Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks

5 from 2 votes

Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks

🍗🍯🧄 These honey garlic chicken drumsticks marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and more which gives them a balance of sweet, savory, and lightly smoky FLAVOR! After slow cooking for hours, the meat is fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy! The EASIEST way to make chicken drumsticks because your slow cooker does all the work and everyone adores the result!

Prep Time5

Cook Time4

Marinating Time2

Course: Appetizers, Slow Cooker, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken drumsticks, slow cooker chicken drumsticks

Servings: drumsticks

Calories: 93cal

Equipment

1 6-quart slow cooker (use a 6 to 7-quart sized slow cooker)

Ingredients

½ cup honey
¼ cup soy sauce lite or reduced sodium is what I use
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic finely minced
1 heaping teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated (1/2 teaspoon dried ground ginger may be substituted)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika regular paprika may be substituted but you'll lose the smoky aspect
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
2 pounds chicken drumsticks thaw completely if using frozen drumsticks
Sesame seeds optional for garnishing
Green onions thinly sliced; optional for garnishing

Instructions

To a large mixing bowl, add all the ingredients (up to the drumsticks) and whisk to combine. Option - You can also add all the marinade ingredients to the ceramic liner of your slow cooker IF you have room in your fridge to store it. They tend to be bulky but it's an option.
Add the drumsticks and toss very well to coat evenly. Cover with plastic wrap or foil, and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours, but I recommend overnight for the best flavor.
Add the drumsticks and all the marinade mixture to the liner of your slow cooker (if you were using a bowl to marinate and not marinating in the ceramic liner), cover, and slow cook on LOW heat for 4 to 5 hours, or until the meat is done. Slow Cooking Tips - I have never cooked on high heat and recommend low and slow for best results. Resist the urge to lift the slow cooker lid and 'check' on the drumsticks too frequently. Midway through cooking, you can give them a good toss and stir, or if needed additionally, but every time you lift the lid, heat/steam escapes, which slows down the overall cooking process unnecessarily. All slow cookers vary in their heat output and all drumsticks vary in size; so cook until yours are done, it may be less than 4 hours, it may be more than 5 hours.
Optional, broiler - If you'd like to crisp up the skin of the drumsticks, preheat your oven's broiler to high, transfer the drumsticks to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and broil for about 2 minutes, or as desired. Broiling Tips - It's VERY important not to become distracted and turn your back on the broiler since it's 500F+ degrees and your drumsticks can burn in the matter of 30 seconds (especially because of the honey) so make sure to keep a VERY watchful eye on them!
Optionally, garnish with sesame seeds and/or green onions, to taste, and serve immediately.

Notes

Storage - Extra drumsticks will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat gently in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or as desired. If you broiled them, the skin will not likely retain its crispiness as they're stored, but the overall flavor will still be great.

Serving Sizes - There's about 20 drumsticks in 2 pounds. If everyone has 4 drumsticks, the recipe will serve about 5 people. Your mileage may vary.

Nutrition