Description
Succulent honey garlic chicken legs simmer in a rich, aromatic sauce that promises comfort and flavor. Juicy chicken infused with sweet and savory notes guarantees a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 kg (3 lbs) chicken legs (drumsticks)
- ½ cup honey
- ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- ¼ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsps water (for thickening)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 green onions, sliced
Instructions
- Flavor Preparation: Thoroughly desiccate chicken legs with paper towels, then lavishly season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to create a robust flavor foundation.
- Sauce Creation: Vigorously whisk honey, soy sauce, ketchup, minced garlic, vinegar, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a mixing bowl until harmoniously blended.
- Slow Cooking Process: Nestle seasoned chicken legs into slow cooker, cascading the aromatic honey garlic sauce completely over the meat, ensuring comprehensive coverage and maximum flavor infusion.
- Thermal Transformation: Seal slow cooker and orchestrate cooking at low temperature for 5-6 hours or high temperature for 3-4 hours, guaranteeing chicken reaches precise internal temperature of 165°F and achieves succulent tenderness.
- Sauce Refinement: Should a more luxurious sauce consistency be desired, extract chicken momentarily, craft cornstarch slurry, then reintegrate into cooking liquid, allowing 10-15 minutes of additional high-temperature reduction.
- Finishing Touch: For enhanced textural contrast, transfer chicken to foil-lined baking sheet, generously brush with residual sauce, and execute brief broiling for 3-5 minutes until exterior achieves golden caramelization.
- Presentation: Elegantly garnish with freshly chopped green onions and sprinkled sesame seeds, then serve alongside complementary rice, noodles, or vibrant vegetable medley.
Notes
- Pat chicken legs completely dry before seasoning to ensure spices adhere and create a delicious exterior crust.
- Add minimal liquid to prevent sauce from burning during slow cooking, checking moisture levels periodically.
- Let chicken marinate in sauce for 30 minutes before cooking to allow seasonings to penetrate deeper into meat.
- Use cornstarch slurry sparingly and stir continuously to avoid lumpy or overly thick sauce texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg