In August 2014, two major snack food brands, Haitai from South Korea and Calbee from Japan, joined forces to create a new snack that quickly went viral and became a top-selling snack, dominating the Korean market that year. What these two companies created is a snack known as Honey Butter Chips. These chips became so popular that they sparked a trend known as the “honey-butter craze,” making the chips nearly impossible to purchase, with resale prices online reaching triple the original price.
As Korean Americans, we watched this phenomenon unfold from home on our TV screens, eagerly awaiting the arrival of these chips at our local Korean grocery stores. Ultimately, we just couldn’t wait and asked our Korean relatives to pack some of these snacks in their luggage when they visited us. Since trying these chips, which did not disappoint one bit, my family has been obsessed with any food that combines honey and butter.
These drumsticks, sweetened with honey, spiced with plenty of garlic, and finished with a dollop of butter, remind me so much of those chips. They’re sweet and savory with a satisfying richness in every bite—just like the irresistible flavor of those honey-butter chips (which are now available in the United States and have even been imitated by American snack brands).
- 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) chicken drumsticks, trimmed
- 2 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons (87 grams) finely chopped garlic
- 2 1/2 tablespoons salted butter
Drain and thoroughly rinse the chicken until the water runs clear. Clean and dry the bowl. Using a sharp knife, make 4 to 6 slashes in each drumstick (each slash should reach the bone). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and transfer to the bowl.
Add the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss the chicken to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Whisk the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper together in a small bowl; set the sauce aside.
Toss the chicken again to coat it in the oil that has settled in the bowl. Working with 1 drumstick at a time, stretch the skin to evenly cover the meat, then arrange it skin-side down in a 12‑inch nonstick skillet. Drizzle any remaining oil left in the bowl over the chicken. Cook over medium-high heat, turning the chicken occasionally, until spotty golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and continue to cook, turning the chicken occasionally, until it registers at least 185 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
Spoon the garlic into the spaces between the drumsticks where the oil has pooled. Cook, spreading the garlic into the skillet with the back of a spoon, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Gently toss the chicken until evenly coated with the garlic.
Add the sauce, stirring in any browned bits in the skillet. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, continuously coating and basting the chicken in the sauce, until the sauce has thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter until the sauce has thickened into a glaze, about 30 seconds.
Serve.
