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Air fryer Sweet and Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks

Crispy on the outside yet perfectly juicy and tender on the inside, this Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer recipe is a must try! The honey soy glaze adds a sweet and salty combo that you won’t resist during your busy nights!


So Delicious!

honey soy chicken drumsticks air fryer topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions


Why You Should Try This Recipe

  • Quick and easy to make
  • So delicious
  • Kid-friendly
  • Healthy
  • Versatile
  • Stores very well
  • Great for leftovers

Impress Your Loved Ones!

chicken drumsticks air fryer with honey soy topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions

Serving Suggestions

Salads are also some pretty good pairings like Tahini Chickpea Salad, Refreshing Pomegranate Salad, or famous Lebanese keto Tabbouleh!

For a tasty tangy addition, serve these air fryer honey garlic chicken legs with Middle Eastern Turnip Pickles and enjoy the flavor!

If you love saucy flavors, then serve air-fried chicken drumsticks with chili sauce or Sweet and Spicy Honey Sriracha Sauce. Dig and enjoy! Yummy!


air-fried chicken drumsticks topped with sesame seeds served with sriracha sauce

These perfectly seasoned juicy and tender chicken drumsticks are so delicious and satisfying if you serve them on a bed of cauliflower rice.

You can also serve your Sweet and Sticky Chicken Drumsticks with grilled veggies and get a perfect pleasant healthy meal, such as Green Beans or Asparagus Parmesan.

Air fried potato side dishes are the favorite pairing for all! I love to serve Air-Fried Chicken Drumsticks with Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes or with Air Fried Taco Bell Cheesy Fiesta Potatoes.


Cooked to Perfection!

chicken drumsticks cooked to perfection in an air fryer

Ingredients

To make this Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer recipe, you will need the following ingredients:

  • Chicken drumsticks: In this recipe, the essential ingredient is obviously chicken drumsticks. If you use frozen chicken drumsticks, then defrost them first to get the best result.
  • Spices: To season the chicken drumsticks, you will need the following spices: garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
  • Oil: You will need oil to marinate the chicken drumsticks. You will also need to spray your air fryer basket with cooking oil to air fry the chicken drumsticks.
  • Honey: To make honey-ginger sauce, add honey to get a dash of sweetness.
  • Soy sauce: The umami flavor of the soy sauce blends beautifully with the honey.
  • Water: You will also need to add water when making this sauce.
  • Rice vinegar: Add rice vinegar to make this honey garlic ginger sauce.
  • Corn starch: Use corn starch to thicken the sweet sauce.
  • Fresh Garlic:  Freshly minced garlic gives the honey-ginger sauce a huge kick of flavor.
  • Ginger: I prefer to use fresh minced ginger to make this sauce. The peppery flavor of fresh ginger mingles perfectly with the other sauce ingredients.
  • Brown sugar: You will also need to add brown sugar when making honey sauce.
  • Toppings: Sprinkle your air-fried chicken drumsticks with sesame seeds and green onions.

See the recipe card for quantities.


Indulge Yourself!

pick an air-fried chicken legs topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions. enjoy!

Meal Prep

First, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Now, spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.

season your chicken legs and air fry them in an air fryer

Next, pat the chicken until it is dry. Then, sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and oil. Toss until drumsticks are coated with the seasonings.

After that, place chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket.

Now, air fry for 25 minutes. Flip the drumsticks halfway through.

To make honey garlic sauce, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, water, vinegar, corn starch, and brown sugar.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, water, vinegar, corn starch, and brown sugar. Cook for a few minutes, and stir constantly until the sauce thickness, about 5 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.

Then, dip the air-fried chicken drumsticks into the sauce, and make sure it’s fully coated with the sauce.

Finally, place them in a serving dish and sprinkle them with sesame seeds and green onions.


Pin It!

air-fried honey soy chicken legs topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions

Honey Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

Don’t have an air fryer? No problem! Use the stir frying technique to make this recipe and impress your whole family, cousins, and friends during busy weeknights.

First, season the chicken with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and oil. Then, in a pan heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Now, cook the pieces for about six minutes, and flip over halfway.

To make the sauce you will need simple ingredients and steps. In a bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, garlic, olive oil, and chicken broth.

When chicken is cooked, turn the heat down, and add the honey garlic sauce. Stir and cook for about 3 minutes.

Finally, garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve with cooked vegetables. A quick release you will enjoy!

Note: Use boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into small cubes.


Substitutions

Chicken: This recipe is made using chicken drumsticks. Next time, try this great recipe using thighs or wings. When you use another cut of chicken, you may need to adjust the cooking time.

