Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Drumsticks is one of the simplest, most flavorful chicken chickens. You only need a few basic ingredients and these barbecue chicken legs come together effortlessly in the crockpot.
If you like these barbecue chicken legs, you may also enjoy Instant Pot Ribs, Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Thighs, and Slow Cooker Pulled Pork.
Crock-Pot BBQ chicken legs are coated in a sweet, sticky sauce that is bound to require a few wet napkins.
But oh is it worth the mess. These chicken drumsticks are tender, smoky, juicy, and just want all backyard barbecues should be made of–that and BLT Potato Salad, Old Fashioned Baked Beans, and Pasta Salad.
But because they are prepared in the slow cooker, this is the perfect recipe to have a taste of barbecue all year long–even on rainy days.
How to Make Chicken Legs in the Slow Cooker
The best part of this slow cooker recipe is that it makes BBQ Chicken Drumsticks so Easy!!
Step One: Rub the Chicken Legs with the spice blend.
I use a mixture of different seasonings, but you could also use homemade seasoned salt for a quick version of an easy rub for chicken.
Step Two: Cook Chicken Legs in Slow Cooker
Chicken drumsticks start off in the slow cooker where a dry rub infuses the meat and cooks the chicken through.
Chicken legs need 2-3 hours on high in a slow cooker or 4-5 hours on low in the slow cooker to reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit–which is when poultry is considered safe to eat.
Step Three: Make homemade BBQ Sauce
A homemade BBQ sauce is made by bringing the ingredients to a boil and reducing the heat to a simmer until the barbecue sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.
Step Four: Broil or Grill Chicken Legs
Remove cooked chicken drumsticks from slow cooker and place on a broiler pan or baking sheet and spoon over sauce from slow cooker over chicken thighs. Broil 2-3 inches under high heat for 2-4 minutes. Watch the chicken legs closely, so they do not burn.
Step Five: Serve with Plenty of Napkins
The funniest thing is that while this is one meal designed to be messy, I think the kids make less of a mess with the barbeque drumstick than they do do with a PB&J–go figure.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
- Slow Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken and Rice
- Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
- Slow Cooker Chicken Wings from Spend with Pennies
Easy Slow Cooker BBQ Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 12 chicken drumsticks skin on or off
- For the Rub:
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
For the Barbecue Sauce
- 1 cup apple juice
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon chili powder optional
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients for the rub together in a small bowl and then and rub on chicken legs.
- Place in slow cooker. Cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4 hours.
- While the chicken is cooking, bring apple juice, tomato sauce, salt, vinegar, honey, and chili powder to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until thickened.
- Once chicken is cooked in slow cooker, preheat grill or broiler to medium high.
- Brush chicken with barbeque sauce and grill/broil until crispy, about 3-5 minutes per side.
- Serve with extra BBQ sauce on the side.
Equipment Needed
Notes
- If you don't want to make your own BBQ sauce, use your favorite store-bought brand in place of the homemade sauce. Be sure to still use the dry rub.
- If you don't like chicken skin, peel off the skin before rubbing with the spice blend, for skinless chicken legs. I still like to broil or grill the chicken legs for a few minutes on each side to give a golden exterior to the chicken legs.
- Instead of making homemade barbecue sauce on the stove, you could also mix together the ingredients and pour over chicken legs in the slow cooker and allow the sauce to cook in the slow cooker with the chicken drumsticks. I would then spoon the sauce over the chicken legs before broiling/grilling.
Awesome recipe. Very simple and easy to make. My question is can tomato sauce or glass jar tomato sauce because I think it makes a difference?
I am so glad you enjoyed!! Yes, I am referring to canned tomato sauce..jarred tomato sauce is often flavored with Italian spices and sugar.
These look delicious! I’m wanting to get rid of my crock pot and just keep the instant pot for doing slow cooking. I read your other post on the differences between regular show cookers and the IP. How would you convert this recipe? Add liquid? What time and temp? Thanks!
Hi Carmen! I need to create this recipe FOR the instant pot. But in the meantime, I would try it on high slow cooker function as recipe is written (pressure won’t build so you don’t need excess liquid) and cook for 2.5 hours on high. Let me know how they turn out. Using the Instant Pot as as a slow cooker is not my favorite function.
