Baked Sesame Ginger Chicken Drumsticks
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My sesame ginger chicken comes out sticky and glossy without a drop of sauce. Brown sugar and toasted sesame oil caramelize right on the skin as it bakes, and the whole thing takes five minutes to put together.
My sesame ginger chicken recipe skips the sauce and builds the flavor right on the chicken. The rub goes straight onto bone-in, skin-on drumsticks, and the oven does the rest.
Here’s what makes my recipe work. Brown sugar and toasted sesame oil sit directly on the skin, so as the fat renders, the sugar caramelizes into it. You end up with the same glossy, sticky-sweet lacquer a glaze would give you, except the skin underneath stays crisp instead of going soft under a sauce.
I use powdered ginger here rather than fresh, and that’s deliberate. In testing, fresh ginger scorched at this temperature over forty-five minutes, and it never distributed evenly through a dry rub the way the powder does. The powdered version gives you warm, even ginger flavor in every bite.
Sesame seeds toast in the oven alongside everything else and turn nutty. Garlic, salt, and a little heat if you want it. It’s a dinner recipe that my family asks for often.
What to serve with sesame ginger chicken
I serve these over ginger rice, which doubles down on the ginger and soaks up anything that runs off the chicken. For something green, sautéed bok choy is a little bitter against all that sweetness, or go with Asian coleslaw if you’d rather have something crisp and cold on the plate.
Baked Sesame Ginger Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks or bone-in thighs
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons powdered ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- Optional: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Minced parsley or cilantro (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the chicken in a medium-sized bowl and toss with the sesame oil. In a small bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle over the chicken and toss to coat.8 chicken drumsticks or bone-in thighs, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 2 teaspoons powdered ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 cloves garlic, Optional: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Place chicken on the prepared baking sheet, skin-side up, and bake for 45 minutes, or until the top is brown and crispy and the chicken is no longer pink inside.
- Serve with a little minced parsley or cilantro over top.Minced parsley or cilantro
Nutrition
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I have been pretty much making all of your recipes this week! I got in a rut of making the same things every week and your blog has spiced up our menu! These are currently in the oven and smell phenomenal! Making your Lemon Lime Loaf next! Thank you for the inspo!
You totally made my day! Thank you so much!!