Sticky Brown Sugar BBQ Baked Drumsticks

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Oven-baked drumsticks with a sweet, sticky barbecue glaze that kids can pick up and eat with their hands. Nothing spicy, nothing surprising in the texture — just tender chicken with shiny, finger-licking sauce. Ten minutes of hands-on work and the oven does everything else.

Ingredients

• 8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 lb)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

• 3/4 cup mild barbecue sauce
• 2 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup and set a wire rack on top if you have one.
2. Pat the drumsticks very dry with paper towels, then toss them in a bowl with the vegetable oil, salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika and black pepper until evenly coated. Arrange them on the sheet with space between each one.
3. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes. The skin should look dry and lightly golden.
4. While the chicken bakes, stir the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, butter and vinegar together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat.
5. Brush the drumsticks generously with about half the glaze and return to the oven for 10 minutes. Brush on the remaining glaze and bake a final 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce is dark, sticky and bubbling and a thermometer in the thickest part reads 185°F (85°C).
6. Let the drumsticks rest on the pan for 5 minutes so the glaze sets and stops dripping, then serve warm with plenty of napkins.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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