That’s so sad! I originally got the IP because I wanted a rice cooker without a non-stick coating. Then I got really excited thinking that I could get rid of other bulky equipment. I’ll try it, though and report back!
Sorry Carmen! I just want to be 100% honest with you! I love my Instant Pot and use it so much more than my slow cooker (so I have a lot of recipes that have been converted for Instant Pot that were originally for the slow cooker–check out my recipes here: https://amindfullmom.com/easy-healthy-instant-pot-recipes/).
No worries! I appreciate the honesty 😉 I made the chicken twice this week, once on high for 2 1/2 hours and once on low for 4 1/2 (the second time I did 16 legs, so increased the time a little). Both times the chicken came out great. My one complaint is that the legs didn’t cook very evenly, the ones on the top are cooked through to a safe temp, but not as tender as the bottom ones, which might have been a tad overcooked. I think this was because I had to layer the legs because the IP is taller and skinnier than my crock pot is. Next time I’ll try cooking only one layer and see how that works. Thanks for the great recipe!
I am so glad you enjoyed the chicken legs. And yes, layering and using as a slow cooker may cause the issues of under and over cooked meat. Thank you for letting us know your results 🙂
I made this dish tonight for dinner and it was a success!! No left overs at all:)
Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe.
Thanks for sharing Lana! I am so glad your family enjoyed this! It is such an easy meal!
These look worth getting messy for, the flavours sound fantastic. But I’ll do my best not to get quite as messy as your kids can manage.
HA Jane, that cracks me up! I guarantee you will NOT get as messy as my kids–it is impossible.
Never thought of making drumsticks in the slow cooker!!! These look absolutely amazing!
Thanks Tisha! They are a family favorite. I hope you enjoy!
Could I just cook the chicken in the slow cooker and then just cover them with the sauce for the last few minutes?
Thanks Pauline😊
Absolutely!!! That is a great idea. And if you want to crisp up the skin, cook in slow cooker then brush with sauce and broil quickly. Whichever way works 😉
Smells amazing!! Cooking it as we speak! Just wondering does the sauce thicken up or is more of a thin, runny sauce?
Thank you for the recipe!
Oh yay!! Enjoy!! The sauce will thicken up as it cooks, but never quite as much as one with additives.
You should have seen my grandson after eating a plate of BBQ’d ribs last night. Talking about a mess!!!
LOL!!! I can imagine. My son is ALWAYS a mess after anything BBQ too!
I want to make these for my sons first birthday party. Can you suggest how many I could put in a 6 quart crockpot and should I increase cooking time? I’m cooking for 20 people.
Hi! I am honored you choose this recipe for your party! I would plan to make 2 chicken legs per person (40 total) or about 10-12 pounds of meat. I am not sure if you would be able to fit that all in one batch of cooking.
Personally, I would times my recipe by 3 and cook each batch seperately on high for the 2 hours. After finishing cooking in slow cooker, I would remove to a baking sheet and store in fridge (up to 24 hours in advance). Before serving, I would bring chicken out of fridge for 30-60 minutes and then warm through with a glaze of sauce on the grill or under the broiler. That way you can get most of your cooking done in advance.
Best of luck! And happy birthday to your baby!
So what do I put in the crock pot with the chicken since it says to put the BBQ sauce on after? I got the rub on the chicken and. It sure what to do now.
Irene–all you need is the rub on the chicken in the slow cooker. Pretty impressive, huh? Just rub, cook and then slather with sauce. It is the simplest recipe ever.
can you do this with boneless chicken? I’m not a fan of chicken on the bone.
YES!!! Ginny, for sure. I do this frequently with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. And it is so tasty!! Just cut your cooking time back by 1 hour in slow cooker before grilling, so the chicken stays in tact.
What a great weeknight dinner! I’m at least as messy as your kids – hope the sauce on these drumsticks comes out in the wash:)
Oxiclean gets it all out 🙂
These drumsticks look amazing, I love how easy they are!
I love easy meals!