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Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks baked in the oven are about as effortless as it gets. This easy chicken drumsticks recipe uses a tasty marinade that is baked over the chicken, adding flavor and moisture. Chicken legs with honey mustard are juicy, flavorful and smothered with a sweet sticky sauce that everyone will love.
Honey mustard chicken legs are unbelievably easy. The pour-over marinade is made in just 5 minutes, and the chicken bakes to perfection in just 50 minutes. Tender, succulent chicken legs with honey mustard are warm, sweet and comforting. It’s perfect for an easy weeknight supper and it’s kid approved.
If you love honey mustard, try my Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken or Honey Mustard Chicken.
Why You’ll Love This Honey Mustard Chicken Legs
- It’s kid approved. Kids love chicken drumsticks, and the sweet honey mustard sauce just takes these over the top. There will be smiles all around the dinner table.
- It’s fast. Prep work only takes about 5 minutes, and the 50-minute baking time is primarily hands-off, so you can tend to other tasks while dinner cooks.
- It’s budget-friendly. Chicken drumsticks are affordable, and the marinade is made using ingredients you already have in your pantry.
Baked Chicken Drumsticks Ingredients
- Chicken: Select chicken drumsticks with the skin on and bone in. This recipe will work for other cuts of chicken, but the cooking time will need to be adjusted.
- Lemon: Fresh lemon juice is superior in flavor to bottled lemon juice.
- Mustard: Use both whole grain mustard (old style mustard) and Dijon mustard for a full-flavored sauce.
- Honey: raw, local honey is always a favorite choice. Substitute maple syrup if desired.
- Chicken Broth: use low sodium chicken broth to control the dish’s saltiness.
- Seasonings: use a combination of black pepper, dry rosemary dry, chili flakes, salt and your favorite kind of paprika.
- Ginger: finely grated fresh ginger is preferred over powdered ginger.
- Olive Oil: or use any light, neutral flavored oil.
- Parsley: for garnishing.
How To Cook Chicken Drumsticks In The Oven
- Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 375 F and spray a 13×9 inch baking dish generously with nonstick cooking spray.
- Arrange the chicken. Pat dry chicken drumsticks with a paper towel. You can make a slit on the surface of the chicken if you like. Arrange the chicken in the baking dish, leaving a little bit of space between each drumstick. Do not overcrowd the dish.
- Prepare the marinade. Mix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl and pour half of the marinade over the chicken. Massage the chicken with your hand to marinate evenly, then spray generously with cooking spray.
- Bake the chicken. Bake uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes, flip over the chicken pieces and pour the remaining marinade onto the chicken. Bake for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked on the inside. The internal temperature should be 165 F when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Garnish and serve. Baste the chicken with sauce before serving and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Tips To Make Chicken Legs with Honey Mustard
- Generously spray the baking dish with olive oil spray.
- Use both Dijon and whole grain mustard for the best flavor and texture.
- Substitute the honey with maple syrup if desired.
- Use smoked paprika to give this recipe a smoky flavor.
- Pour on only half of the marinade, adding the remaining for the last 20 minutes of baking.
- Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F.
- If you like, you can broil the chicken on the top for up to 5 minutes to give it a crisp golden look, watching it closely to avoid burning.
- This recipe is easy to double. Just be sure to leave space between the drumsticks.
Frequently Asked Questions
The flavor of this homemade honey mustard is rich and satisfying, and it’s so easy to prepare. If you use bottled honey mustard, season your chicken well before adding the dressing.
Drumsticks typically take between 40 and 50 minutes to cook through. When checked with a meat thermometer, drumsticks should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Leftover drumsticks can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until just warmed through or enjoy them cold.
Although leftovers from this recipe can be frozen, the texture of the drumsticks may not be as pleasant, so I prefer to make only what we can eat in a single meal, or we enjoy the leftovers as a snack or for lunch the next day.
Chicken legs pair beautifully with Oven Roasted Baby Potatoes, Crispy Air Fryer French Fries or Spicy Baked Zucchini Fries. Add a Brussels Sprouts Salad, Best Grilled Vegetables or Cheesy Broccoli Bites for a bit of vegetable goodness.
More Baked Chicken Recipes
- Butterfly Drumsticks
- Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan
- Honey Sriracha Baked Chicken Breast
- Baked Chicken Breast with Mushrooms
- Oven Baked Chicken Breasts
- Baked Chicken and Potatoes
I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Easy Chicken Drumsticks recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!
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Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 8 pieces chicken drumsticks , skin on, bone in
- 1 whole lemon, juiced
- 2 tsps. whole grain mustard
- ¼ cup Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup chicken broth, low sodium
- ¾ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp rosemary, dry, finely chopped
- ½ tsp chili flakes
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika, any kind
- ½ tsp ginger, finely grated
- 2 tbsps. lightly flavored olive oil
- fresh chopped parsley, garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Pat dry chicken drumsticks with paper towel. You can make a slit on the surface of the chicken if you like.
- Spray a 13×9 inch baking dish generously with nonstick cooking spray and arrange chicken in it. Leave a little bit of space between each one. Do not over crowd the dish.
- Mix the marinade ingredients in a separate bowl and pour half of the marinade over the chicken.
- Massage the chicken with you hand to marinate evenly. Spray generously with cooking spray.
- Bake uncovered in the oven for 30 minutes, then flip over the chicken pieces and pour the second half of the marinade onto the chicken.
- Bake again for another 20 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked on the inside. Internal temperature should be 165 F.
- Baste chicken with sauce before serving and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
- Optional ** If you like, you can broil the chicken on the top for up to 5 minutes to give it a golden crisp look, watching it closely to avoid burning.
Notes
- Generously spray the baking dish with olive oil spray.
- Use both Dijon and whole grain mustard for the best flavor and texture.
- Substitute the honey with maple syrup if desired.
- Use smoked paprika to give this recipe a smoky flavor.
- Pour on only half of the marinade, adding the remaining for the last 20 minutes of baking.
- Check for doneness with a meat thermometer. Chicken should be cooked to a minimum temperature of 165 degrees F.
- If you like, you can broil the chicken on the top for up to 5 minutes to give it a crisp golden look, watching it closely to avoid burning.
- This recipe is easy to double. Just be sure to leave space between the drumsticks.
