Low Sodium Honey Chicken Drumsticks

(5.0)
By Judy Capodanno
Updated 8/19/2025
Dietitian Reviewed: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
Approved for These Diets:
Heart Healthy | Gluten Free | Diabetic | GLP-1
Low Sodium Honey Chicken Drumsticks
Photo Credit: Shutterstock

This low sodium chicken drumsticks recipe is a fast and easy dinner idea for kids, families and anyone following a heart healthy diet. Coated with a luxuriously spicy sweet honey glaze, our healthy chicken leg recipe has a low salt content of only 135 grams of sodium. The spicy-sweet honey glaze means you won’t miss the salt. And you won't miss the dinner conversation, either, because this healthy chicken drumstick recipe is ready in 30 minutes. That's why it's one of our best low sodium chicken recipes.

Explore more heart healthy chicken dinner ideas for flavorful and nutritious recipes!

Total Time
30 minutes
Servings
4
Calories
312

Why You’ll Love This Healthy Recipe for Chicken Drumsticks

This flavorful and healthy recipe for chicken drumsticks is a delightful twist on a classic chicken dinner recipe. We make chicken legs healthy by cooking with no added oil, and because they are skinless, these chicken legs are low fat compared to traditional chicken drumsticks. This is a low sodium chicken recipe follows our dietitians low sodium diet guidelines. And with the mouthwatering spicy-sweet glaze, you won’t miss the salt. A quick chicken meal prep plan makes this the best healthy chicken leg recipe for parties, cookouts and tailgating.

Yes, it's easy to make chicken drumsticks healthy. Here's how: For starters, you’ll want to remove the skin from the chicken, which is where most of the fat resides. By baking, broiling or grilling the chicken instead of frying it, you’ll also wind up with a healthier meal. If you’re wondering if honey chicken is healthy, the answer depends on how it’s made. In this recipe, we combine honey with savory spices to create a low sodium chicken glaze that isn’t loaded with sugar or carbs, keeping it healthier. 

Baking and broiling are both healthy ways to cook chicken, resulting in tender, juicy meat without the need for added fats. Which method you use will depend on what type of recipe you are making - baking cooks more evenly through a dish while broiling creates more of a crust or char on the surface, much in the same way as grilling. Traditional frying is not as healthy because it needs fat to cook.

Although these drumsticks make for a crowd-pleasing chicken appetizer recipe, you may want to add a side or two if you plan on eating them as a meal. Here is just a sampling of some healthy sides for chicken drumsticks you can find on our site, guaranteed to satisfy every guest:

We also have plenty of other heart healthy side dishes to choose from.

If you’re looking for other flavor variations for chicken drumsticks, wings or tenders, don’t miss these finger-licking-good options:

Health eCooks Cookbook on Amazon

FAQs About Honey Chicken Drumsticks

Yes. The recipe uses skinless chicken legs and is cooked by baking/broiling (no added oil), which reduces fat compared to traditional fried drumsticks. The honey-spice glaze is designed to be low in sodium and not loaded with sugar or carbs.

Each serving in this recipe, which includes two skinless drumsticks, contains only 312 calories. That is fairly low calorie for a protein-rich main dish, especially given that these chicken legs are skinless and oil-free, helping to lower the calories.

Each serving of this recipe (two skinless drumsticks with honey glaze) contains 45 grams of protein. That’s a very high amount for a single meal, making these chicken legs an excellent choice for anyone looking to boost protein while keeping the dish low in fat and low in sodium. The combination of lean chicken and a simple glaze delivers both nutrition and flavor.

They’re skinless and cooked without added oil (baked/broiled), which helps keep fat lower than traditional fried drumsticks while the glaze supplies flavor.

Ingredients

Recipe yields 4 servings

How to Make Honey Chicken Drumsticks

  1. Step 1

    Preheat broiler. Lightly coat a broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, combine garlic, salt, cumin and paprika. Add chicken to bowl and toss to coat.

  3. Step 3

    Place chicken on prepared broiler pan. Broil chicken 7 minutes on each side.

  4. Step 4

    In a small bowl, combine honey and vinegar and stir well.

  5. Step 5

    Remove chicken from oven and brush with half of the honey mixture. Broil for 1 minute more.

  6. Step 6

    Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 minute or until chicken is done.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
2 drumsticks

312
Calories
9
g
Fat
219
mg
Cholesterol
138
mg
Sodium
12
g
Carbs
2
g
Sat. Fat
0
g
Fiber
45
g
Protein

More Recipes Like Healthy Honey Chicken Drumsticks

Discover an assortment of high protein and low calorie chicken recipes on our site, whether you are looking for an appetizer, light lunch or satisfying dinner. Most of our healthy chicken recipes are low in fat and sodium so they’re good for your heart, but they taste so delicious no one will know the difference!