Sweet & Sour Chicken Drumsticks
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Grilled chicken drumsticks with a honey-orange dipping sauce brightened with fresh mint and apple cider vinegar. Crispy skin, tangy glaze, and done in under 40 minutes.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
10 minCOOK
15 minREADY
38 minThese drumsticks are proof that simple ingredients can punch way above their weight.
Skinless drumsticks get seasoned with just salt and pepper, then grilled until the outside is crispy and charred while the inside stays juicy.
The real star is the dipping sauce: fresh orange juice and zest, honey, cider vinegar, and ground coriander simmered together and thickened with a touch of cornstarch, then finished with a handful of chopped fresh mint.
Bright, tangy, and just sweet enough to keep you dipping.
Variations
- No grill? The broiler variation works just as well. High heat, upper rack, turn once, same timing.
- Swap mint for cilantro if you want a more herbaceous, earthy flavor.
- Use lime juice and zest instead of orange for a sharper, more tropical spin.
Kitchen Tips
- Oil the grill rack before cooking so the drumsticks release cleanly and you get those gorgeous char marks.
- Use an instant-read thermometer. Drumsticks can look done on the outside while the meat near the bone is still raw. Hit 165F and you’re good.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Broiler Variation, below.)
To prepare dipping sauce, combine orange zest, orange juice, water, honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ¼ teaspoon salt and coriander in a small saucepan; bring to a boil.
Whisk cornstarch and the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar in a small bowl until smooth.
Add to the saucepan and return to a boil, whisking until thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Remove from the heat. Stir in mint.
Sprinkle drumsticks with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (see Tip).
Grill the drumsticks until crispy on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total.
Serve the drumsticks with the dipping sauce on the side.
Broiler variation:
Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat broiler to high.
Prepare sauce.
Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray.
Sprinkle drumsticks with salt and pepper, then broil, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total.
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