Soy-Balsamic Glazed Chicken Drumsticks

Everything goes into one pot for these drumsticks, and a little patience turns the soy and balsamic into a sticky, savory glaze. Serve them with rice and a vegetable from the market.

Serves 4 · 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 8 skin-on chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup water
• ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 2½ tablespoons sugar
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 small hot chile pepper, slit open and seeded

Instructions

1. Put the drumsticks, water, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic and chile in a saucepan over high heat.
2. Once it boils, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, skimming off any foam that collects on top.
3. Turn the heat back up and keep cooking, turning the drumsticks often so they stay coated, until the liquid cooks down into a thick, sticky glaze.
4. Pick out the garlic and chile. Arrange the chicken on a platter and spoon the glaze over it. Expect just enough to coat the meat, not a pool of sauce.

Tips

• If the chicken is done before the glaze has thickened, set it aside and keep reducing the liquid, then return the chicken to coat. Do the same if you use breast meat, so it doesn't dry out.
• Reducing the liquid gives a richer glaze than thickening it with cornstarch.

Adapted from Food.com.