It has taken me years to enjoy chicken on the bone. And I confess that although I have come to a mature appreciation of the tender meat that accompanies any meat-on-the-bone, I still examine nearly every bite I take...UNLIKE the men in my house who chew whatever until they're holding a dry, nekked bone. My daughter Grace and I watch in fascination as we nibble and pick at our carefully-selected premium bites.
So when these sticky oven-baked drummies made all of the people in my household happy - picky eaters and non-picky eaters, males and females alike - I knew we had a winner on our hands! The tangy, sweet marinade becomes the glaze on these chicken drumsticks. And the oven works its magic on the sugar in the honey to make the charred, sticky, and delicious! Perfect for the big game! They are mouth-watering and finger-licking good!
STICKY OVEN-BAKED DRUMMIES
makes 12 drumsticks
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2-3 cloves of garlic, mashed
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
pinch of salt
12 drumsticks
2 scallions, green parts chopped
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, mashed garlic, and pepper flakes. Place 12 chicken drumsticks in a glass or ceramic baking dish, nestling them down into a single layer as best you can. Pour the marinade over the drumsticks, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, turning them over with tons at least once soaks in the marinade. They may marinate in the fridge for as long as 6 hours!
Set the oven to 450F. Line a metal sheet pan with a metal cooling rack that has been sprayed or brushed with oil. (You may want to put a sheet of foil on the pan underneath to help with cleanup!) Remove the chicken from the pan, line them up on the wire rack, and reserve the marinade. Season each chicken drummie with a little salt. Bake in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until the skin begins to crisp and caramelize.
While the chicken is in the oven, pour the marinade in a small pan. Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook and stir over low heat until it reduces and thickens, about 15-18 minutes.
Remove the drumsticks from the oven, spoon a little of the marinade on each piece of chicken, and return to the oven for a final 7-10 minutes.
To serve, arrange the chicken drummies on a large platter or serving board and sprinkle with chopped scallions. Serve with a good cool dip of your choice!
NOTE: The garlic is intended to flavor the marinade only. Mashing the cloves allows the garlic to release its good garlicky flavor. Let them float around in the marinade and simmer in the glaze, then discard.
