> Skip to content

Recipe  •  5 June 2025

 

Honey-Garlic Chicken

Sweet and savoury with a satisfying richness in every bite.

Sarah 세라:

In August 2014, two major snack food brands, Haitai from South Korea and Calbee from Japan, joined forces to create a new snack that quickly went viral and became a top-selling snack, dominating the Korean market that year. What these two companies created is a snack known as Honey Butter Chips. These chips became so popular that they sparked a trend known as the “honey-butter craze,” making the chips nearly impossible to purchase, with resale prices online reaching triple the original price. As Korean Americans, we watched this phenomenon unfold from home on our TV screens, eagerly awaiting the arrival of these chips at our local Korean grocery stores. Ultimately, we just couldn’t wait and asked our Korean relatives to pack some of these snacks in their luggage when they visited us. Since trying these chips, which did not disappoint one bit, my family has been obsessed with any food that combines honey and butter. These drumsticks, sweetened with honey, spiced with plenty of garlic, and finished with a dollop of butter, remind me so much of those chips. They’re sweet and savory with a satisfying richness in every bite—just like the irresistible flavor of those honey-butter chips (which are now available in the United States and have even been imitated by American snack brands).

Umma’s Kitchen Wisdom:

I call for extra-virgin olive oil here, rather than neutral cooking oil, because its fruity, peppery flavor and richness complement the honey and butter perfectly.

TOTAL TIME: 1¼ hours, plus 2 hours refrigerating and marinating
SERVES: 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) chicken drumsticks, trimmed
  • 2½ cups milk
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (87 grams) finely chopped garlic
  • 2½ tablespoons salted butter

METHOD

  1. Rinse and drain the chicken, then transfer to a large bowl or container. Add the milk and toss to coat. Arrange the chicken in an even layer, making sure all the chicken is submerged in the milk. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

  2. Drain and thoroughly rinse the chicken until the water runs clear. Clean and dry the bowl. Using a sharp knife, make 4 to 6 slashes in each drumstick (each slash should reach the bone). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to the bowl.

  3. Add the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper and toss the chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

  4. Whisk the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl; set the sauce aside.

  5. Toss the chicken again to coat in the oil that has settled in the bowl. Working with 1 drumstick at a time, stretch the skin to evenly cover the meat, then arrange skin side down in a 12‑inch nonstick skillet. Drizzle any remaining oil left in the bowl over the chicken. Cook over medium-high heat, turning the chicken occasionally, until spotty golden brown, about 10 minutes. 

  6. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and continue to cook, turning the chicken occasionally, until it registers at least 185 degrees, about 20 minutes.

  7. Spoon the garlic into the spaces between the drumsticks where the oil has pooled. Cook, spreading the garlic into the skillet with the back of a spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Gently toss the chicken until evenly coated with the garlic. Add the sauce, stirring in any browned bits in the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, continuously coating and basting the chicken in the sauce, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter until the sauce has thickened into a glaze, about 30 seconds. Serve.

Feature Title

Umma
New York Times bestseller

Learn Korean cooking alongside social media star Sarah Ahn as her umma passes down 100+ family recipes and decades' worth of kitchen wisdom.
Read more

More features

See all recipes
Recipe
Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae)

To me, kimchi jjigae is the ultimate comfort meal that reminds me of home.

Recipe
Spicy Garlic Butter Udon with Smashed Cucumber

There’s a love affair to be explored with spice and dairy, and this is the showcase for it!

Recipe
Crispy Smashed Potato Salad

When I posted my Crispy Smashed Potato Salad recipe in October 2023, it went viral, and everyone and their grandmas started making it.

Recipe
Roasted Apricots, Cardamom Cream and Pistachio Brittle

Make the most of the short apricot season with this quick summery dessert. The apricots are roasted with honey and orange juice and served with a smooth cardamom cream and a crunchy pistachio brittle. It's the perfect laid-back dessert to serve at the end of dinner party.

Recipe
Overnight Protein Porridge with Cinnamon, Turmeric and Cacao

Packed with 36g of protein, Dr Rupy's overnight protein porridge is brimming with nuts, seeds, spices and fruit. The perfect balanced start to the day.

Recipe
Fridge-raid Fattoush

This version of Fattoush is close to the classic salad we all know and love, but differs slightly from the one my mother used to make.

Recipe
Stanley Tucci’s Christmas Cocktail

Ring in the festive season with Stanley Tucci's Cosmopolitan-inspired cocktail, complete with bright pomegranate seeds and a sprig of mint.

Recipe
Epic Tarragon Roast Chicken

With juicy meat, crispy golden skin and a ton of moreish tarragon and mustard cream sauce, this appropriately named 'epic' chicken will impress at your next Sunday roast.

Recipe
Upside Down Fish Pie

Fish Pie is one of those wonderful family meals that everyone can tuck into and a great way to encourage kids to eat more fish.

Recipe
Tahini and Gochujang Noodle Broth with Turkey

This rich and creamy tahini noodle broth with turkey from Dr Rupy is packed with powerhouse flavours and over 40 grams of protein.

Recipe
Aubergine & Fava Beans with Eggs

Bitinjan w Ful ma’ Beyd.

Recipe

Looking for more recipes?

See all recipes
penguin pop image
penguin pop image