While I was home, we had a little picnic on our lawn with some family friends and picked up a couple buckets of chicken from KFC to eat. Our friend’s little boy, Jake, is eight and I think he scored every single drumstick. Lucky boy! I remember my brothers and I fighting to the death for the last drumstick. Why is it kids love the drumsticks?
Anyways, Jake’s mom shared her method of cooking bbq chicken drumsticks in the crock pot. They’re easy, healthier, and everyone gets drumsticks!
I’m such a sucker for EASY meals so I gave it a whirl the other night. I used thawed chicken drumsticks but you can also just buy a bag of frozen ones. To reduce the fat I cut the skin off of the drumsticks I used, but you can also brown the chicken first to help reduce fat (if using thawed chicken). Or you can just leave the skin alone and toss them in the crock pot as is.
They are delicious as well as messy, so have your napkins ready!
Crock Pot BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
2013-03-12 10:46:26
Ingredients
- 6-8 chicken drumsticks (thawed or frozen)
- 1 bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays Original)
Instructions
- Place chicken in crock pot and pour about a cup of BBQ sauce over the chicken. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours if using thawed chicken, and 4-6 hours if using frozen.
- Remove chicken from crock pot and place in a large bowl. If desired, toss with just a little more BBQ sauce to evenly coat the drumsticks.
Notes
- **You can use as much or as little BBQ sauce depending on how "saucy" you want your chicken to be or the amount of chicken your are using.
Adapted from Patti Meuter
Adapted from Patti Meuter
Kristy Denney https://boysahoy.com/
How delightfully simple. I am going to try this!
I’ve been doing BBQ chicken in the CP for many years. This is chicken AND baked potatoes, all cooked in a cool kitchen while you play in the sun, or take a nap in the shade. 🙂 Serves 4-6
1 whole chicken
4-8 potatoes, depending on size
BBQ sauce of choice
Wash and dry the chicken inside and out. Cut up the onion and put half inside the chicken, along with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. Mush that around.
Wash and dry the potatoes. Do not peel. They can be baking or red potatoes or whatever you have. Place all potatoes on bottom of crockpot evenly spread out. Sprinkle the rest of the onion among them.
Place the whole chicken on top of the potatoes. Pour 1/2 C (or more) of the BBQ sauce over the chicken. Spread it around.
Cook on low 8 hours or high 4 hours. Here is your whole lunch or dinner, if you make some coleslaw and chill it while chicken cooking.
COLE SLAW
1 bag of coleslaw mix
1 can of diced pineapple with juice
1 cup of flavored yogurt of your choice (I use light, sometimes blueberry or peach, whatever)
Mix all ingredients together with a little salt and pepper. Chill at least one hour.
Enjoy!
Why do you use flavored yogurt when you are putting pineapple in the slaw already? I am doing this whole dinner tonight. Potatoes in the bottom with chicken legs on top. I’m sure it will be easy and delicious as well as a kid pleaser!
Do you think I could substiute bbq sauce for asian Ah-So sauce or do you think it will burn?
that sounds awesome! did you try it?
that sounds delicious did you ever try it?
I often use teriyaki sauce and it turns out well!:)
I have done this many times with 100% perfection.I have used bbq sauces,marinades and also just spice rubs with a little oil and water at the bottom of crock,hope that helps somebody…
Thank you!
I love drumsticks! So easy. I will have to try this sometime.
Wow, those look amazing!!!! My hubby loves drumsticks, so I’m going to have to try this ASAP!
Wow! Can hardly believe that came out of a crock pot. A great way to enjoy the taste of bbq all year round.
@anonymous
I think you could use any sauce, but if you are worried you can cook it on low for longer.
I made these tonight and they were DELICIOUS!! so easy too. I also used Sweet Baby Rays Original. I added some cayenne pepper and Sriracha hot sauce because we love to make everything spicy, along with some garlic powder. Thanks for the recipe!
We swear by sweet baby ray’s bbq sauce at our house
You can also add a bit of chicken broth if you’re worried it will burn – not a lot, maybe a quarter cup. Just enough to give it extra moisture so the sauce doesn’t dry up. You can add some diced onion, too, that will add moisture and flavor the sauce.
These are in my Crock Pot as we speak. I also took the skin off.. Does anyone know if there is some magic trick to easily get the skin off of chicken? It took a lot of effort! lol.
I hope you like them! The skins can be pretty tough to get off–if you figure out a trick, do share!!
Take a knife swirl chicken skin around knife 1 or 2 good times and pull skin back over bottom heel
of the chicken and pull off. Comes off my easier & quicker
Use a paper towel when you pull the skin.
I cut the skin off with the kitchen scissors. Super easy. I use the ones that came with our knife set.
A paper towel always works! Also great for pulling off membrane from underside of ribs.
Run under worm water works perfectly
Run drumsticks under luke warm water and it comes off easier than ever.
Just bought skinless chicken drumsticks at the store and they didn’t cost much more. Really a time saver, especially when cooking for a crowd.
so smart!!
I pull the skins back as far as I can and then snip it off with kitchen shears….
Thawed legs:
I run them under water quickly & using a dry paper towel, pull the skin down the leg and off the bone. Just a little tug & BINGO! Skin free legs! Very easy.
I was taught by my mother to use a dry papertowel – grab the skin at the thick end and pull down with skin in papertowel towards thin end. Works everytime
Oh! Good idea!!!!! Thanks!
