Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks

Last updated: May 5, 2023 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Check out this easy recipe for sticky, saucy, delicious teriyaki chicken drumsticks, made with a low-sugar teriyaki sauce.

Simply bake the drumsticks in the oven, quickly thicken the tasty glaze, then brush the chicken pieces with the glaze. Easy and very, very tasty!

Four teriyaki chicken drumsticks photographed on a white background.

I'm always on the lookout for ways to make chicken more interesting (simply baked chicken drumsticks are great, but sometimes you want variety!).

This recipe certainly fits the bill. I adore teriyaki sauce - it's so very flavorful. Adding it to chicken really elevates this simple dish.

That's why I make this recipe so often. While it looks impressive when served, it's truly easy to make, and everyone likes it - the kids (even the Picky Eater!) as well as the adults.

Jump to:

Ingredients
Variations
Teriyaki Chicken Instructions
Expert Tip
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
More Chicken Recipes
Recipe Card

Ingredients

You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these teriyaki chicken drumsticks. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

Chicken drumsticks: I like to keep the skin on, but you can remove it if you wish.
Avocado oil spray: An ideal cooking oil because of its neutral taste and high smoke point.
Light soy sauce: Or use a gluten-free alternative. I rarely use traditional soy sauce. I find it too salty.
Cornstarch: Just a little to help thicken the sauce. It adds a negligible amount of carbs per serving. But you can try using an alternative such as Konjac flour if you wish.
Dry white wine: I like sauvignon blanc, which also goes very nicely with this dish!
Honey: You can try replacing it with a sugar-free liquid sweetener if you wish.
Aromatics: Minced garlic and minced ginger. I'm lazy, so I use the stuff that comes in a jar, even though freshly minced tastes better.
Sesame seeds: Used purely for garnish. So you can omit them if you don't have any on hand, although they do make the dish look pretty!

Variations

Replace the drumsticks with chicken thighs. If you use boneless chicken thighs, you'll need to bake them for about 30 minutes. For large bone-in thighs, try 40-45 minutes. As always, the internal temperature of fully cooked chicken should be 165°F.
I keep the skin on, but you can remove it if you wish. Both versions are very good. If you do remove the skin, be generous when coating the chicken pieces with oil to help prevent them from drying out.

Teriyaki Chicken Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for the full details. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

Bake the chicken. You start by coating the chicken with oil, then bake it for 30-45 minutes in a 400°F oven.
Make the sauce. Just before the chicken is done, quickly make the teriyaki sauce. It takes about 10 minutes on the stove.
Assemble the dish. Brush the cooked chicken with the sauce, garnish with sesame seeds, and you're all set!

A six-photo collage showing the steps for making teriyaki chicken.

Expert Tip

How long to bake the chicken will depend on the size of the pieces and on how hot your oven runs. Use an instant-read thermometer, and aim for an internal temperature of 165 ºF when not touching the bone.

Recipe FAQs

What is teriyaki sauce made of?

The classic sauce is made of soy sauce, sake, sugar, and ginger. In my version, I use white wine instead of sake simply because that's what I always have on hand. I also replace the sugar with honey or with a sugar-free liquid sweetener.

Is teriyaki sauce the same as soy sauce?

No, it's not. Teriyaki sauce is more complex. It uses soy sauce as the main ingredient, but then it adds more ingredients, including sake, sugar, and ginger.

Can you make a low-sugar teriyaki sauce?

Yes! Teriyaki sauce is amazing. But the longer I eat low carb, the more often I find that overly sweet sauces interfere with my enjoyment of meat. Hence my desire to come up with a low-sugar teriyaki sauce.

I'm happy to report that I succeeded! The sauce I came up with is very flavorful without being overly sweet. If you give this recipe a try, I don't think you are going to miss the sugar. This is just as good. And if you want this dish to be even lower in carbs, you can replace the honey with a liquid sugar-free sweetener.

Serving Suggestions

I usually serve this dish on a bed of cauliflower rice. It also goes well with roasted broccoli - it's convenient that you can cook both dishes in the same 400°F oven.

Storing Leftovers

The leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. They are very tasty when served cold - try to shred the meat and serve it on a bed of greens for lunch. Or you can gently reheat them in the microwave at 50% power.