This Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe is a perfect, effortless way to make baked chicken legs in the oven. With a magical 4 ingredient sauce, no marinating required, these chicken drumsticks are golden, sticky and everyone loves them!
Plus an optional side of buttery, crispy smashed potatoes for a drumsticks dinner made on one tray!
Sticky Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe
This baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe is one of those gems that you’re going to want to keep in your back pocket. Here’s why you’re going to love it and make it over and over again:
Unbelievably easy – just spoon sauce over the chicken legs and bake;
Magical 5 ingredient Honey Mustard Sauce
They roast beautifully so they’re sticky and golden;
The flavour is universally pleasing. It’s not too sweet, not too salty, it’s finger lickin’ good!
Difference between chicken legs and drumsticks?
Chicken legs and drumsticks are the same thing. Everybody’s favourite part of Roast Chicken!
What you need for Honey Mustard baked chicken legs
Here’s all you need – chicken legs, plus 4 simple ingredients for the magical Honey Mustard Sauce:
Dijon mustard (or other plain mild mustard)
Honey
Garlic
Cornflour / cornstarch*
There are very few sauces in this world that taste so great with so few ingredients. And it coats the chicken legs so well, making them beautifully sticky!
* Without cornflour, the sauce is super watery because of all the chicken juices.
How to make baked chicken legs
Pop the chicken legs on a tray, spoon over sauce and bake!
In this recipe, I’ve completed the meal with a side of crispy smashed potatoes made on the same tray. In order to do this, I’ve created a “barrier” between the chicken and potatoes using foil. This makes for easier cleaning up and stops the chicken juices leaking over to the potatoes which makes them soggy instead of crispy!
To prepare the potatoes quickly, I just microwave them. Then place on the tray, squish, drizzle with butter or oil. Together, the potatoes and chicken legs 50 to 60 minutes to bake to perfection – crispy potatoes and sticky chicken legs with tender flesh.
How long does it take to cook drumsticks in the oven?
Sticky drumsticks like this take 50 minutes to cook in the oven at 180°C/350F. This makes them caramelised on the outside with tender flesh.
Some recipes will say to bake them at a higher temperature (220°C/425F) for around 30 minutes. While they will cook through in this time, I find that the flesh is a bit too chewy for my taste.
Sticky drumsticks AND crispy potatoes!
And here’s how they come out – sticky and saucy drumsticks on one side, and crispy potatoes on the other side!
One tray winner winner chicken dinner!
Sticky baked chicken drumsticks;
Honey Mustard Sauce; AND
crispy smashed potatoes.
Throw on a side of steamed veggies of choice and dinner is done.
Active effort time: just over 10 minutes.
Marinating time: Zero
Deliciousness rating: Well, let’s put it this way. There’s a reason why there’s only 7 drumsticks in the photo above when the recipe calls for 8…. Honestly, I have the self control of a child. It’s a disgrace. ?
– Nagi x
Watch how to make it
More terrific baked chicken drumstick recipes
Greek Chicken (make this with drumsticks instead of thighs)
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Honey Mustard Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
Smashed Potatoes (optional):
- 4 x 150g/5oz potatoes (Note 1)
- 2 tbsp / 30 g olive oil or melted butter
Chicken:
- 8 chicken legs (about 1 kg / 2 lb) (Note 2)
- 2 tsp olive oil
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard (or use more Dijon)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 tsp cornflour/cornstarch (Note 4)
- Pinch of salt and pepper
For serving (optional):
- Fresh thyme leaves or chopped parsley
- Steamed broccolini
Instructions
Smashed Potatoes option:
- Microwave potatoes for 10 minutes on high or until cooked. (Note 5)
- Place on one side of tray. Squish using potato masher (Note 6) to about 1.7cm / 2/3″ thickness. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- If making smashed potatoes, fold up the edges of the foil the drumsticks are on
Sticky Baked Drumsticks:
- Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
- Mix Sauce ingredients together with a good pinch of salt and pepper.
- Line tray with foil, then top with parchment paper.
- Place drumsticks on paper. If making smashed potatoes, fold up the edges of the foil so the sauce won’t leak into the potatoes (doesn’t need to be high – even 1cm / 2/5″ is enough, video useful).
- Spoon Sauce over drumsticks. Drizzle chicken with olive oil.
Baking
- Bake for 30 minutes. Turn drumsticks (not potatoes), spoon juices over drumsticks.
- Bake for a further 20 minutes, turn, spoon over juices. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until sauce reduces and the drumsticks are golden and sticky.
- Remove from oven. Squidge the drumsticks around in what should now be a syrupy sauce. (Note 7) Serve drumsticks with sauce, with crispy smashed potatoes and steamed broccolini on the side. Sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves if using.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published 25 April 2018. Post and recipe tidied up and updated for housekeeping matters. No change to recipe ingredients.
Life of Dozer
This recipe was originally published on ANZAC Day in Australia, on 25 April 2018. It’s a day when we commemorate the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (“ANZACs”) who served and sacrificed for our country in the first world war.
Dozer wears an Anzac rosemary sprig on his collar for (most of) the day and we make a donation to the ANZAC Appeal. A very small gesture. #LestWeForget?
Hi Nagi! Greetings from Canada! 🙂
This recipe is AMAZING. I live alone and am always looking for quick easy dinners that are cost effective and translate well into leftovers. I bought a “family pack” of 10 chicken drumsticks on-sale this week and was struggling with what to do with them. Honey mustard is one of my favourite flavour combinations, and your website came up when I Googled “honey mustard chicken legs” and all the wonderful comments made me think I have to try this. The only change I made was removing the skin off the chicken, as chicken skin does dreadful things to my digestion, and it didn’t impact the flavour or the moisture at all. I served it with the smashed potatoes and a side of the last of the season’s haricot vert, and I have leftovers for the next few nights. This is a quick and easy dish I wouldn’t be afraid of serving while entertaining either. Thanks for sharing!
