Can these be made in the slow cooker or Instant Pot?

Yes! We have written full posts on both. BBQ Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks Crockpot BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Can I make these crispier?

You can broil at the end for a few minutes to caramelize the drumsticks even more.

Can I use the rub on chicken breasts?

Yes. You can use this rub and our BBQ sauce on chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Cook in the slow cooker on Low for 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 hours or in the Instant Pot for 7 minutes with a quick release. Shred and serve on buns for easy BBQ chicken sandwiches.

Sticky Sweet Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Name: Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika; 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; About 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks; 1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 10 reviews

Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

An easy-peasy, flavorful baked chicken drumstick recipe. You can have BBQ Chicken Drumsticks without grilling or frying. Just bake, baste, broil and enjoy! We even teach you how to turn this into a make-ahead freezer meal.

Yield: 5-6 servings (2 drumsticks per serving) 1x

Prep: 10 minutesCook: 45 minutesTotal: 55 minutes

Scale:

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
About 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
1 1/2 cups BBQ Sauce

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Make It Now

Prep: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place an oven-safe baking/cooling rack on top. Spray the rack with cooking spray.
Make the Rub: In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Season Chicken: Pat dry the drumsticks and then coat the drumsticks evenly with the mixture. Place the drumsticks on the baking rack.
Bake: Bake drumsticks for 25 minutes.
Baste #1: Remove the chicken from the oven, baste with the BBQ sauce on all sides, and bake for another 7-8 minutes.
Baste #2: Repeat the basting step, and bake another 7-8 minutes.
Baste #3 + Increase Temp: Remove pan and baste with sauce one last time. Turn up the oven temp to 425°F. Cook the chicken 5-7 more minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165°F or are no longer pink inside at all. (Optional: Broil at the end to caramelize the drumsticks even more, if you want it.)
Cool: Let them sit for at least 10 minutes before eating. Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.

Freeze For Later: Season the drumsticks and place the seasoned chicken in a freezer bag. Try not to stack the drumsticks in the bag; instead, place them flat, side by side. Use parchment paper to divide layers, if needed. Seal and freeze flat. If you want, you can pour BBQ sauce into a small freezer bag or container, seal, and freeze alongside the chicken.

Prepare From Frozen: Thaw the chicken using one of these safe methods. Follow the cooking instructions in the recipe above.

Notes/Tips

We use this same rub and BBQ sauce in our Instant Pot and Crockpot BBQ Drumsticks.
You can also use this rub and our BBQ sauce on chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Cook in the slow cooker on Low for 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 hours or in the Instant Pot for 7 minutes with a quick release. Shred and serve on buns for easy BBQ chicken sandwiches.
We get our chicken from ButcherBox.

Cuisine: American Method: Baking

Find it online: https://thrivinghomeblog.com/baked-bbq-chicken-drumsticks/