Spicy Maple Bacon Chicken Drumsticks make for sticky fingers and happiness. Easy enough for a weeknight, flavorful enough for game day and delicious enough for a comfort-food gathering.
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I’m watching the Winter Games this month, being hosted in South Korea (so exciting!) and creating my food dreams. All inspired by all the countries participating. Canada is pretty famous for their maple syrup, and I like bacon and chicken – bam! I give you some really good spicy maple bacon chicken.
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The Canadian provence of Quebec is the largest producer of maple syrup in the world. Not to say Vermont isn’t up there! They are the largest producers in the United States. That being said I’m here to throw it to Canada and the Winter Games!
These spicy maple bacon chicken drumsticks won’t last long because they are melt-in-your mouth good! A little maple glaze on the bacon and a kick of Tabasco make these drumsticks irresistible. You don’t need anything special either. Grab that maple syrup you use for breakfast, and the Tabasco in the door of your fridge!
This is a one pan meal like my Nachos for a Party. Which I make as dinner all the time! And a weeknight hit like my Ginger Thai Chicken Patties – Talk about having a happy crowd at the dinner table.
Chicken boredom averted!! Thanks to the delectable flavors of maple syrup, hot sauce and salty bacon.
What’s the difference between pure maple syrup and pancake syrup?
Use pure maple syrup. Why? Because it’s the real stuff, dripped from a maple tree, cooked down to sweet goodness and filtered into that beautiful little bottle. Those pancake syrups are tasty, but imitation maple syrup is pretty much just corn syrup and flavoring. It will create an overly sweet, very sticky situation in this recipe.
You’ll see a grade on your syrup, for this recipe it doesn’t matter which one you use. Pure maple syrup gets a Grade A and can be various degrees of golden, amber, dark and very dark. As long as it is free of off-flavors and other things and clear of sediment it gets a Grade A.
These spicy maple bacon chicken drumsticks won’t last long because they are melt-in-your mouth good!
What if your chicken drumsticks aren’t skinless?
You’re welcome to keep the skin on. I don’t like it myself, so I pull it off. You can certainly ask your butcher to do it, but it’s easy to do yourself. I use a paper towel and simply pull the skin from the drumstick. It takes a little muscle, but the paper towel helps you get a good grip.
Spicy Maple Bacon Chicken Drumsticks make for sticky fingers and happiness. Easy enough for a weeknight, flavorful enough for game day and delicious enough for a comfort-food gathering.
- 12 skinless chicken drumsticks
- 12 strips bacon
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp Tabasco sauce
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup chopped scallions white and green parts
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
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Heat oven to 400ºF. Wrap the tops of each drumstick with a strip of bacon. Place chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet with the end of the bacon strip under the drumsticks.
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Mix together the maple syrup, Tabasco and salt and drizzle half of the mixture over chicken. Roast until the bacon is darkened and chicken is cooked through, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Drizzle or brush remaining maple sauce over hot chicken. Serve sprinkled with scallions and parsley.
- Use pure maple syrup. Why? Because it's the real stuff, dripped from a maple tree, cooked down to sweet goodness and filtered into that beautiful little bottle. Those pancake syrups are tasty, but imitation maple syrup is pretty much just corn syrup and flavoring. It will create an overly sweet, very sticky situation in this recipe.
I’m celebrating all things international this month during the 2018 Winter Games with some of my food blogger friends. Be sure to click over and enter the Instagram giveaway! You have the chance to win.
Prizes include a JK Adams Walnut Whitewashed Cheese Board, Emile Henry Baking Dish Set, Kuhn Rikon Colori Culinary Knife Set, Silpat Classics Mat Set, Joseph Joseph Nesting Bowl Set, Cuisinart Belgian Waffle Maker, Kerrygold Butter and Cheese Package, and a Breville Thermal Pro 5 qt. Saute Pan. You could win one!
Be sure to check out these other great international recipes from some of my fellow food bloggers who are also participating in the Food Blogger Winter Games event, posting delicious recipes that are internationally inspired! Share a recipe on Instagram you made from another culture using the hashtag #foodbloggerwintergames while you are at it!
- China – Asian Peanut Sesame Noodles
- Ireland – Homemade Irish Cream
- Ireland – Irish Lamb Stew
- Korea –Slow Cooker Korean Beef Short Ribs (Kalbi)
Recipe by Tara Bench. Photography Ty Mecham. Prop styling Veronica Olson.
