• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Meal Plan Addict

Get organized with meal times

  • Shop
  • Freebies
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Tricks
  • About
  • Work With Me
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Shop
  • Freebies
  • Recipes
  • Tips & Tricks
  • About
  • Work With Me
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Shop
    • Freebies
    • Recipes
    • Tips & Tricks
    • About
    • Work With Me
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
  • ×
    Home » Air Fryer » Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Drumsticks {Freezer Friendly}

    Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Drumsticks {Freezer Friendly}

    Published: Oct 24, 2019 · Modified: Feb 26, 2021 by Steph · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · About 5 minutes to read this article.

    Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Drumsticks
    Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Drumsticks
    Baked Sweet Chili Chicken Drumsticks
    Chicken drumsticks pin for Pinterest
    Chicken drumsticks pin for Pinterest
    Chicken Drumsticks pin for Pinterest
    Chicken drumsticks pin for Pinterest
    Chicken drumstick pin for Pinterest

    Baked sweet chili chicken drumsticks are here for the whole family.

    This is a teenager pleaser, so make sure you double or triple the recipe and load up your freezer! 

    sweet chili chicken finished on wire rack

    This post contains affiliate links. 

    Heat and Sweet together. The ultimate pairing. 

    This version is an easy homemade stove top sauce, and is a prep ahead and freeze raw kind of meal! 

    I had never even thought to make my own sweet chili sauce. Then, I started working on project with Matt from Fresh Menu Planner.

    Working on projects with a trained chef has huge perks for me ... a home cook with zero formal cooking training. 

    This recipe is a freezer meal-ified (sure, that's real) version of another chicken recipe we are working on together for a.... book! 

    Why make it a freezer meal?

    Sweet Chili Drumsticks in freezer bag flatlay

    Putting the work in once and having meals prepped and ready to cook in my freezer is my jam. See the freezer friendly section of the blog for a ton of ideas. 

    When I make this recipe, I double the recipe. That way I can cook one for dinner, and then I put one in the freezer for a few weeks or months later. 

    I am a huge fan of "prep raw & freeze meals" 

    First, they are limited work to prep, and second, your future dinner won't taste like reheated leftovers. 

    Do the work once - have multiple meals at your finger tips! 

    How do you make this as a freezer meal?

    Sweet Chili Drumsticks in freezer bag top down view

    It is simple.

    Make the sauce on your stove top as directed in the recipe card below. 

    Set the sauce aside to cool. 

    sweet chili sauce on a spoon from a mason jar

    Load up your gallon size freezer bag with your drumsticks. 

    Add half of the (cooled sauce) to the bag. Freeze the other half in a separate container. A small mason jar will work. Yes, you can freeze mason jars (see this post).

    You want to keep some of the sauce uncontaminated, this way you can brush it on in the last few minutes of baking to really crisp the drumsticks up, and add some more flavor. 

    Next, Label and seal! 

    Sweet Chili Drumsticks in freezer straight on view

    If you don't have an extra set of hands to help you out, you can use this baggie holder that I have. 

    How can I make these nice and crispy?

    For ultimate crisp factor, you want to put the drumsticks on a wire rack that is on top of a cookie sheet. 

    You REALLY want to line it with parchment or foil. This sauce has maple syrup in it and once it drips and bakes it will be very hard to get off a pan. 

    Set it up to bake, like this... Cookie sheet, then parchment, then wire rack, then chicken. 

    Sweet chili chicken on wire rack

    You could also use an air fryer! I will include those directions in the recipe card for you too! 

    Sweet Chili Drumsticks close up shot

    Are you ready to load up your freezer with some baked sweet chili chicken drumsticks!?

    If you do make these, I want to see! Tag me @mealplanaddict on Instagram, or come post a photo over in the Meal Plan Addict Community!  

    sweet chili chicken finished on wire rack
    Print Pin
    5 from 5 votes

    Baked Sweet Chili Drumsticks {Freezer Friendly}

    Baked sweet chili chicken drumsticks are here for the whole family.
    This is a teenager pleaser, so make sure you double or triple the recipe and load up your freezer! 
    Course Make Ahead Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Keyword Chicken Drumsticks, Sweet Chili Chicken
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 35 minutes
    Servings 12 drumbsticks

    Ingredients

    • 3 tsp olive oil
    • ¾ cup maple syrup
    • 2 tsp honey
    • ¾ cup low sodium soy sauce see note if not using low sodium
    • ¼ cup finely diced onion
    • 4 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 tsp chili flakes decrease to ½ tsp if you want less spiciness
    • 1 lime juice and zest
    • 3 lbs chicken drumsticks (approx 12)

    Instructions

    Sweet Chili Sauce

    • In a small sauce pan, heat the oil on medium heat.
    • Once hot, saute the onions until translucent.
    • Just before the onion is cooked, add the garlic. Take care not to burn the garlic. Stir constantly for about one minute - just to get the garlic cooked a bit.
    • Add the remaining ingredients for the sauce (everything except the chicken)
    • Simmer for 3 minutes, and remove from heat and allow to cool. You can put it in the fridge of freezer to cool it faster.

    Freezer Meal Prep

    • Label a gallon size freezer bag (or freezer container of choice).
    • Add the chicken to the bag.
    • Once the sauce is cooled, add HALF OF IT it to the bag as well.
    • Put the other half of the sauce in a separate container. I use a small mason jar for this. You could also use a small zip bag.
    • Seal, and store flat in the freezer.

    To Cook

    • Allow freezer pack to thaw completely (overnight in the fridge is best).
    • Preheat oven to 400°F
    • Set up a cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper.
    • Add a wire rack on top of the lined cookie sheet.
    • Using tongs, remove the chicken drumsticks one at a time and place on the wire rack. You can add more sauce from the bag to the chicken if you like, but remember you reserved sauce to brush on later.
    • Bake in oven for 20 minutes. Flip, and put back in for another 10-15 minutes.
    • In the last 10 minutes of baking, brush on the reserved sauce.
    • Broil for 2-3 minutes for extra crispy drumsticks.

    Air Fryer Instructions

    • If using an air fryer, follow all the same directions but set to 400°F for 20 minutes.

    Notes

    If not using low sodium soy sauce, you will want to cut the soy sauce to ½ c and top up with ¼c water or it will be extremely salty.
    « How to make stuffing in your Instant Pot
    Chicken Shawarma Meal Prep Salad with Sweet Garlic Sauce »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tia says

      October 24, 2019 at 9:06 pm

      Could I use chicken breast Instead of drumsticks for this recipe?

      Reply
    2. Jenny Koops says

      July 06, 2021 at 9:30 am

      5 stars
      Made this last night after it had been in the freezer for over a month. Was so good! Used the convection setting on our oven and that really helped! Will definitely do it on the grill next time.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published.

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi I am Steph, Meal Plan Addict!

    This is space is about more than meal prep, meal planning, and freezer meals. We help you get organized in the kitchen to make meal planning and prep easy and less intimidating for busy people.

    More about me here

    featured on

    Archives

    Categories

    Footer

    Recent Posts

    • Freezer Simmer Sauces to Stock Your Freezer Pantry
    • The best ways to prevent freezer burn
    • 10 Family Favorite Ground Beef Freezer Meals
    • How to Build a Freezer Pantry
    • Freezer Bagel Pizzas

    COPYRIGHT

    Meal Plan Addict Inc. All rights reserved.

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro Theme by Shay Bocks · Built on the Genesis Framework · Powered by WordPress