Glazed Chicken Drumettes with Warm Asian Coleslaw

These chicken drumettes get golden-brown in peanut oil, then braise in garlic-ginger stir-fry sauce until fork-tender and coated in a sticky glaze. The warm coleslaw cooks right in the same skillet with the reserved sauce, so everything ties together.

Toast the sesame seeds first and set them aside. They go from golden to burnt in seconds, so keep them moving in the pan and pull them the moment they turn light amber. That nutty crunch scattered over the finished dish is what brings the whole plate together.

Brown the drumettes in batches if needed so they actually sear rather than steam. Crowding the skillet drops the temperature and you’ll end up with pale, rubbery skin instead of crisp edges. Once they’re browned, the broth goes in to loosen the fond (those caramelized bits stuck to the pan), and the stir-fry sauce builds the glaze from there.

The cabbage coleslaw blend only needs two to three minutes in the hot pan. You want it warmed through and coated in sauce, not wilted into mush.

Pro Tips

• Use a wide skillet or wok so the drumettes have room to brown properly
• Reserve a quarter cup of sauce before pouring the rest over the chicken so the slaw has its own coating
• Pat drumettes dry with paper towels before frying for better browning
• The dish holds well covered for 10 minutes if you need to finish other sides

Variations

• Swap drumettes for boneless thighs, cut into chunks, for faster cooking
• Add shredded carrots or sliced snow peas to the coleslaw blend
• Drizzle with sriracha or chili crisp for extra heat