This Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe is a perfect, effortless way to make baked chicken legs in the oven. With a magical 4 ingredient sauce, no marinating required, these chicken drumsticks are golden, sticky and everyone loves them!
Plus an optional side of buttery, crispy smashed potatoes for a drumsticks dinner made on one tray!
Sticky Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe
This baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe is one of those gems that you’re going to want to keep in your back pocket. Here’s why you’re going to love it and make it over and over again:
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Unbelievably easy – just spoon sauce over the chicken legs and bake;
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Magical 5 ingredient Honey Mustard Sauce
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They roast beautifully so they’re sticky and golden;
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The flavour is universally pleasing. It’s not too sweet, not too salty, it’s finger lickin’ good!
Difference between chicken legs and drumsticks?
Chicken legs and drumsticks are the same thing. Everybody’s favourite part of Roast Chicken!
What you need for Honey Mustard baked chicken legs
Here’s all you need – chicken legs, plus 4 simple ingredients for the magical Honey Mustard Sauce:
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Dijon mustard (or other plain mild mustard)
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Honey
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Garlic
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Cornflour / cornstarch*
There are very few sauces in this world that taste so great with so few ingredients. And it coats the chicken legs so well, making them beautifully sticky!
* Without cornflour, the sauce is super watery because of all the chicken juices.
How to make baked chicken legs
Pop the chicken legs on a tray, spoon over sauce and bake!
In this recipe, I’ve completed the meal with a side of crispy smashed potatoes made on the same tray. In order to do this, I’ve created a “barrier” between the chicken and potatoes using foil. This makes for easier cleaning up and stops the chicken juices leaking over to the potatoes which makes them soggy instead of crispy!
To prepare the potatoes quickly, I just microwave them. Then place on the tray, squish, drizzle with butter or oil. Together, the potatoes and chicken legs 50 to 60 minutes to bake to perfection – crispy potatoes and sticky chicken legs with tender flesh.
How long does it take to cook drumsticks in the oven?
Sticky drumsticks like this take 50 minutes to cook in the oven at 180°C/350F. This makes them caramelised on the outside with tender flesh.
Some recipes will say to bake them at a higher temperature (220°C/425F) for around 30 minutes. While they will cook through in this time, I find that the flesh is a bit too chewy for my taste.
Sticky drumsticks AND crispy potatoes!
And here’s how they come out – sticky and saucy drumsticks on one side, and crispy potatoes on the other side!
One tray winner winner chicken dinner!
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Sticky baked chicken drumsticks;
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Honey Mustard Sauce; AND
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crispy smashed potatoes.
Throw on a side of steamed veggies of choice and dinner is done.
Active effort time: just over 10 minutes.
Marinating time: Zero
Deliciousness rating: Well, let’s put it this way. There’s a reason why there’s only 7 drumsticks in the photo above when the recipe calls for 8…. Honestly, I have the self control of a child. It’s a disgrace. ?
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
More terrific baked chicken drumstick recipes
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Greek Chicken (make this with drumsticks instead of thighs)
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Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
Smashed Potatoes (optional):
- 4 x 150g/5oz potatoes (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp / 30 g olive oil or melted butter
Chicken:
- 8 chicken legs (about 1 kg / 2 lb) (Note 2)
- 2 tsp olive oil
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (or use more Dijon)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch (Note 4)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For serving (optional):
- Fresh thyme leaves or chopped parsley
- Steamed broccolini
Instructions
Smashed Potatoes option:
- Microwave potatoes for 10 minutes on high or until cooked. (Note 5)
- Place on one side of tray. Squish using potato masher (Note 6) to about 1.7cm / 2/3" thickness. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- If making smashed potatoes, fold up the edges of the foil the drumsticks are on
Sticky Baked Drumsticks:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Mix Sauce ingredients together with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Line tray with foil, then top with parchment paper.
- Place drumsticks on paper. If making smashed potatoes, fold up the edges of the foil so the sauce won't leak into the potatoes (doesn't need to be high - even 1cm / 2/5" is enough, video useful).
- Spoon Sauce over drumsticks. Drizzle chicken with olive oil.
Baking
- Bake for 30 minutes. Turn drumsticks (not potatoes), spoon juices over drumsticks.
