Sweet & Sticky Chicken Drumsticks

Who doesn't love a drumstick?

For me, drumsticks remind me of being a kid, and the novelty of eating natures first food on a stick. Drumsticks were cool in the way corn dogs were cool... it allowed me to succumb to my natural human instinct to pick up my food with my bare hands and rip into it with my bare teeth. No nice neat bites, no worry about lady-like eating habits. Everyone knows when you eat a drumstick, things will get a little messy... so no one judges when you finish dinner with sauce all over your face. I might need a wet wipe when I'm done, but by God I didn't need a fork!

I don't need to tell you how tasty these are... the name pretty much says it all. Sticky-sweet balsamic sauce over crispy skin over juicy dark meat chicken - how could these be anything but absolutely yummy? Point is, you'll love these both for their amazing adult flavors and for their wonderful juvenile nostalgia. So bring out your inner kid this weekend... just be sure to have plenty of napkins around. :)


Sweet & Sticky Chicken Drumsticks
from Giada's Kitchen
yields 6-8 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup soy sauce
5 fresh rosemary sprigs
5 garlic cloves, halved
10-12 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons toasted seseame seeds
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Directions
1. Combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves in a large, resealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag and seal, squeezing out as much air as possible. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Remove the chicken drumsticks from the bag, reserving the marinade, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, 30-35 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes.
'5. Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Transfer chicken to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and parsley.