Grilled BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are the perfect weeknight meal or cooked at your next BBQ. These drumsticks are full of BBQ flavor and super juicy.
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We love when it is grilling season. These BBQ Chicken legs on the grill are usually on the top of our list. They are so easy to make and my kids love them.
This grilled chicken recipe always come out so flavorful and juicy. We love to baste the chicken after it is done with BBQ sauce. You may even love this Grilled BBQ Chicken Thighs Recipe, Smoked Chicken Legs or this Grilled Ranch Chicken Legs Recipe.
Table of Contents
- Why We Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Variation Ideas
- How to Grill BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Chicken Leg Grilling Tips
- Can I make these in the Oven?
- How long to Grill Chicken Legs?
- How do you Keep Chicken Legs from sticking to the Grill?
- What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Legs?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Why We Love This Recipe
This recipe is perfect for your next cookout or for an easy weeknight meal. This simple seasoning chicken legs recipe cooks tender for an amazing meal idea.
This recipe is kid friendly and even better served with your favorite side dish recipes.
Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Chili Powder
- Onion Powder
- BBQ Sauce
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
Variation Ideas
- Change the Heat Source – These drumsticks can be cooked in the Air Fryer, on a Charcoal Grill, or in the oven.
- Use Different Seasoning – Add cayenne pepper to make a spicy chicken drumsticks.
- Smoked Paprika – We love the flavor that smoked paprika adds to these drumsticks.
- Make Homemade BBQ Sauce – With a few simple ingredients you can make Homemade BBQ Sauce.
- Change the Chicken – Feel free to use this recipe to make chicken wings or chicken breasts.
How to Grill BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Step 1 – Prepare the Gas Grill – Preheat your grill over medium high heat to approximately 400 degrees F. Spray the grill grates with a non-stick cooking spray or rub with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grates.
Step 2 – Combine Ingredients – Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl.
Step 3 – Oil the Drumsticks – Place the drumsticks in a large bowl, pour the oil on top and rub the oil onto the drumsticks.
Step 4 – Season the Chicken – Sprinkle the spices over the drumsticks. Toss to make sure that the drumsticks are thoroughly coated in the olive and the seasoning mixture.
Step 5 – Begin Grilling the Chicken – Place the drumsticks on direct heat and grill for 25-30 minutes flipping every 10-15 minutes.
Step 6 – Add the BBQ Sauce – Brush the drumsticks with the barbecue sauce.
Step 7 – Turn – Flip the chicken and brush the opposite side with the BBQ sauce has well. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Step 8 – Continue Grilling Chicken – Flip the chicken again, brush with more BBQ sauce and cook the opposite side for 3-4 more minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Step 9 – Remove, serve and enjoy – Then remove the drumsticks from the grill and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes and then the chicken is ready to serve and enjoy!
Chicken Leg Grilling Tips
- Season your drumsticks – Seasoning your drumsticks with a dry rub helps with the crispy skin.
- Use Meat Thermometer – When checking for doneness for you chicken drumsticks, do not guess. Instant-read thermometer ensures your cooking your chicken drumsticks reached 165 degrees.
- Grilling Chicken – When grilling the drumsticks, gently flip the drumsticks. Use the tongs to flip them so that the chicken skin doesn’t stick to the grates.
- Lid Closed – Keep the grill lid closed to ensure that the chicken drumsticks cook evenly.
Can I make these in the Oven?
Yes, you can also make these in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place drumsticks on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes (flipping every 10-15 minutes) until the chicken reaches an internal temperature for 165 degrees F.
Then brush the BBQ sauce onto the drumsticks and cook for 4-5 more minutes to caramelize the BBQ sauce.
How long to Grill Chicken Legs?
The cook times will vary based on the size of the chicken. We being by cooking chicken for about 30 minutes. We also flip the chicken every 10 minutes to make sure all sides are cooked.
Make sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken is cooked to the correct temperature.
Chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. A meat thermometer makes sure that your chicken is thoroughly cooked and reaches 165 degrees.
How do you Keep Chicken Legs from sticking to the Grill?
To keep the chicken legs from sticking to the grill, make sure you oil the grates. You can use cooking spray or rub oil on the grates. Having the grill at a temperature of about 400 degrees, also helps the chicken from sticking.
Also frequently rotating the chicken helps the chicken from sticking to the grates.
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Legs?
When we prepare sides for this chicken drumsticks, I love to make sides that I can put directly on the grill. These are some of our favorites:
- Grilled Green Beans in Foil
- Grilled Carrots in Foil
- Baked Potatoes on the Grill
- More Grilled Chicken Side Dishes
Frequently Asked Questions
We recommend waiting until the chicken done cooking before adding the BBQ sauce. If you add the BBQ sauce to early then it will burn the chicken.
Refrigerate the chicken drumsticks recipe leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can even shred the chicken off the bone and use the chicken for other meals.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Beer Can Chicken Recipe
- Blackstone BBQ Drumsticks Recipe
- Grilled Chicken Sandwich Recipe
- Teriyaki Chicken on a Stick Recipe
- More Grilled Chicken Recipes
We love this BBQ Chicken Drumsticks Grill Recipe, please leave us a comment or a star review.
Grilled BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 2 lb Chicken Drumsticks
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- Preheat your grill over medium high heat to approximately 400 degrees F. Spray the grill grates with a non-stick cooking spray or rub with oil to prevent the chicken from sticking to the grates.
- Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl.
- Place the drumsticks in a large bowl, pour the oil on top and sprinkle the seasonings over the drumsticks. Toss to make sure that the drumsticks are thoroughly coated in the olive and the seasoning mixture.
- Place the drumsticks on direct heat and grill for 25-30 minutes flipping every 10-15 minutes.
- Brush the drumsticks with the BBQ sauce. Flip the chicken and brush the opposite side with the BBQ sauce has well. Cook for 3 minutes. Flip the chicken again, brush with more BBQ sauce and cook the opposite side for 3-4 more minutes until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Then remove the drumsticks from the grill and allow it to rest for at least 5 minutes and then the chicken is ready to serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
*You can also make these in the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place drumsticks on a baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes (flipping every 10-15 minutes) until the chicken reaches an internal temperature for 165 degrees F. Then brush the BBQ sauce onto the drumsticks and cook for 4-5 more minutes to caramelize the BBQ sauce.
I really enjoyed the flavour of these drumsticks, I made them for dinner last night. The unfortunate thing is I didn’t have any bbq sauce, so I just used the seasoning you suggested on them, and I only had 8 drumsticks so I halfed the seasonings. My whole family loved these, I will definitely make them again, but next time I’ll use bbq sauce! Thank you very much for the recipe! 10/10! Would recommend!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for sharing Sydney.