Here’s something comfortingly familiar, with a delicious flavor twist: drumsticks are doused in a honey-sweetened sauce spiked with orange, ginger and garlic. Use gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce if you’re avoiding gluten.

Ingredients

1/3 cup honey
2 teaspoons orange zest
2 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or gluten-free 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

TIP: 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.

Directions

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.

ACTIVE: 45 minutes
SLOW-COOKER TIME: 2-4 hours
EQUIPMENT: 5- to 6-quart slow cooker

Nutritional Information

SERVES 6: 2 DRUMSTICKS EACH

Calories 245, Fat 7g (sat 2g), Cholesterol 150mg, Carbs 18g, Total sugars 16g (added 15g), Protein 28g, Fiber 0g,
Sodium 404mg, Potassium 362mg.

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Recipe credit: NOURISH by Eating Well Magazine. Sponsored by Taiho Oncology.