Nagi, Thank you for this fantastic recipe. It is an absolute winner. I will certainly make it time and time again.
This was delicious. It was quick to prepare, and cleaning up afterwards was wonderfully easy 🙂
This was absolutely delicious. Made it for a bunch of friends and everyone loved it! Saving this recipe for the permanent rotation.
That’s terrific to hear Noor! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
Do the smashed potatoes stay in the oven all that time. 60 minutes total. I will be making this over the weekend.
Yep they sure do! N x
Awesome flavors. We will definitely will be making this at least once a week. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Glad you enjoyed it Deborah! Thanks for letting me know – N x
Great recipe, very easy – will definitely make this a regular dish!
Thanks Nagi
Love hearing that Karen! Thanks for sharing your feedback! N x ❤
I made this last night – it’s “husband approved” and delicious. Thanks Nagi.
Hey Nagi.
This recipe sounds super yummy as I’m a big fan of drumsticks and honey mustard.
I had a question though; I live in Japan currently where it’s difficult to find corn flour. Is there any substitutes you can think of that’ll have the same anti-watery affect?
Try cornstarch
Really! My mother uses cornflour in her Japanese recipes! Just use 2 tsp plan flour instead 🙂 The sauce won’t be as glossy but texture and flavour will be the same!
Made this yesterday, stuck to the recipe other than mixing two teaspoons of horseradish cream in with the mustard honey sauce. That gave it a nice hit of heat. Great recipe.
That’s great to hear John! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Made this last night with chicken thighs (boneless skinless)!
– IT WAS DELISHHH.
– I wanted it browned and crispy so I took it out of the oven early and put it on my cast iron, then I reduce the sauce a lil bit
– I changed the serving size to 8 and had abt 4.5 lbs of raw meat
LOVED IT and sooo easy. The sauce was superb!! Do you have more saucy chicken recipes?
Delicious! I’m not a big drumstick fan (it’s the skin). But I took the skin off a few before putting it on the pan. Added garlic salt to the potatoes. Yummy.
That’s great to hear Cassie! So pleased you enjoyed this! N xx
Another brilliant recipe. Thank you, Nagi, my family loved it!
🙌🏻
Hi Naji! Another winning recipe here! I just loved it. The sauce was so good and the chicken was tender and yummy! I will definitely be putting this into my rotation. Next time I want to try thighs (bone-in/skin one). You are my go-to chef for wonderfully delicious, easy recipes that take hardly any time. This one was so fast and easy to prep. I really appreciate that. Oh, by the way, tomorrow night’s dinner is your Proper Chow Mein. It over-the-top yummy and so easy to make. Thank you so much! I love your recipes, your blog and Dozer!!! (((hugs)))
That’s great to hear Annie! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback! N x ❤️
Looks like another fantastic recipe Nagi, I am only a beginner cook but I get rave revues whenever I cook one of your dishes. I will give this one a shot during the week.
On a side note I love your attitude to Anzac Day, being a Vietnam Veteran I really appreciate it.
Thanks mate.
Thank you for your service John. On behalf of our entire country. ❤️ N xx
Absolutely; thank you John. Well said Nagi.
And… I tried this recipe with “half strength” HM sauce (wasn’t sure if my husband and daughter would like it). Well, they loved it and requested “full strength”; so, not even a week later, we’re having the same thing… lo!! But with more oomph! (It was actually also yummy 1/2 – there was no thought of “what’s missing here?”.)
Thank you Nagi: i love your recipes. The vids are great and I just love your approach. 🙂
I love that! Half strength / full strength!! ❤️ N xx
PS: my sheep dog, who basically lives under my desk (and these days is very happy when he rounds up the chooks.. lol!), sends happy thoughts and wishes to Dozer. 🙂
I love sheep dogs!!! Dozer goes MENTAL over chooks. Once a chook played dead it was so terrified when Dozer tormented it!!!
And lunch now is left-over smashed tatties… most yummy! 🙂 xo
Yuuuuummmmm!!!
This was a big hit at my house tonight. We’ve had to go dairy & soy free recently due to allergies; this is one of the few recipes I’ve found that didn’t make us feel like we were missing out (seriously, everything tasty calls for butter, cheese, milk, or soy sauce). My husband’s only complaint tonight was that I didn’t double the recipe. He got thirds (!!) on the potatoes – he normally hates potatoes.
I love hearing that Alaine! I’m so glad this was a hit. Try googling for “allergy free food blog”. There are a few out there that I’ve seen in my time and they should have plenty of options suited for you 🙂 N x
Do you peel potatoes?
Nope! 🙂
Hey Nagi! I just tried this recipe for dinner tonite. Happy to report that it was all swiped out, including the sauce! The sauce is tasteful and so easy to make. The potatoes were tasty and I’m so glad you taught us the microwave method, sounds so legit but dunno why I’ve never thought of making potatoes this way! haha… Thank you for your wonderful recipe. Enjoyed it entirely!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Tunadip, thanks for letting me know! N x
Easy to follow well written recipe, thank you for sharing. I look forward to trying your other recipes as well
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed this Marilyn, thanks for letting me know! N x
Wow these potatoes are OUTSTANDING!!! I couldn’t even believe how crispy they were on the outside but how fluffy and almost creamy they were on the inside…wow! And the chicken was super yummy too! Another amazing recipe, thank you!
I made these last night. What a fantastic recipe! I’m so glad I found your site, I cooked so many of your recipes over last few weeks, and every single one has been delicious. Thank you.