I’m trying this recipe! In the crockpot as I type:)
Do you think I could use legs and thighs for this recipe?
Do you think I can use legs and thighs for this recipe?
Definitely!!
Can u put them in over night on warm? Then when i get up (7:00) put them on high tell 5:00 thats when i get home well that work.
You know what I’ve never tried putting them on warm through the night. They don’t need the entire day to cook on high though, I’d definitely try it on low first and use frozen drumsticks.
Never cook on low setting, that’s only for after the meats done. I tried it once it ruined the meat. That’s on my crockpot at least.
Never try to cook on warm setting, tried it once and it ruined the meat. That’s with my crockpot anyway.
Sure put them on warm all night if you want to breed salmonella. Warm is best once cooked.
no don’t ever cook them on warm as the chicken won’t cook and it could be dangerous to eat or would be way overdone when U finally cooked them!
Do the rules change if you are using a dry rub with very little liquid?
You know what, I’m not sure, I’ve never used a dry rub on chicken in the crockpot!
I made this with drumsticks. I am thinking about trying it with boneless skinless chicken breasts.. Think it would work?
My wife takes the skin off all our chicken. I once asked here to put some back on because I like it sometimes. She said she couldn’t do it. Hope this helps.��
good one
Trying this recipe right now! I threw them in frozen on high so hopefully they turn out ok.
Trying this receipe today for a get together tonight, 25 drumbsticks, added 4 diced green onion and 1/3 cup of chicken broth, using I bottjle of Jack Daniel’s original barbecue sauce and a bottle of regular kraft brand. Thought I would mix it up, hopefully it turns out ok
OOh I love the additions you made, should have great flavor!!
I am so excited!!! Trying this today for opening day of NFL!!! Thank you for putting this up!
I’m sooooo excited to try this today for opening day of NFL!!!! THANKS for putting this up!
I hope you liked it!!
Did you use a large crock pot or a small one?
Can you do veggies and potatoes in there as well?
Im cooking this right now!! Lol it smells and looks amazing! Im going to put pineapple chunks n litte spicy twords end! And we will have good dinner tonight! Potato salad and chips!! 🙂
Can you put the chicken legs in the oven after they have cooked in the crockpot to glaze them?
I would say yes, absolutely, get them a little crispy!!
We are addicted, these are amazing!! (And SO simple!) Love it, thank you!
You’re welcome!! We love them too!
Cooking this now but with chicken thighs. Sweet baby rays an sriracha sauce. 4 hours to go
Yum!! Love the idea of adding sriracha!!
I’m making these right now. I did my own thing then double checked this recipe to make sure I was doing something right. Maybe I’ll come back and let you know how mine come out. I seasoned my drumsticks very well, almost a dry rub… Added fresh garlic…. Them topped with a bit Caribbean jerk sauce. I just put them on low because I usually cook everything on low but I think I’m gonna bump them up to high! Thanks for all the tips
Yum, sounds great Laci!! Let me know how they turned out!
Are you it is safe on high for 6hours wouldn’t it burn should it be on low? You done this before so I’m just asking, because Imcooked. Roast on high and it burn in the crock pot n high.
I’m making them for my son and his wife. They are coming home tonight from Ireland and this will be waiting for them to snack on when they get in. I’ve never tried it. Hope they are good.
So the chicken only cook’s in the bbq sauce? No water?
What about seasoning the chicken???
Do you need to add water or does the sause do it all?
Do you need to add water or will the sause be enough?
Doesn’t get much easier than this! I have to try it SOON!
I’m planning on making these this week. I’m wondering, I work 8am-4:30pm I was wondering, does anyone think I could leave the BBQ chicken in the crockpot on low for 9 1/2 hours while I’m at work?
Did you try it yet for 9 1/2 hours? I’m planning on trying it tomorrow but it would need to be in the crockpot for about 10 hours. I’ve never had problems with anything else for that long.
I haven’t tried it yet for that long!
I used to make these in college all the time and use a bottle of Asian Zing sauce from Buffalo Wild Wings, but I went an extra step and put the drumsticks out on a tin-foiled cookie sheet and broiled them in the oven for a couple minutes on each side to thicken up the sauce and get a good caramelization started. They always disappeared instantly when I pulled on a plate them to serve them. Wings and thighs work for this, too, but they are more prone to falling off the bone in the crock pot, from my experience.
Thanks for the recipe! I am making them right now.
I am attempting this recipe now but am I suppose to add water to CP or will the drumsticks cook in bbq sauce?
No need to add water!
It’s delicious! We love spicy food so i added habanero sauce, smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper and it was really good! Cooking it again today! Thank you for this recipe!
Cooking it now it smells and looks delicious!!!
I hope you like it!
I’m scared to cook these on high for six hours. Won’t they burn?
Making these today! Excited! So if using frozen chicken drumsticks, then it whould be cooked on high for 4-6 hours, correct??
yes!! hope it worked out!
I’ve been cooking Barbecue Chicken this way for years…to give the chicken a glaze, I put the cooked chicken on a sheet pan (cover the pan with foil or parchment paper and a little sauce), baste the chicken with extra sauce and place in a 350° oven for 15-20 minutes…Delish!!!
It’s so delicious! thanks for coming up with good one like this!
Kristy, it looks perfect and tasty! Can’t wait to have this anytime of the day, love it!