Vinegar: Rice vinegar is perfect for this recipe. However, you can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is difference between an air fryer, a crock pot, and a pressure cooker?

All of them use high temperatures in the cooking process. An air fryer reduces the pressure during cooking and relies on hot air circulation. As for a crock pot, it is all about slow-cooking food for hours. The key method that the pressure cooker relies on is high pressure.

Can I use frozen drumsticks in this recipe?

Absolutely! You can. Make sure that the chicken drumsticks are thawed before air frying them. You can also air fry the frozen drumsticks immediately, yet you should add about 6-8 minutes to the cooking time.

Can I make honey soy chicken drumsticks air fryer ahead of time?

Yes, for sure! you can marinate the chicken drumsticks for up to 24 hours ahead of time and place them in the fridge.

How do I know that chicken legs are fully cooked?

Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. Use a Meat Thermometer to measure the inside temperature.


Save and Share with Your Friends!

honey-soy air-fried chicken legs topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions

Variations

  • Spicy: In case you want to make your Sweet and Sticky Chicken Drumsticks spicier, add cayenne pepper or crushed red peppers when you season them.
  • Seasoning: You can season chicken drumsticks according to the taste you love. Here are other seasoning ideas: Cajun seasoning, honey mustard seasoning, etc.
  • Flavoring: Since this recipe is versatile, then feel free to add other flavors to the sauce such as lemon juice and toasted sesame oil.
  • Toppings: if you like hot flavor, sprinkle chicken drumsticks with crushed red pepper flakes.

Equipment

Use COSORI Air Fryer Max XL to air fry chicken drumsticks.


Charming Air Fried Chicken Drumsticks!

honey soy chicken legs cooked in an air fryer topped with chopped green onions

Storage

  • Store Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks Air Fryer leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 3 days.
  • You can also freeze air-fried chicken drumsticks. The leftovers freeze well in an airtight container or a Ziploc bag for 2-3 months.
  • Reheat honey soy chicken drumsticks in the air fryer at 350 degrees F for about 5 minutes. Allow your refrigerated Air Fryer Honey Garlic Chicken Legs leftovers to sit for about 10 minutes. After that, pop them back in the air fryer for about 5 minutes or until heated through. They will crisp perfectly again.

Top Tips

  • The cook time depends on the size of the chicken drumsticks. Large chicken drumsticks take about 25 minutes to cook in an air fryer. However smaller ones will need less air frying time.
  • After air frying chicken wings for 12 minutes, flip them and air fry for additional 13 minutes.

Incredibly Delicious!

honey-soy air-fried chicken drumsticks in a plate topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions

Food Safety

  • Do not use the same utensils that previously touched raw chicken drumsticks on cooked food.
  • Wash hands after touching raw chicken legs.
  • Don’t leave the raw drumsticks at room temperature out of the refrigerator for extended periods.
  • Never leave cooking food unattended.
  • Use oils with a high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds.

For more nutritional information, see the affiliate links and more guidelines at USDA.gov.


Healthy Chicken Drumsticks in Air Fryer!

air fried sweet and sticky chicken legs topped with sesame seeds and chopped green onions

More Air Fryer Recipes To Try


sweet and sticky chicken drumsticks

Air fryer Sweet and Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Drumsticks

Jay
Crispy on the outside yet perfectly juicy and tender on the inside, this honey soy chicken drumsticks air fryer recipe is a must try!
5 from 4 votes
Tried this recipe?Mention @sourandsweets or tag #sourandsweets!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings 10 Servings
Calories 174 kcal

Equipment

Cosori Air fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 10 chicken drumsticks
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon oil

Honey ginger sauce

  • cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons corn starch
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger minced
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

For Garnish

  • Sesame seeds
  • green onions

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
  • Pat the chicken so it is dry. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and oil. Toss until drumsticks are coated with the seasonings.
  • Place chicken drumsticks in the air fryer basket.
  • Air fry for 25 minutes. Flip the drumsticks halfway through.

Honey Ginger Sauce:

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, add honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, water, vinegar, corn starch, and brown sugar: cook for a few minutes. Stir constantly until the sauce thickness, about 5 minutes. Remove the sauce from the heat.
  • Dip the air fried chicken drumsticks into the sauce, and make sure it's fully coated with the sauce.
  • Place them in a serving dish and sprinkle them with sesame seeds and green onions.

Nutrition: Please note that the nutrition label provided is an estimate only.

Serving: 1servingCalories: 174kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 14gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 514mgPotassium: 196mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 51IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 1mg

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5 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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