these and your awesome website. I’ve been cooking your food for a while now and thought I’d give you the feedback you deserve. You’re amazing!
Hi Emma! Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and let me know you enjoyed it! I’m so glad you enjoy these – they’re great for a fast easy meal, aren’t they? I hope YOU remember all five ingredients though, unlike ME….. 😉
Okay, I’m about to give up with the sauce. I made drumsticks, they cooked. However, I’m not sure if I fudged it all up by covering the pan…. and almost 50 mins later my sauce still hasn’t thickened. I took the drumsticks out a while ago to set aside.
Hi Wendy, sorry to be the bearer of bad news…but yes, covering the pan was the problem! It needs to be cooked without a lid so the liquid reduces into a sauce by the time the drumsticks finish cooking. I will add an extra step in the recipe to be clear NOT to put the lid on the pan. 🙂
I made this tonight and it was a hit! I will make it again for the family!
I’m SO GLAD you and your family loved it Sally!! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know, I really appreciate it. Makes me so happy! N x