Friday Food: Slow Cooker-Honey Orange Chicken Drumsticks

Makes: 6 servings

Serving Size: 2 drumsticks

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 2-3 hours on High or 4 hours on Low

Equipment: 5- to 6-quart slow cooker

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 12 medium chicken drumsticks (3-3 1/2 pounds), skin removed (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

• PREPARATION

  1. Combine honey, orange zest, orange juice, soy sauce (or tamari), garlic, ginger, vinegar and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.
  2. Coat a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add drumsticks, pour in the sauce and mix to coat. Cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat without touching bone, 2 to 3 hours on High or 4 hours on Low.
  3. Transfer the drumsticks to a bowl. Very carefully pour the liquid from the slow cooker into a medium skillet. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced and syrupy, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour the sauce over the drumsticks and stir to coat. Serve sprinkled with cilantro and sesame seeds.

  TIPS & NOTES

  • To remove the skin from chicken drumsticks, grip the skin from the meaty end of the drumstick with a paper towel and pull down toward the exposed bone until it comes off completely. 
  • For easy cleanup, try a slow-cooker liner. These heat-resistant, disposable liners fit neatly inside the insert and help prevent food from sticking to the bottom and sides of your slow cooker. 

  NUTRITION

  Per serving: 245 calories; 7 g fat (2 g sat, 3 g mono); 150 mg cholesterol; 18 g carbohydrates; 15 g added sugars; 16 g total sugars; 28 g protein; 0 g fiber; 404 mg sodium; 362 mg potassium.