Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks

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

I’m always on the lookout for ways to make chicken more interesting. 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 these teriyaki chicken drumsticks so often. They are very easy to make, and everyone likes them – the kids (even the Picky Eater!) as well as the adults.

The ingredients you’ll need

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

1. Chicken drumsticks: I like to remove the skin, but you can leave it on if you wish.
2. Avocado oil spray: A healthy neutral-tasting oil.
3. Light soy sauce: Or use a gluten-free alternative. I rarely use traditional soy sauce. I find it too salty.
4. Cornstarch: Just a little to help thicken the sauce.
5. Dry white wine: I like sauvignon blanc, which also goes nicely with this dish.
6. Honey: You can try replacing it with a sugar-free sweetener if you wish.
7. 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.
8. Sesame seeds: Used purely for garnish.

How to make teriyaki chicken drumsticks

It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the full details. Here are the basic steps:

1. Bake the chicken. You start by baking the chicken for 45 minutes.
2. Make the sauce. Just before it’s done, quickly make the teriyaki sauce. It takes 10 minutes on the stove.
3. Assemble the dish. Brush the chicken with the sauce, garnish with sesame seeds, and you’re all set!

Low-sugar teriyaki sauce

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. And refined sugar is so unhealthy. Hence my desire to come up with a low-sugar teriyaki sauce.

I’m happy to report that I succeeded! These sticky, saucy, delicious drumsticks are made with an excellent low-sugar teriyaki sauce (I also use it when making teriyaki wings).

If you give this recipe a try, I don’t think you are going to miss the sugar. This is just as good, and so much healthier.

And if you want this dish to be even lower in carbs, you can replace the honey with a liquid sweetener such as stevia.

How to serve teriyaki chicken

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

What about leftovers?

Leftovers keep well in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. They are very tasty cold (try to shred the meat and serve it on a bed of greens for lunch), or gently reheated in the microwave on 50% power.

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4.96 from 44 votes

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks

An easy recipe for sticky, saucy, delicious baked teriyaki chicken drumsticks, made with low-sugar sauce.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time55 mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: chicken

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 208kcal

Author: Vered DeLeeuw

INGREDIENTS

Chicken:

• 8 (4 oz) chicken drumsticks, skin removed
• Avocado oil spray

Teriyaki glaze:

• 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or use a gluten-free alternative and add salt as needed)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger

Garnish:

• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.
• Spray the drumsticks all over with oil. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes.
• 10 minutes before the drumsticks should be done, prepare the teriyaki glaze: in a small saucepan, whisk together the soy sauce and cornstarch. Add the white wine, honey, minced garlic and minced ginger, whisking to combine. Heat the glaze over medium heat, whisking often, 3-4 minutes, until it thickens into syrup. Remove from heat.
• Remove the baked chicken drumsticks onto a serving platter. Brush with the teriyaki glaze, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

NUTRITION INFO Nutrition info is approximate and may contain errors. It is calculated using the SparkPeople.com recipe calculator, and the carb count excludes sugar alcohols. Please feel free to make your own calculations. Please read the disclaimers in our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Please verify they are before using.

Nutrition Facts

Baked Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks

Amount Per Serving (2 drumsticks)

Calories 208 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Sodium 655mg28%

Carbohydrates 5g2%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 25g50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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