Are you looking for quick and easy crock pot recipe for chicken legs? Crock Pot Chicken Drumstick recipes are so flavorful and perfect for that off-the-grill taste!
Chicken Drumstick Recipes
UPDATED: Mikey made a new video of this family favorite recipe!
We make chicken legs in the crock pot a LOT. I love how flavorful and versatile they can be. I have been known to just throw them in with a little Lawry’s Seasoned Salt and call it a day. Sometimes we go a step further to make them Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Legs. We have also been known to make this One Pot Chicken Dinner with chicken drumsticks instead of the boneless thighs in the original recipe.
This recipe from America Test Kitchen’s Slow Cooker Revolution
Printable Chicken Drumstick Recipe
- 1 T brown sugar
- 1 T sweet paprika
- 1 t dry mustard
- 1 t ground cumin
- 1 t garlic powder
- 1 t onion powder
- ¼ t cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
- 4 lbs bone in, skin on chicken drumsticks
- 1½ c barbecue sauce
- vegetable oil spray
- Combine your sugar, seasonings and spices.
- Pour seasonings into a gallon sized baggie and place your chicken in the bag a few pieces at a time. Close the bag and shake to coat.
- Place your coated chicken in your slow cooker (it is okay to overlap.)
- Drizzle ½ c barbecue sauce over the chicken and toss to coat them evenly.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours, until your chicken is tender.
- Place your oven rack 10 inches from your broiler element and turn on your broiler.
- Cover a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Arrange chicken on the prepared baking sheet..
- Brush ½ c barbecue sauce on chicken and broil 1-5 minutes, until chicken is crisp and slightly charred.
- Turn chicken legs to opposite side and brush with ½ c barbecue sauce and broil for additional 1-5 minutes until second side is crisp and slightly charred.
Calories in a Chicken Leg
Can I be honest? Some days, this gal needs more than a chicken breast for dinner. And, knowing that a chicken leg with the skin removed after cooking is only 180 calories makes me happy that I can have my chicken and eat it too! (A chicken leg with skin intact is 260 calories.) So, at least for me, that makes recipes like this a bit guilt free. We can enjoy a flavorful cut of meat without breaking the calorie bank!
Slow Cooker Recommendations
I really prefer the non-stick surface of this slow cooker for recipes like this, however, any 5-6qt slow cooker will work just fine.
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Really love the complex flavor the seasonings offer this recipe!
like this recipe—like to know the brand of the crock pot you have that stirs automatically every 2 hours?
Can you use frozen drumsticks?
Hi Lana-
While many people cook frozen meat all the time, I have not tried the drumsticks frozen. Food safety folks don’t recommend it as they are afraid the chicken won’t cook evenly or hot enough, fast enough (http://www.fsis.usda.gov/shared/PDF/Slow_Cookers_and_Food_Safety.pdf ). I would also think that bone-in cuts like drumsticks may run into that issue more than boneless cuts. I personally would thaw mine first if I were you– even though I have been known to throw boneless cuts in frozen as well as a roast from time to time. Hope that helps,
Cris
So the pictures for this recipe have had the skin removed?
Hi Erika-
I believe these images have the skin on. We used to take the skin off before broiling, but these days we leave it on and then whoever doesn’t want the skin (like me) takes it off on our plate. If the whole family does not want the skin, it is super easy to remove right before the broiling step. Hope that helps! Enjoy!
Can you make these without BBQ sauce? I need them to be more of a roasted chicken instead. If so, what would you use?
Hi Meghan-
I’d just leave out the sauce. The seasonings will be nice on their own. Hope that helps!
The chicken is just placed in the pot. There is no extra liquid needed? Also, putting them in the oven is required for finish or can I just eat them without sticking them in the oven?
Hi Tami-
We don’t add any additional liquid. You don’t have to broil if you don’t mind the texture of the slow cooked chicken skin. Hope that helps!
Hi Meghan, what setting do i put the crock pot on, high or low?
Hi Nicole-
We cooked them on low. Enjoy!
Thank you for the great recipe. Have you ever seasoned overnight? If so, is it recommended?
Hi Carrie-
I haven’t but it should be fine if you want to! Enjoy!
Can we cook on high instead of low?
I would like to make the suggestion that you change the measure abbreviation to Tb and tsp! It wasn’t until I got to the cayenne that I realized it wasn’t a Tb of each. I added more brown sugar. We will see how it turns out.
I really like this recipe. I substituted 1/2 tsp of ground ginger for the ground mustard. Added to taste: poultry seasoning, thyme and basil. I wanted more of a roasted finish so I didn’t add the barbeque sauce this time. It was ready in 4 hrs. on low. Will try with barbeque sauce next time.