Heart Healthy Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks

(5.0)
By Judy Capodanno
Published 2/7/2022
Dietitian Reviewed: Jane Schwartz, RDN, CLT
Approved for These Diets:
Heart Healthy | Gluten Free | Diabetic
Heart Healthy Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks

These heart healthy Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks are the perfect mix of bold flavor and wholesome nutrition. Baked, not fried, heart healthy spicy chicken drumsticks are coated in a tangy, sweet, gluten-free sauce that’s lower in calories. Perfect as a heart-friendly appetizer or a diabetic chicken dinner, this recipe is ideal for any occasion any time of the year.

Discover more delicious and chicken recipes in our heart healthy chicken ideas collection!

Total Time
60 minutes
Servings
8
Calories
169
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Why You’ll Love these Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks

  • Bold flavor: The mix of sriracha, honey and garlic packs a flavor punch, giving these chicken drumsticks a satisfying bite.
  • Fun to eat: Many people enjoy picking up food with their hands and these sriracha drumsticks are the perfect finger food for your next party or tailgate.
  • Healthier chicken drumsticks: It’s hard to find low calorie chicken drumstick recipes that satisfy, but this one is a keeper. Since the chicken isn’t heavily breaded, is baked instead of fried, and isn’t coated in a heavy sauce, it’s lower in calories and healthier than most drumstick recipes. 
  • Easy to make: Simply combine the ingredients for the sauce and simmer for a few minutes in a saucepan. Then brush the sauce over the chicken after coating with cornstarch and place on a baking sheet. That’s all there is to do.

A common question we get is “are chicken drumsticks healthy?” The answer to that question depends on how they’re made. These healthy drumsticks are baked in the oven instead of being fried and are not coated in a heavy breading. Just a dusting of cornstarch, salt and pepper is enough to crisp the chicken in the oven. The sauce contains a mix of sriracha, honey, garlic and rice vinegar, with only a small amount of butter. This keeps the chicken drumstick calories lower than if they were smothered in a rich sauce. At only 169 calories per drumstick, there’s no need to stop at one!

This spicy-sweet chicken makes for a flavorful appetizer at any party, tailgate or get-together. Other recipes that go with this crowd-pleaser include:

You can also find more tailgating food ideas on our blog.

Health eCooks Cookbook on Amazon

Ingredients

Recipe yields 8 servings

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How to Make Sriracha Chicken Drumsticks

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange a wire rack on the foil.

  2. Step 2

    In a small saucepan, combine the sriracha, butter, honey, rice vinegar and garlic and cook over low heat until the sauce is smooth.

  3. Step 3

    In a large bowl, season the drumsticks with the salt and pepper. Add the cornstarch and stir until evenly coated. Arrange the chicken pieces on the wire rack. Brush with the sriracha sauce mixture. Bake the drumsticks for about 50 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove the chicken from the oven. Garnish with chopped scallions.

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size:
1 drumstick

169
Calories
9
g
Fat
67
mg
Cholesterol
308
mg
Sodium
8
g
Carbs
3
g
Sat. Fat
0
g
Fiber
14
g
Protein
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More Healthy Chicken Appetizer Recipes

Chicken is a lean protein and can be turned into delicious and lean appetizers or light meals. Here are some of our favorite healthy chicken recipes:

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