Instant Pot Frozen Drumsticks
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The easiest way to make frozen drumsticks in the Instant Pot. This 4-ingredient recipe is a crowd-pleaser with all ages. Detailed instructions on how to cook from fresh or straight from frozen!
Why Frozen Chicken Drumsticks in the Instant Pot Are the Bomb
- Forgot to thaw the drumsticks for dinner? Instant Pot to the rescue. You can safely cook frozen food in the Instant Pot.
- Only requires 4 pantry ingredients.
- You have the options to prep thawed drumsticks for the freezer OR season the frozen drumsticks and cook them right then.
- They are gluten-free and dairy-free, just like our Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks.
- They have texture! With a few minutes under the broiler at the end, you’ll have crispy and perfectly seasoned dinner ready to go in no time.
Check out all of our “best of the best” Instant Pot Chicken Recipes.
Ingredients Needed
So…”what is the secret mix of 4 pantry seasonings you need to bring bland drumsticks to life?” you ask. I’ll tell ya…
How to Cook Frozen Drumsticks in the Instant Pot
- Let the frozen drumsticks thaw for a few minutes at room temperature. This will help soften the skin so the seasonings will adhere better.
- Sprinkle our seasoning blend over the drumsticks.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of water or chicken stock to the Instant Pot.
- Place the seasoned frozen drumsticks into the Instant Pot, arranging them in a single layer as much as possible. Make sure they’re not stacked on top of each other to ensure even cooking.
- Lock the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” setting and set the cooking time to 17-22 minutes at high pressure (start with 17 minutes and do more as needed). Then, carefully perform a quick pressure release by turning the valve to the venting position. (Chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.)
- Use tongs to transfer the cooked drumsticks to a serving plate.
- Optional: For a crispier skin, you can transfer the drumsticks to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and broil them in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown.
Prep Drumsticks as a Freezer Meal
Buy drumsticks on sale and prep them as a freezer meal! Then you can dump your frozen meal directly in the Instant Pot and cook it from frozen.
Freeze for Later: Place the seasoned chicken and the broth in a gallon-size freezer bag or round container (try not to stack the drumsticks in the bag/container as much as possible; instead, place them side by side). Seal and freeze. If using a freezer bag, set it in a bowl or round container with a diameter similar to the Instant Pot so it will fit in the pot when frozen.
Prepare From Frozen: Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté.” Transfer the frozen meal to the pot and cook for 5 minutes to release some liquid. Press “Cancel.” Follow step 2, but cook for 17 to 22 minutes. Follow steps 3 and 4.
FAQs
You’ll find a variety of answers on this question. After researching the topic we have landed on the safe side and opt to not cook frozen food in the slow cooker. USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service says, “Always thaw meat or poultry before putting it into a slow cooker.”
Here is a whole post for our Crockpot Drumsticks.
Yes! You can use a pre-made seasoning blend or make your own with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and any other herbs and spices you like. You can also use our BBQ Instant Pot Drumstick Recipe.
Yes! Keep these on hand and use the same blend for all cuts of chicken or even pork, too.
Side Dish Ideas
Next up is figuring out what to serve with these crispy drumsticks. We recommend going simple and kid-friendly. Try some of these favorites…
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Instant Pot Frozen Drumsticks
Perfectly seasoned, crispy drumsticks that the whole family will love. Only 4 simple pantry ingredients needed to make frozen drumsticks in the Instant Pot.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon onion salt
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks (frozen or fresh)
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth (sub: turkey stock or water)
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
To Cook Straight from Frozen:
- Thaw Slightly: Set frozen drumsticks on the counter at room temperature for 10-15 minutes. This allows the skin to thaw enough so seasoning can adhere better.
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Season Drumsticks: In a small bowl, combine the garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, and poultry seasoning. Sprinkle your preferred seasoning blend generously over the frozen drumsticks.
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Add to Instant Pot: Add 1 1/2 cups water or or chicken stock to the Instant Pot. Place the seasoned frozen drumsticks into the Instant Pot, arranging them in a single layer as much as possible. Make sure they’re not stacked on top of each other to ensure even cooking.
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Pressure Cook with Quick Release: Lock the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to the sealing position. Select the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” setting and set the cooking time to 17-22 minutes at high pressure. (Chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.) Then, carefully perform a quick pressure release by turning the valve to the venting position. Once the pressure has fully released and the float valve (or pin) drops, carefully open the Instant Pot lid.
- Broil (Optional): Position the top oven rack about 6 inches below the broiler. Preheat the broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Use tongs to place the drumsticks on the prepared baking sheet; discard any liquid remaining in the cooker. Broil until the chicken starts to brown and look crispy, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over, and broil until the skin begins to brown and look crispy, 2 to 3 minutes more.
To Cook From Fresh:
- Season Drumsticks: In a small bowl, combine the garlic salt, onion salt, celery salt, and poultry seasoning. Sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the drumsticks and rub it in to coat all sides. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Add to Instant Pot: Add the broth to the Instant Pot and place seasoned drumsticks in the bottom (stack them on end, if needed, but try not to pile them on top of each other).
- Pressure Cook: Lock and seal the lid. Cook at high pressure for 12 minutes, then quick release the pressure. (Chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.)
- Broil (Optional): Follow steps 7 and 8 above, if you want to crisp up the skin.
To Prep as a Freezer Meal for Later: Season the drumsticks. Place the seasoned chicken and 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth in a gallon-sized freezer bag or container. Seal and freeze in a round container, about the same diameter as the Instant Pot. (Try to not stack them on top of each other; spread out in on layer.) Once frozen, you can remove the round container.
Prepare From Frozen: Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté.” Cook the frozen meal for about 5 minutes to release the liquid. Press “Cancel.” Follow steps 3 through 5, but cook for 17 to 22 minutes.
Notes/Tips
- We gave a cooking time range for the frozen drumsticks because we got different results at each test (based on how the chicken was arranged). Start with 17 minutes and then take the internal temp of a several of the drumsticks. If they aren’t up to 165°F internally, rearrange them in the pot and cook for another few minutes.
- Broiling is highly recommended to get a crispy, beautiful exterior.
- Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our meat from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from small, trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, wild salmon, and grass-fed beef–and have used it for years ourselves. Read Rachel’s honest review here.
- Check out all of our “best of the best” Instant Pot Chicken Recipes.
Very tasty!
So glad you liked it. Thanks for the review!
My preschoolers both ate two drumsticks and I was able to put half the chicken pack in the freezer ready for next time. I had to use onion powder instead of onion salt because I have never had a recipe ask for onion salt before and don’t have it.
Question…is it ok to cook more at a time in the instant pot? I didn’t know if it is ok to pile them on top of each other.
Actually, we do not recommend piling them on each other. In our tests, we found that they cooked unevenly. So, you could stack them on end (wider part at part at the bottom and narrower end pointing up) so you could get more in there. Hope that helps!
These are an easy go to meal for me! Such simple ingredients, but packed with flavor. I’m usually not a drumstick fan, but these changed my mind.
Awesome! Thanks for the review!