Apricot Honey Soy Chicken Drumsticks: 5-Ingredient Slow Cooker Dinner Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you start, make sure your slow cooker is clean and dry. Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels — this helps the sauce cling better.

Dice the onion into small, even pieces. Measure out the honey and soy sauce. If you're serving with rice, start it just before the chicken is done, or keep it warm in a rice cooker.

Instructions

Layer and Dump

1. 1Arrange the Drumsticks
   Place the chicken drumsticks in the slow cooker in a single layer, arranging them in a circle around the bottom of the pot. They can overlap slightly, but try to keep them as even as possible for even cooking.
   Look for The drumsticks should fit snugly in the bottom of the slow cooker.
   Tip If using a smaller slow cooker, you may need to stack the drumsticks; that's fine, just rotate them halfway through.
2. 2Add the Apricot Preserves
   Spoon the apricot preserves over the chicken drumsticks, spreading them as evenly as possible. The preserves will melt during cooking, creating a sweet glaze.
   Look for The drumsticks should be coated with a thick layer of preserves.
   Tip If the preserves are very thick, warm them slightly in the microwave for a few seconds to make them easier to spread.
3. 3Scatter the Onion
   Scatter the diced Vidalia onion over the top of the chicken and preserves. The onion will soften and sweeten as it cooks, adding depth to the sauce.
   Look for The onion pieces should be evenly distributed over the chicken.
   Tip Dice the onion into small, even pieces so they cook down uniformly.

At the end of this phase, the slow cooker will hold a neat arrangement of raw chicken drumsticks topped with a thick layer of apricot preserves, a scattering of diced onion, and a drizzle of honey and soy sauce.

The ingredients will look distinct, but as the slow cooker heats up, they will begin to meld into a fragrant, sweet-tangy base.

Slow Simmer

4. 4Pour the Honey and Soy Sauce
   Drizzle the honey and soy sauce over the chicken, onion, and preserves. Do not stir — the layers will meld together as they cook.
   Look for The liquids should pool around the chicken, not cover it completely.
   Tip Use a measuring cup with a spout to pour the honey and soy sauce evenly.
5. 5Cover and Cook on Low
   Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 to 5 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. The sauce will reduce and become sticky as the chicken releases its juices.
   Look for The chicken should be fork-tender and the sauce should be bubbling around the edges.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Resist the urge to lift the lid during cooking — each peek adds 20 minutes of cooking time.

After a few hours on low, the kitchen will start to smell sweet and savory. The chicken will be cooking gently in a bubbling, amber liquid, and the onion will be softening. The sauce will be thin at this point, but it will reduce and thicken as the chicken finishes cooking.

Glaze and Serve

6. 6Check the Internal Temperature
   Check the internal temperature of the thickest part of a drumstick with an instant-read thermometer. It should read at least 165°F (74°C) for safe poultry.
   Look for The thermometer should read 165°F (74°C) or higher.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bone.
7. 7Serve Over Rice
   Spoon the glazed chicken drumsticks and sticky apricot-onion ribbons over steamed basmati rice. Drizzle with extra sauce from the slow cooker.
   Look for The chicken should be glossy with sauce and the rice fluffy.
   Tip Use a slotted spoon to lift the chicken out of the sauce, then spoon the sauce over the top.

The chicken should be glistening with a thick, sticky sauce, and the meat should be so tender it's about to fall off the bone. The onion will have melted into the sauce, creating ribbons. The aroma is intoxicating — sweet, salty, and deeply savory. Serve immediately over steamed rice.

Common mistakes

One common mistake is lifting the lid too often to check on the chicken. Each time you lift the lid, heat escapes, and the cooking time increases. Trust the process and keep the lid on.

Another mistake is not checking the internal temperature — especially with bone-in chicken, it's important to verify that it's fully cooked through. Finally, don't skip the rice — the sauce is so good you'll want something to soak it up.

How to tell it’s done

The chicken is done when it's fork-tender and the internal temperature in the thickest part of a drumstick reads at least 165°F (74°C).

The meat should easily pull away from the bone, and the sauce should be thick and sticky, coating the chicken like a glaze. If the sauce is too thin, you can remove the chicken and simmer the sauce on the stovetop to reduce it further.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part