- Bake for a further 20 minutes, turn, spoon over juices. Bake for 10 - 15 minutes until sauce reduces and the drumsticks are golden and sticky.
- Remove from oven. Squidge the drumsticks around in what should now be a syrupy sauce. (Note 7) Serve drumsticks with sauce, with crispy smashed potatoes and steamed broccolini on the side. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published 25 April 2018. Post and recipe tidied up and updated for housekeeping matters. No change to recipe ingredients.
Life of Dozer
This recipe was originally published on ANZAC Day in Australia, on 25 April 2018. It’s a day when we commemorate the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (“ANZACs”) who served and sacrificed for our country in the first world war.
Dozer wears an Anzac rosemary sprig on his collar for (most of) the day and we make a donation to the ANZAC Appeal. A very small gesture. #LestWeForget?
Hi Nagi, i cooked just the drumsticks, so tasty, so easy ! We both loved them. Another quick and easy meal, love your recipes. Thanks so much and of course Dozer is just dreamy 😊
I’m looking down at a furry golden face smeared with mud as I write this (raining here this morning and he’s already rolled in mud) and thinking – Dreamy? More like dirty rotten scoundrel! 😂
Smashed potatoes using the microwave and oven…..GENIUS!!!!!!!!!
You know how much I love those potatoes…so pretty cool we can make them with the microwave!
Although the microwave and I are not friends when it comes to potatoes!
My brother and his family visited recently and I usually microwave my jackets for 15 minutes and then just give them 15 minutes in a hot oven to crisp.
HAHAHA don’t know what went wrong but they were still like bullets.
He know calls me the food blogger who can’t cook a potato!!! DOH!
(Ps sat in the Air New Zealand lounge waiting for my flight to the US….see you in SLC in 10 days 😀 )
WHAAATT!!!!?? You’re going to EFC??!!!!!! OMG! Email me – what’s your number!!!
Yup, having a week in Napa/San Fran first then heading over to SLC for EFC next Monday.
Emailed you 😀
Simply delicious! Thanks Nagi for another tasty recipe, complete with your usual detail 😊
Regards, Helen from Arrowtown
Arrowtown! Now there’s a familiar name 🙂 I was at Lake Hayes earlier this year, my friends all took a trip out to Arrowtown which I unfortunately could not make but I wish I did! They said it was beautiful 🙂 N xx
Just tried this Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks and smashed Potatoes tonight for a birthday dinner – it was delicious and so easy to make. Thank you Nagi.
Will certainly be cooking this again.
So great to hear Mike!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Every recipe of yours has been perfect and delicious. I have shared with so many as we happily eat our way through your site.
This post however, is your funniest yet! Love your charm and humour almost as much as your cooking.
Ha ha!!! Glad you are enjoying my site Andrea!! N xx
Taste was amazing for this! But I had some issues with the sauce. It thickened up a little too fast and ended up caramelizing to the foil. Maybe it’s because I spread the drumsticks out too much? I baked the drumsticks and the potatoes separately since I had 10 and I was worried about crowding the pan. Or maybe it’s because I used maple syrup instead of honey, and tapioca starch instead of cornstarch? I don’t know, but the flavor was still superb.
Hi Kemi! Unfortunately yes, spreading out the drumsticks is the cause for the sauce drying out, they need to be snug in the foil (I specifically wrote this in the steps for that reason 🙂 ). Do you mean you scaled up this recipe for 10 people?? I will add a note in the recipe re: scaling up. Hope it helps! N xx
Oh my bad! I totally missed that part in the steps somehow! No, scaled up using 10 drumsticks instead of 8. But now that I know that have the drumsticks actually need to be close together, I’ll probably just squeeze everything in one pan like the recipe says. 🙂
Nagi – I’m so hpppy I came across your blog. Your stories and writing are charming and recipes are consistently spot on. Thank you for letting us into your kitchen!
Thank you for the lovely compliment Sarah! I’m glad you are enjoying my recipes 🙂 N xx
What a wonderful easy & delious meal my entire family loved it thanku
Great to hear Kaye!! Your family are lucky to have such an amazing cook spoiling them! 🙂 N xx
Great yummy recipe as always. .
Dozer..I am proud of you..I will put a poppy on Luca’s collar this year for remembrance day.
