Juicy boneless chicken drumsticks pan-seared until crispy, then coated in a sticky honey soy glaze. This easy one-pan dinner takes just 30 minutes (plus marinating time). Serve with hot rice for the perfect comfort meal!
Juicy Honey Soy Chicken Over Rice
I’m not someone who enjoys spending hours in the kitchen, so I’m always drawn to easy one-pot meals—especially when I’m only cooking for one or two people.
Fewer pots, fewer dishes to wash, and dinner still feels satisfying.
Some of my go-to quick meals are things like Tomato and Beef Slices Noodle Soup, Creamy Garlic Shrimp Pasta, Pork & Mushroom Soup Noodles, Quick Noodle Soup in 10 Minutes, or Soba Noodle Salad.
Today, I’m just cooking for myself and my husband, so I made this simple but flavorful chicken dish.
Just like my Pineapple Chicken recipe, I’m using chicken drumsticks again.
After deboning and marinating them, we pan-sear until the skin turns golden and crisp, then coat the meat in a sweet, sticky, tangy honey glaze.
The chicken stays juicy on the inside, caramelized on the outside, and the whole dish takes just about 30 minutes (plus marinating time).
I cook it in a non-stick pan. The fat from the drumstick skin renders out, so I only add 1 tsp cooking oil—you could even skip the oil entirely if you prefer.
Serve it with a bowl of hot rice… and trust me, dinner doesn’t get better than this.
Why You‘ll Love This Recipe
- Deboned chicken drumsticks cook tender and flavorful—the marinade absorbs quickly and delivers juicy results.
- Honey + oyster sauce create the perfect glossy glaze, giving the chicken a rich sweet-salty balance that clings beautifully to the meat.
- Just one pan + one bowl of rice turns into a delicious complete meal.
- Pan-fry + quick simmer = crispy outside, juicy inside without deep frying.
- Easy to customize with a spicy or tangy upgrade, or even cook it in the air fryer.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Chicken Drumsticks – Deboning makes them more tender and easier to eat, allowing the flavors to penetrate quickly. Keeping the skin adds aroma, flavor, and a crispy finish.
- Ginger – This is essential for removing any gaminess and adding a warm, fragrant base note to the marinade. You can slice it, cut it into strips, or simply crush it to release its oils.
- Garlic – Minced garlic adds a robust, aromatic flavor. Feel free to add more than the recipe calls for if you love a strong garlic taste.
- Cooking Wine – Used to remove any gamey smell from the chicken. Shaoxing wine or any similar cooking wine works well.
- Light Soy Sauce – I recommend using a naturally brewed light soy sauce for the best umami flavor and to properly season the chicken without making it too dark.
- Oyster Sauce – Adds a unique balance of savory sweetness and helps make the glaze thicker and richer. This ingredient is essential.
- Honey – This is what gives the dish its signature sweet flavor and beautiful glossy, sticky finish. Using a pure, original honey will yield the best results.
- Black Pepper – Adding black pepper provides a slight warmth and complexity to the glaze. It’s optional, but I find it really enhances the overall flavor profile.
How to make Honey Glazed Chicken Drumsticks
1. Prepare and Marinate the Drumsticks
Using kitchen scissors, cut along one side of each chicken drumstick. Carefully remove the bone, taking care to leave the skin intact—this will make the chicken easier to eat and allow it to absorb more flavor.
Place the boneless drumsticks in a large bowl. Add the ginger, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon of honey.
Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly, ensuring each piece of chicken is completely coated in the marinade.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Make the Glaze Sauce
While the chicken is marinating, prepare the glaze.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of honey, a pinch of black pepper, and 50 ml of water.
Stir with a spoon until everything is well combined. Set this sauce aside for later.
3. Pan-Fry and Simmer the Chicken
Place a non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat and let it preheat.
Add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Take the marinated drumsticks from the fridge and place them in the pan with the skin-side down.
Pan-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip the drumsticks over and cook the other side for another 3 minutes, until the surface is cooked through and has some nice color.
4. Glaze and Reduce the Sauce
Pour the prepared glaze sauce into the pan, stirring to coat all the drumsticks evenly. 
Once the sauce starts to bubble, cover the pan with a lid and let the chicken simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn the heat up to high, and let the sauce boil rapidly. Stir frequently and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened into a glossy glaze that clings to the chicken.
5. Assemble and Serve
Scoop a generous portion of freshly cooked rice into a bowl. Place the glazed chicken drumsticks on top (you can leave them whole or slice them into smaller pieces).
Drizzle any remaining glaze from the pan over the chicken and rice, and serve immediately.
Tips & Tricks
- For the Tenderest Chicken: The honey in the marinade isn’t just for flavor—it also helps tenderize the meat, preventing it from becoming dry and tough during cooking.
- Avoid Burning: Using medium-low heat to pan-fry the chicken is crucial. High heat will burn the honey and garlic before the inside of the chicken is fully cooked.
- Perfect Glaze Every Time: The key to a thick, shiny glaze that isn’t sticky or gummy is to use high heat at the very end to quickly evaporate the water, allowing the sauce to reduce naturally.
- Make it Your Own: For a spicy kick, add a pinch of chili powder or a dash of sriracha to the marinade. For a different flavor profile, try adding a teaspoon of tomato ketchup to the glaze for a touch of tangy sweetness.
Quick & Juicy Honey Chicken Drumsticks (Pan-Fried + Glazed!)
A simple one-pot dinner that tastes like takeout: crispy pan-seared chicken drumsticks simmered in a honey soy glaze. Serve with rice for the easiest weeknight meal ever. Great for meal prep too!Ingredients
Marinade
- 4 chicken drumsticks boneless, skin-on
- 3 slices of ginger cut into strips or thin shreds
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbsp cooking wine
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
Glaze Sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- Black pepper to taste
- 50 ml water
For Cooking & Serving
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- Cooked rice for serving
Instructions
Prepare and Marinate the Drumsticks
- Using kitchen scissors, cut along one side of each chicken drumstick. Carefully remove the bone, taking care to leave the skin intact—this will make the chicken easier to eat and allow it to absorb more flavor.
- Place the boneless drumsticks in a large bowl. Add the ginger, minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of cooking wine, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, and 1 tablespoon of honey.
- Use your hands to mix everything thoroughly, ensuring each piece of chicken is completely coated in the marinade.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Make the Glaze Sauce
- While the chicken is marinating, prepare the glaze.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of honey, a pinch of black pepper, and 50 ml of water.
- Stir with a spoon until everything is well combined. Set this sauce aside for later.
Pan-Fry and Simmer the Chicken
- Place a non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat and let it preheat.
- Add 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Take the marinated drumsticks from the fridge and place them in the pan with the skin-side down.
- Pan-fry for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy. Flip the drumsticks over and cook the other side for another 3 minutes, until the surface is cooked through and has some nice color.
Glaze and Reduce the Sauce
- Pour the prepared glaze sauce into the pan, stirring to coat all the drumsticks evenly. Once the sauce starts to bubble, cover the pan with a lid and let the chicken simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid, turn the heat up to high, and let the sauce boil rapidly. Stir frequently and cook until the sauce has reduced and thickened into a glossy glaze that clings to the chicken.
Assemble and Serve
- Scoop a generous portion of freshly cooked rice into a bowl. Place the glazed chicken drumsticks on top (you can leave them whole or slice them into smaller pieces). Drizzle any remaining glaze from the pan over the chicken and rice, and serve immediately.
Made this recipe? I’d love to see it!Tag @cookingwithchun and share it with #cookingwithchun on Instagram.
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