With a glossy, sticky honey mustard glaze, these Grilled Honey Mustard Drumsticks are guaranteed to be the star of your next barbecue, and they’re ready in about 20 minutes. Pair them with sides like Amish pasta salad, egg salad with bacon, or a creamy cucumber salad to make a full, satisfying meal.
I love firing up the grill when the weather warms. Whether it’s grilled grouper, bratwurst, or corn on the cob, cooking outdoors brings a different kind of flavor and fun.
Why I love this recipe
Chicken drumsticks are an affordable crowd-pleaser, and the honey-plus-mustard combination is a timeless favorite. This recipe shines because of the simple homemade honey mustard sauce — a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and savory that caramelizes into a beautiful sticky glaze on the grill.
Ingredients
The honey mustard sauce uses just three ingredients, so pick quality honey, a good yellow mustard, and soy sauce. Mustard is a go-to in my kitchen—great for sandwiches, potato salad, deviled eggs, and dressings—so this recipe fits right in.
Step by step
This recipe is straightforward and consistently delivers crispy skin, tender meat, and a glossy, sticky finish.
A helpful trick: boil drumsticks for about 5 minutes before grilling. This partially cooks them and helps them finish on the grill without excessive charring while keeping the meat tender.
- Whisk the honey mustard sauce together, and reserve 1/2 cup for serving.
- Boil the drumsticks in a large pot of water for 5 minutes to jump-start the cooking, then transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Preheat the grill to medium. Brush each drumstick with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Place the drumsticks on the preheated grill.
- When the internal temperature reaches 165°F, start brushing the drumsticks with the honey mustard sauce. The mustard and soy sauce help develop color while the honey caramelizes to create a sticky glaze.
- Baste the drumsticks on all sides and cook 2–3 minutes more after each baste to let the sauce caramelize and get slightly sticky.
Serve the drumsticks with the reserved honey mustard sauce — you can never have too much of that sticky goodness.
Serving suggestions
These drumsticks pair well with classic BBQ sides. Try an Italian pasta salad, Greek orzo salad, or a rainbow veggie salad. For heartier options, serve with twice-baked potatoes or a pot of baked beans.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or in a low oven until warmed through.
If you try this recipe, please comment below and leave a rating — I love hearing how it turned out!
Grilled Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks
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- Author: Melissa Riker
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 10
Description
With a glossy, sticky honey mustard glaze, these Grilled Honey Mustard Drumsticks will be the highlight of any barbecue and are quick to make.
Ingredients
- 10–12 chicken drumsticks
- 2/3 cup honey
- 6 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
Instructions
Honey Mustard Sauce
- Whisk together honey, mustard, and soy sauce. Reserve 1/2 cup to serve with the drumsticks.
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Boil drumsticks in a large pot of water for about 5 minutes to partially cook them, which helps prevent burning on the grill. Remove and pat dry on paper towels.
- Heat the grill to medium.
- Brush the drumsticks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Brush with the honey mustard sauce, rotate, and continue to baste.
- Repeat basting and cook 2–3 minutes after each application until the sauce becomes sticky and slightly caramelized.
- Transfer to a serving platter and serve with the reserved sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Calories: 227
- Sugar: 18.7 g
- Sodium: 449.6 mg
- Fat: 5.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.4 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 115.7 mg