Honey Guinness Chicken Drumsticks
Why My Honey Guinness Baked Drumsticks Are So Good
Dark meat has always been my pick over white meat, ever since I was a kid claiming the drumsticks off my mom’s whole chicken, and this sauce is exactly the kind of bold flavor that dark meat can stand up to.
- Searing the chicken before it goes in the oven builds a deeper flavor on the outside than baking alone would.
- The same sauce works as the marinade and the braising liquid, so there’s no separate sauce to make.
- Guinness brings a light bitterness that balances out the honey’s sweetness, so the sauce doesn’t taste one-note sugary.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Chicken drumsticks – bone-in drumsticks work best for this recipe, and using 8-12 depending on what fits your pan is fine. Yes, this recipe will work with other cuts of chicken, you would just need to adjust bake time, especially for boneless.
- Guinness beer – let the foam settle before whisking it into the sauce, or you’ll end up with a bowl of foam instead of a smooth marinade.
- Honey – brings the sweetness that balances the beer’s bitterness.
- Worcestershire sauce – adds savory depth to round out the sauce.
- Red onion – slice it and cook it alongside the chicken so it soaks up the sauce as it bakes.
How to Make Honey Guinness Chicken Drumsticks
- Make the marinade – Combine the pressed garlic, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and Guinness in a large bowl. Let the beer’s foam settle, then whisk everything together until combined.
- Marinate the chicken – Add the chicken drumsticks to a large zip-lock bag, pour in the sauce, and let the chicken marinate for 15-20 minutes.
- Sear the chicken – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat an oven-safe pan or skillet over medium-high heat with a little oil. Add the sliced onion, then sear the chicken on all sides for a few minutes, uncovered, until it picks up some color.
- Bake in the sauce – Pour the reserved sauce into the pan, bring it to a simmer, and transfer the pan to the oven, uncovered.
- Finish cooking – Bake for 35-40 minutes, depending on the thickness of the drumsticks, until the chicken reaches 165°F at the thickest part.
Storing Recommendation
- Refrigerator: store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: reheat in the oven or covered on the stovetop rather than the microwave, to help keep the chicken from drying out.
Ways to Serve
- A simple bowl of homemade mashed potatoes is the classic pairing here, since it soaks up the extra sauce from the pan beautifully.
- For something more in the spirit of the holiday, colcannon, a traditional Irish mashed potato dish with cabbage and bacon, is a natural match.
- If you want an extra-indulgent side, bacon and herbs creamy mashed potatoes brings even more richness to the plate.
- For a green vegetable, fried cabbage keeps the Irish theme going, or go with roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic butter for something simple and fresh.
Guinness Baked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe FAQs
Yes, bone-in chicken thighs or leg quarters work well here too. Just adjust the bake time depending on the size of the pieces, and check that they reach 165°F at the thickest part before serving.
Yes, bone-in chicken thighs or leg quarters work well here too, since they’re dark meat just like drumsticks and hold up the same way to this longer sear-and-braise method. Chicken breast is a different story, since it’s light meat that cooks faster and dries out more easily, so it’s not a direct swap without adjusting the method. Just adjust the bake time depending on the size of the pieces, and check that they reach 165°F at the thickest part before serving.
Yes. Guinness is brewed from barley and contains gluten. If you need this to be gluten-free, look for a gluten-free stout as a substitute.
More Irish Inspired Recipes From Me
- Irish Beer Burger
- Irish Lamb Stew
- Creamy Chipotle Pepper Chicken Thighs
- Sweet Garlic Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks
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Honey Guinness Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks (can use 8-12, as much as fits in the pan)
- 1 red onion
Honey Guinness sauce:
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups Guinness beer
- Salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add pressed garlic, Worcestershire sauce, honey, and Guinness beer. Let Guinness foam settle down and slowly whisk ingredients together until combined.
- In a large zip-lock bag, add chicken drumsticks and pour in the Honey Guinness sauce. Let chicken marinade for 15-20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Preheat an oven-safe cooking pan (or a skillet) over medium-high heat and add some canola oil for cooking.
- Slice onions and add them to the pan.
- Take out the chicken drumsticks and place them into the hot pan to sear. Sear chicken drumsticks on all sides for a few minutes.
- Pour in the sauce, bring to simmer and transfer into the preheated oven.
- Cook uncovered for 35-40 minutes, depending on thickness of drumsticks.
Nutrition
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All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe.
Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.
Covered or uncovered ?????????
Hi Susan!
You mean in the oven, right? Uncovered for the oven and of course, uncovered when searing 🙂
I hope you enjoy them!