Recipe by Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in the food publishing business for over 20 years, creating recipes and food styling for magazines, books, television and advertising. Find out more about me!
Kathy McDaniel says
February 5, 2018 at 10:35 amMaple syrup, bacon and chicken sounds like the perfect combo! Love that you added a little heat with the Tabasco. They look so incredibly delicious and addicting!
Tara says
February 5, 2018 at 4:32 pmThanks! Oh the spicy kick is the best!
Michele says
February 5, 2018 at 11:21 amThese look fabulous and I just so happen to have some REAL maple syrup so I think thats a sign to make them!
Tara says
February 5, 2018 at 4:32 pmYes! Sure sign Michele! 🙂
Kate says
February 5, 2018 at 11:44 amThat spice maple glaze sounds sooooo delicious! I’ll have to experiment with some veg version of this!
Tara says
February 5, 2018 at 4:33 pmGood idea! I imagine it would be delish on some roasted green beans, broccoli or especially Brussels sprouts. But let me know what you come up with.
Marlee says
February 5, 2018 at 4:16 pmThese drumsticks are everything I could ever want! Sweet with a little kick! Well done!
Tara says
February 5, 2018 at 4:33 pmThanks! They are quite tasty!
Gloria @ Homemade & Yummy says
February 5, 2018 at 9:10 pmOK…we just had drumsticks for dinner tonight. Bacon makes everything better. Wrap it around a juicy drum….and who needs KFC. Homemade rocks!!!
Tara says
February 6, 2018 at 9:12 pmAwesome!! Haha I totally agree!!
Abby @ WinsteadWandering says
February 5, 2018 at 10:06 pmSpicy, maple, bacon, chicken… you used all my favorite words! These drumsticks are gorgeous and I know they taste just as good.
Tara says
February 6, 2018 at 9:13 pmYou know it! They are as good as you can imagine 🙂
dixya @food, pleasure, and health says
February 8, 2018 at 11:09 amooooooo, love that sweet, salty and spicy combo there.
Tara says
February 9, 2018 at 3:30 pmThanks! That my favorite thing too!
Sharon says
February 8, 2018 at 4:01 pmThese sound so good for long weekends, cookouts and tailgating. Sweet and spicy and BACON – this is a winner.
Tara says
February 9, 2018 at 3:32 pmThanks!! Oh it’s a great easy recipe for weekends.
Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago says
February 10, 2018 at 8:53 amThese look for for a casual party or even just for a weeknight dinner!
Tara says
February 13, 2018 at 10:15 amYes!! My thoughts exactly.
Amanda Mason says
February 10, 2018 at 4:26 pmYour pictures are gorgeous! SO appetizing…I love that you wrapped bacon on these drumsticks!! What a fabulous recipe you posted! Thanks so much for posting this!
Tara says
February 13, 2018 at 10:16 amOhhh thanks so much Amanda! Well the food has to look good, that’s what I say!
Tamara Andersen says
February 11, 2018 at 9:19 pmEverything is better with bacon! Your Spicy Maple Bacon Chicken Drumsticks look amazing, and I’m pretty sure I could put away a few of them!
Tara says
February 13, 2018 at 10:17 amYou’re absolutely right. Ohh bacon love. You and me both!!
Stacey says
February 12, 2018 at 12:39 amOh this is seriously happening soon, you’ve got all the best flavors all at once! Nice!
Tara says
February 13, 2018 at 10:17 amIt’s a tasty combination for sure!!
Tatiana says
February 12, 2018 at 1:55 amI have never seen chicken drumsticks rapped in bacon in my entire life. And glazed with maple too… yum!
Tara says
February 13, 2018 at 10:17 amLife changing!! haha. I hope you try them, they are so good!
Veronika says
February 12, 2018 at 10:32 amOh Yes! That is exactly what I need now) Looks wonderful and so delicious)
Tara says
February 13, 2018 at 10:17 amThanks! They are so so tasty.
amolina says
February 14, 2018 at 6:27 amAt first I thought that the cooking time would result in a dry and overcooked chicken drumstick, but I was wrong.
Tara says
February 14, 2018 at 12:54 pmI’m so glad you tried them! They really are divine!
Mary Bench says
July 18, 2018 at 1:19 pmThese truly are one of my favorites! I LOVE the maple glaze and they are so easy!
Tara says
July 18, 2018 at 3:22 pmMe too. I love the sweet and salty!