Tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken drumsticks simmered in a sweet and tangy BBQ sauce – this slow cooker recipe is the perfect hands-off approach to a classic comfort food favorite!
These slow cooked chicken drumsticks are my weeknight dinner hero
This recipe was born out of necessity on a hectic day when I had no idea what to make for dinner. In a moment of inspiration, I threw some chicken drumsticks and BBQ sauce into the slow cooker, and let it cook on low all day.
That evening, we came home to the irresistible aroma of tender, saucy BBQ chicken. I served up the fall-off-the-bone drumsticks with a side of air fried roasted veggies, and my family devoured the meal. From that moment on, these slow cooked BBQ chicken drumsticks became my go-to for busy weeknights when I needed a stress-free, tasty dinner that everyone would love.
What do you need?
- Chicken drumsticks: Chicken drumsticks are the perfect cut for slow cooking. Their dark meat stays moist and flavorful during the long cooking process, and the bone-in design helps to keep the meat succulent.
- BBQ sauce: Choose your favorite brand or variety of bbq sauce. You can use sweet, spicy, or smoky, or a combination to customize the taste to your liking. The sauce will thicken and caramelize as it cooks, coating the drumsticks in a deliciously sticky glaze.
- BBQ Seasoning rub: I used a store-bought BBQ seasoning rub, but you can make a simple homemade mix from simple homemade seasoning rub made from salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and paprika. You can change the seasonings up to your taste (add more chili if you like heat) or substitute a premade chicken seasoning rub if you prefer.
Let’s cook these BBQ chicken drumsticks in the slow cooker!
1
Season drumsticks
Rub the seasoning blend all over each chicken drumstick, making sure they’re evenly coated, and place them in the crockpot/ slow cooker.
2
Slow cook chicken drumsticks.
Place the seasoned drumsticks into your crockpot and cover with around a cup of BBQ sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or LOW for 8 hours.
3
Grill/ broil.
Remove and baste with more bbq sauce. For a sticky bbq leg, place under the grill/ broiler for 5 min.
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons bbq seasoning rub Note 1
- 1¼ cup bbq sauce divided
Instructions
- Combine all the seasonings together.
- Season all of the chicken and rub it into each piece.
- Place chicken into the crockpot and pour around 1 cup of bbq sauce over the drumsticks, making sure they are all coated with the sauce.
- Cook on HIGH for 4 hours, or LOW for 6-7 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove from the slow cooker to a baking sheet, brush with the remaining bbq sauce and place under the grill/ broiler for 5 minutes until they are caramalised.
Notes
- Or you can make a simple homemade rub from 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder.
Nutrition information is an estimate and provided for informational purposes only.
