BBQ Grilled Butterflied Chicken Legs / Drumsticks | Sip Bite Go
These grilled butterflied chicken drumsticks take a small bit of prep work, but the results are uniquely delicious! This Sip Bite Go grill recipe is a great alternative to chicken wings when you just have chicken legs on hand. | sipbitego.com
1.5LBchicken drumsticksaka chicken legs, bone-in with skin on or off (about 8 chicken drums)
2tbspBBQ rubany chicken bbq seasoning will work, too, as much as you’d like
1tbspolive oil
2tbspBBQ sauce
1tbsphoney
1tspcilantrofresh chopped (optional, for serving)
Instructions
How to butterfly chicken drumsticks for grilling them
Prep butterflied chicken legs by patting them dry with a paper towel.
Butterfly chicken drumsticks. You want to start with the most meaty side of the chicken leg facing up. Slice one cut straight down to the bone to start separating the chicken leg meat from the bone. Push open the meat. Then, go back and make smaller cuts around the bone, to help open up the chicken drumstick meat from the bone. Make sure to keep the bottom half of the meat connected to the bone. To finish butterflying it, flip over the chicken leg and push down to make it about the same thickness.
Detailed recipe steps
Season butterflied chicken drumsticks before grilling them. Sprinkle seasoning all over the chicken and rub it in with your hands. Drizzle olive oil on top of the butterflied chicken legs and brush to lightly coat them, which will prevent them from sticking to the grill grates as they cook.
Prep honey BBQ sauce. Mix BBQ sauce in a small bowl with honey. Set aside.
Preheat gas or charcoal grill to high, about 500 degrees F.
Place butterflied chicken legs / drumsticks on the gas grill grates (with the meat side facing down), directly over heat (above the flame), with the grill lid closed for 5 minutes.
Flip butterflied grilled chicken legs and brush honey BBQ sauce on top (the meaty side which should now have beautiful grill marks).
Close the lid and finish grilling butterflied chicken legs for about 5-10 more minutes, until done.
Tip if your butterflied chicken legs aren’t cooking evenly – If for some reason the outside of the chicken starts burning but the inside isn’t reaching the done temperature, move the chicken to indirect heat (without flame directly below it) or to a higher grill grate to help it cool lower and slower and remove it from the grill flame where the outside will get scorched. That shouldn’t happen, but, just in case!
Remove grilled butterflied chicken legs when they reach 165 to 175 degrees F as measured with an internal read thermometer.
Rest and enjoy with a sprinkle of cilantro on top.