Gillian xo
And I will on Dozer’s collar too 🙂 N xx
Forgot to say that Dozer looks the absolute part for “ANZAC DAY” with his little sprig of rosemary. Bless his heart, he’s so gorgeous. Gotta love that boy.
The only time my friends didn’t tease me when I took him out for a walk with something attached to him! 😂
Hi Nagi, You know how to tease a person, but I’m hanging on to this one for that day when we CAN eat an “non Keto” meal once in a blue moon. It sounds and LOOKS just sooooo YUMMY! there’s no way I can sub anything in this, so it’s just going to have to wait for us.
Mustard! I didn’t even think of that – high carb??
Thank Nagi for another delicious recipe. Made this tonight with chicken thighs I had I need my freezer. I had all the other ingredients so was a very cheap meal. So delicious 😋
Great to hear you enjoyed this Valerie! Thanks for letting me know 🙂 N x
Bought the ingredients today and am going to try this recipe for dinner tonight. It sounds soooo simple and most importantly DELICIOUS!! Wish me luck, I am not great in the kitchen 🙂
Oooh I hope you loved it! And no putting yourself down, you will be fine. This is real easy and forgiving too! N xx
The chicken looks delicious. BUT please do not dress Dozer in that suit. He is much too dignified to be made to look ridiculous in a suit. He has his own fur coat
Suit??!!
Hi Nagi. On yesterdays photo there was a picture of Dozer looking at a dog’s suit on a hanger. I cant find the picture again. Sorry if I got it wrong
Hi Linda!!! ooh…. his embarrassing kimono I brought back from Japan! 😂 You mean… THIS one…?? https://www.recipetineats.com/garlic-bread/
Hi Nagi. Yes that is the one. Poor Dozer, how embarrasing
The picture of Dozer with the black jacket and printed pants is on the same post as an Easter picture of him with rabbit ears and an Easter egg.
This meal looks delicious, I’m sure the homeless gentleman was thrilled. I’ll bet you shared that missing drumstick with Dozer! He appears to be very serious about doing his patriotic duty. He’s such a handsome bloke!!
He didn’t try any actually! I haven’t seen him for a while, we keep missing each other at the park 🙂 N xx
Yummo. I make something similar but put a little mayonnaise in the sauce too. I will try yours for one less ingredient.
MAUREEEEEEEEN!!! I’ve missed seeing you “around”! Sending over hugs to you, John and Charlie 🙂 N xx
Dozer: I have my sprig of rosemary resting on the compute from yesterday . . .thank you Nagi! My most special day of the year and not just for Gallipoli or Villers-Bretonneux but all since. At the going down of the sun and in the morning . . . . lest we forget . . . Oh – make the chicken almost identically in a double portion: they are so good cold 🙂 !
Oh Eha. I love hearing that. And thank you for sharing the Aussie story of Anzac Day with others. 🙂 N xx
I love getting your recipes in my inbox, they are not only wonderful, I enjoy your frank and honest and humorous discourse about them, about you, and about Dozer.
So this one appeared today and fortunately I had four chicken thighs defrosting for dinner tonight. Made the chicken, did not make the potatoes (trying to stay low carb, you know) and the chicken was outstanding! For the rest of the low carb dinner I made one sweet potato for two, and a combo of roasted cauliflower and broccoli, in the oven at the same time as the chicken. All were outstanding, , but the chicken was the highlight, it would go with anything.
BTW, like Teresa who also made this recipe, I also live in NC. You have a bunch of us fans up here!
LOVE that you tried this so quickly Carol!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed this. And cauliflower and broccoli is a GREAT low carb side option! Thanks for sharing that idea – N xx
Ok, took Chicken thighs out of the freezer for tea and was going to do your Balsamic glazed chicken but this was in my inbox this morning so will be doing honey mustard chicken.
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes that you share.
Oooh! Hope you loved it Vicky!! N xx
It was fabulous Nagi, and then used another of your recipes Saturday night LOL
🙌🏻 N xx
A steamer is fantastic for steaming potatoes. Have the ingredients on hand to make this tonight, thanks Nagi.
(Except the brocolini) will sub with bok choy and pak choy we have. Hugs for beautiful Dozer. 🙂
Oooh hope you loved it Deborah! N xx PS Microwave steamer – I don’t know why I don’t use it more often!! N xx