If there’s one condiment I tend to always have on standby in the fridge (aside from the classics like ketchup and BBQ sauce) – it’s gochujang. It just packs in so much flavor! Since chicken drumsticks have been on sale quite a bit recently (and we all know how the grocery prices are these days – eeek!), I decided to make these gochujang chicken drumsticks, and I think you’ll love ‘em! They’re a little sweet, a little spicy, and a whole lotta delicious.
If you’re not familiar with gochujang, it’s a Korean chili paste. It’s made from chilis, rice, and fermented soy. It’s savory, spicy, sweet, and umami, all in one. You’ll love the way it turns chicken drumsticks into something a bit more exciting.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Budget-friendly
- Easy to make
- Good source of protein
- Flavorful
- Good for meal prep
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
If you don’t yet have gochujang on hand, you can typically find it in the “international” aisle at most major grocery stores.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe & amounts in the recipe card at the bottom of the page, but here’s an overview with tips and photos. This is very simple to make. Start by mixing the gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey together.
Add about half the sauce and the drumsticks to a bag to marinate. Place that in the fridge while you preheat the oven.
Once the oven is ready, remove the drumsticks one by one from the bag, letting excess marinade drip off, and place on the baking sheet. Do *not* just dump the bag with all the marinade on the baking sheet, or you will end up with a baking sheet like I have where there’s marinade that gets all stuck to the pan (hence the photo below, lol). Just remove them one by one and place them on the baking sheet.
(Pro tip – If you do end up with burnt sauce on the pan, just let the pan soak for a bit with dish soap and it should come off.)
Bake the drumsticks at 425 degrees F. At the 20-minute and 30-minute mark, remove the pan and brush with the remaining sauce. This will ensure the best flavor! The drumsticks should take about 35-45 minutes total to cook, depending on their size. Smaller drumsticks are done on the earlier side of that range; larger drumsticks may take the full 45 minutes. You can tell when chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Let cool and enjoy! Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Side Suggestions
These drumsticks pair well with a lot of sides – here are a few of my favorites:
- Sesame cucumber and carrot salad (my absolute favorite side for these!)
- Mixed green salad with sesame dressing (just a standard mix and store-bought dressing is great!)
- Greek yogurt macaroni salad
- No mayo dill potato salad
- Honey mustard carrots
I hope you enjoy these gochujang chicken drumsticks! If you’re looking for more drumstick ideas, you might enjoy these curry chicken drumsticks or this sheet pan drumsticks & veggies recipe.
If you get a chance to try this, feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Gochujang Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- ¼ cup gochujang
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Place the drumsticks in a large ziptop bag (or a large bowl).
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and honey.
- Pour about half the sauce mixture into the bag or bowl with the chicken. Toss well, coating the chicken. (Set aside the bowl with the remaining half of the sauce to use later in the recipe.)
- Place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate while you preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- When oven is preheated, use tongs to remove the drumsticks from the bag and place on a baking sheet. (Do not dump the excess marinade from the bag onto the baking sheet).
- Bake at 425 degrees F for 35-45 minutes, removing at the 20-minute mark and 30-minute mark to brush with the reserved half of the sauce and then return to the oven. Total cooking time depends on the size of the drumsticks; smaller drumsticks will only take around 35 minutes while larger drumsticks may take up to 45 minutes. Cook until chicken reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not pour the extra sauce from the marinated chicken onto the pan, or the sauce will often burn on the pan. It’s not a big deal, as you can see I made that mistake while photographing, lol. But best to avoid when possible for ease of clean up. If you do end up with burnt sauce on the pan, just let the pan soak for a bit with dish soap and it should come off.
- The nutrition analysis below assumes that about 2/3 of the sauce will be consumed, as some will be left in the bag from the marinade and some will drip off the chicken when cooking.
Nutrition
Please pin this post! Pinning helps you save the content for later and helps share this content with more people, keeping the site running. 🙂
- Gochujang Chicken Drumsticks - June 1, 2026
- Spiced Lamb, Zucchini, and Rice - May 29, 2026
- 5 High Protein High Fiber Dinner Ideas - May 15, 2026
Leave a Reply