Easy crock pot BBQ chicken drumsticks come together in the slow cooker in about 4 hours. You just need 4 ingredients, which is why this is a quick and pretty healthy family meal. Let’s slow cook drumsticks with massive flavor!
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Why my slow cooker BBQ chicken drumsticks are so great…
- It’s easy to throw this recipe together at the last minute!
- Great for meal planning.
- They’re so tender!
- Cheap dinner idea!! Chicken drumsticks are an inexpensive meat option.
- This crockpot BBQ recipe is made with just 4 ingredients.
- You’ll learn my quick-sear technique (before slow cooking) to amp up the flavor.
- Fast – chicken drumsticks are ready in the slow cooker in about 4 hours!
- Newer home chefs: see my step by step video for beginners (scroll to bottom of page).
Ingredients
Here’s what you need for my bbq chicken drumsticks crock pot recipe.
- Chicken drumsticks
- Poultry seasoning (or any bbq rub – I used gifted Even Embers Rub & Grub Poultry Seasoning)
- Olive oil
- Barbecue sauce
- Water
Other ingredients
Want to get creative? You can slow cook the chicken drumsticks with a little brown sugar, garlic or onion powder, a little honey, and/or a little spice like sriracha sauce.
You can also make your own honey cranberry BBQ sauce…
If you’re going to use a handful of flavors, I suggest using a small bowl to combine them before adding them in.
Also see how to spatchcock chicken and how to make butterfly chicken drumsticks…
How to make bbq chicken drumsticks in crock pot
Now I’ll walk you through it…
Quick look at recipe steps
- Season chicken drumsticks and sear them on the stove.
- Add drumsticks to crockpot.
- Add bbq sauce and water.
- Slow cook drumsticks on high.
See how to make smoked butterflied chicken legs…
Detailed crock pot bbq chicken drumsticks recipe
- Pat chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel. Season chicken all over with poultry seasoning. I used (gifted) Evan Embers Rub & Grub (all purpose chicken seasoning rub).
- Prep to sear chicken before slow cooking. (thank me later! This helps them stay together, infuses them with flavor, and makes them look beautiful!) Heat a large pan on the stove to medium or medium high. Add olive oil. When oil is hot (begins to shine) add chicken drumsticks carefully, with tongs, as the oil may splatter.
- Sear chicken drumsticks in olive oil for a few minutes, turning regularly into lightly browned all over. Use tongs to help. They won’t completely cook through in this step. That’s what the crock pot is for.
- Set up a large crock pot on high. (Why? Well, when you cook them in a flat layer in a large crock pot, they may cook faster than in a smaller crock pot layered on top of each other. But you can use a small crock pot if that’s all you have.) Add seared / browned drumsticks to the slow cooker. Add barbecue sauce on top of chicken (I used Sweet Baby Rays). Add water. Now it’s time to cover and cook ‘em…
- Slow cook chicken drumsticks in the crock pot for about 4 hours on high, or until done. Check hourly if possible to make sure there is still liquid in the crock pot so the sauce doesn’t burn. If you smell burning bbq sauce, or there is no liquid left in the crock pot, add a little more water or chicken stock. Chicken drumsticks are done slow cooking when they reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees F (measured in the thickest part, not touching the bone). They should be falling off the bone.
- Serve slow cooker bbq chicken drumsticks with extra bbq sauce if desired. We love these over rice, served with a side salad or roasted potatoes.
If you love this crock pot chicken drumstick recipe, you’ll love these recipes for boneless chicken thighs in oven, sous vide chicken thighs, and boneless smoked chicken thighs on Sip Bite Go.
Also try these sheet pan drumsticks.
Oh and don’t forget these easy sheet pan bbq chicken tacos for game day!
FAQs
Chicken “legs” refer to the entire leg of the chicken. This includes the drumstick and the thigh. Chicken drumsticks are just the half of the chicken leg. If you want to make bbq chicken legs out of this recipe, you definitely can. Just make sure the chicken is done cooking to 170 degrees F (measured in the thickest part, not touching the bone). Learn more in this safe chicken temperature guide.
Here’s a simple hack… Preheat your broiler to high. Pat cooked chicken drumsticks dry from the moisture they got in the crock pot. Slather on a little bbq sauce and broil them until the skin firms up. They won’t be as crispy as air fryer chicken legs or fried chicken drumsticks, but they won’t be as soft as they are straight out of the crock pot. Use about 1-2 tbsp bbq sauce for 5 chicken drumsticks. Or ¼ cup bbq sauce for 10 chicken drumsticks.
I like whipping up a bed of rice on the stove or Instant Pot and serving it under crock pot chicken drumsticks. On the side I’ll add a seasonal salad recipe, a heaping pile of caramelized red onions to take with each bite, or smoked corn on the cob.
Are you a foodie, too?
Hey home chefs, hope that answers all your questions about making these easy crock pot bbq chicken drumsticks.
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Slow Cooked Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Drumsticks Recipe | Sip Bite Go
Equipment
- Even Embers Rub & Grub Poultry Seasoning (gifted)
Ingredients
- 5 chicken drumsticks bone in, skin on (this is 1 serving – scale entire recipe as needed)
- 1 tbsp poultry seasoning or any bbq rub
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp barbecue sauce
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Pat chicken drumsticks dry with a paper towel. Season chicken all over with poultry seasoning. I used (gifted) Evan Embers Rub & Grub (all purpose chicken seasoning rub).
- Prep to sear drumsticks before slow cooking. (thank me later! This helps them stay together, infuses them with flavor, and makes them look beautiful!) Heat a large pan on the stove to medium or medium high. Add olive oil. When oil is hot (begins to shine) add chicken drumsticks carefully, with tongs, as the oil may splatter.
- Sear chicken drumsticks in olive oil for a few minutes, turning regularly into lightly browned all over. Use tongs to help. They won’t completely cook through in this step. That’s what the crock pot is for.
- Set up a large crock pot on high. (FIRST: Why a big slow cooker? Well, when you cook them in a flat layer in a large crock pot, they may cook faster than in a smaller crock pot or when layered on top of each other. But you can use a small crock pot if that’s all you have.) Add seared / browned drumsticks to the slow cooker. Add barbecue sauce on top of chicken (I used Sweet Baby Rays). Add water. Now it’s time to cover and cook ‘em…
- Slow cook chicken drumsticks in the crock pot for about 4 hours on high, or until done. Check hourly if possible to make sure there is still liquid in the crock pot so the sauce doesn’t burn. If you smell burning bbq sauce, or there is no liquid left in the crock pot, add a little more water or chicken stock. Chicken drumsticks are done slow cooking when they reach an internal temperature of 170 degrees F (measured in the thickest part, not touching the bone). They should be falling off the bone.
- Serve slow cooker bbq chicken drumsticks with extra bbq sauce if desired. We love these over rice, served with a side salad or roasted potatoes.
Fredrick Parker says
Do you sear before or after adding the poultry seasoning?
Jenna Passaro says
Sear BEFORE adding the chicken drumsticks to the slow cooker.
Patti says
I want to make a big batch for a family gathering. Could I use my electric roaster for this? How would I adjust the cooking time and temperature?
Jenna Passaro says
I’m not particularly sure about an electric smoker, but I have this recipe for smoked Traeger chicken thighs you can check out – https://sipbitego.com/smoked-chicken-thighs/