Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks or Legs are super easy, baked in the oven, slow cooker or air fryer with the best homemade 3 ingredient buffalo wing sauce!
Baked Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
Just when you think nothing more good things can be said about chicken, along comes another terrific recipe like these baked Buffalo chicken drumsticks! My love for Buffalo chicken wings is lifelong. The only complaint, if you want to call it that, is there isn’t enough meat on the wings for all of the effort involved in eating them.
So my desire to find the perfect Buffalo chicken experience was strong and discovering this Buffalo chicken legs or drumsticks recipe was a dream!
Don’t get me wrong. Chicken wings are very desirable given all that crispy skin buried underneath a mountain of Buffalo wing sauce.
Yum.
When the craving hits for Buffalo wings (and I get them often than not), I have the option of making these Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks or my crispy oven baked wings.
With drumsticks, I not only get the most amazing Buffalo wing flavor, but a part of the dark chicken that is so much more meatier!
These are just two of my favorite baked Buffalo chicken recipes. Wait, there are three which includes a slow cooker Buffalo chicken recipe.
That recipe, dear readers is right here for your reading pleasure just in case you want to give it a whirl. It’s a definite keeper.
Actually, they’re all worth every bit of your energy and time or I wouldn’t post them.
Buffalo Drumsticks or Chicken Legs
If you’re looking for an easy Buffalo chicken drumsticks dinner recipe, then you’ve come to the right place. Recipes don’t get much easier than this.
Easy doesn’t even begin to cut it when I tell you about this delightful homemade Buffalo wing sauce. It takes only minutes to prepare and you’ll never guess the secret ingredient…molasses!
Honey was the ingredient of choice for years but when I switched to molasses, the difference was astounding! A word of caution: don’t use blackstrap molasses as it’s too bitter. The sweetness from light or dark molasses is what you’re looking for.
First, season and get those Buffalo chicken drumsticks into the oven.
Once baked, remove chicken legs or drumsticks from the oven and totally coat them with Buffalo wing sauce.
Store bought sauce will do. But let me remind you that homemade has only three ingredients and takes only minutes to make!?
Most of you have these fixings in your kitchen anyway. I’d be willing to bet on that.
Return drumsticks to the oven for five minutes.
Remove pan from oven and submerse drumsticks in sauce again.
Allow chicken legs to rest for a few minutes before serving.
That’s all she wrote! Almost too good for words.
Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks in Oven
My husband, and son are huge dark meat fans and simply adore these oven Buffalo chicken drumsticks.
Needless to say, this recipe has been living in my house for many moons and has stood the test of time.
Not that we eat them daily. Although we would like to, I wouldn’t recommend that as moderation is key.
But when my son was small, he went through a phase where all he would eat was chicken drumsticks. He couldn’t get enough of them.
So, it pretty much became a daily ritual. Getting some kind of protein in him was of prime importance to me.
Finding creative ways of making drumsticks was challenging at first and finally it came down to his favorite five. Those were my Slow Cooker Honey Barbecue Drumsticks, Chinese Honey Chicken Drumsticks, Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks, and Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks.
Each are super tasty in their own right and all are kid and husband approved!
Wife approved too for that matter! ?
Patrick’s obsession finally passed and it took a while before chicken drumsticks graced our table again. When they did, it was like a homecoming and I knew I could make the most out of drumsticks by relying on these superb recipes.
Baked Chicken Drumsticks
Buffalo Chicken Legs are simply the best when baked right in your oven. Baked chicken drumsticks became the gold standard for my family.
Even my Slow Cooker Honey Barbecue Drumsticks recipe involves the oven! I’ve included it so you’ll have it right in front of you in case you need it.
Or swap out the honey barbecue sauce for Buffalo wing sauce. There’s nothing like Buffalo sauce baked on the outside of a drumstick.
Either way, the oven is the finishing touch to get the desired outside crispiness each drumstick deserves! Tender chicken inside and screaming with crispy flavor on the outer,
Do it this way and I promise you’ll never look back.
Easy Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe
Once you try this super easy Buffalo wing sauce recipe, you’ll why you didn’t make them long ago. Homemade is better because you know what goes into it! No preservatives or chemicals. Just pure ingredients sitting in your kitchen waiting to be put to good use.
To sweeten your Buffalo wing sauce, a little honey will do the trick. But molasses is where the real magic is! Try it once and honey could very well be a thing of the past when making Buffalo wing sauce!
Homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce
½ cup hot sauce
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons molasses or honey
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Do a taste test to see if more molasses or honey is required.
This sauce results in 1 cup of Buffalo wing sauce and is more than enough for this recipe.
Baked Buffalo Chicken Recipes
Aside from easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks, there are other baked Buffalo chicken recipes just waiting to be tried!
If you’re in the mood for wings, try this Baked Creamy Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings recipe and watch them disappear with lightening speed!
Don’t take my word for it. The only way to know is sampling yourself. Many have highly praised them!
Other wing recipes are available as well like barbecue, lemon pepper and buffalo.
Wings are so versatile, you can coat or dip them in just about anything you desire.
Or add some seasoning and eat them plain. Still absolutely fabulous!
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks or Legs
I’ve said it before and it bears worth repeating that the slow cooker is your best friend in the kitchen. Many wonderful recipes have been made from this amazing device and slow cooker Buffalo chicken drumsticks or legs is just one shining example!
So, as promised, here is my recipe for making chicken drumsticks or legs in your slow cooker.
My late friend Marcel showed me how to make what I consider to be one of the the best slow cooker chicken drumsticks or leg recipes ever made. I’m eternally grateful to her for that and it’s my absolute pleasure to share it with you.
These slow cooker Buffalo chicken drumsticks or legs are amazing.
Even if you decide to use another sauce or dip for your chicken, you can’t go wrong with this basic slow cooker chicken drumsticks or legs recipe.
- 3-4 pounds chicken drumsticks, trimmed (or 12 – 16 drumsticks) or 4 chicken leg quarters, trimmed
- cooking spray
Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
Buffalo Wing Sauce
- ½ cup hot sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Coat slow cooker with cooking spray.
Add paprika, salt and pepper to a large resealable bag and adjust until blended.
Add drumsticks or legs and shake until well coated in spice mixture.
Place chicken inside slow cooker.
Cover and cook chicken until tender; between 4 and 5 hours on low.
Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler and turn on.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil with rack and coat with cooking spray.
Transfer chicken to rack.
Broil chicken until lightly browned and slightly charred, about 10 minutes, flipping chicken drumsticks or chicken legs halfway through broiling.
In a small bowl, whisk hot sauce, butter, cornstarch and molasses or honey together.
Brush chicken with sauce and continue to broil until lightly charred, about 5 minutes, flipping and brushing chicken with more sauce halfway through broiling.
Brush chicken with remaining sauce.
Serve and take the time to appreciate every bite.
Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks or Legs
Not only is the slow cooker my best friend, so is my air fryer! The beauty of it is that air fryer Buffalo chicken drumsticks or legs can be done in under 40 minutes. If the need for speed is in order, then here is a recipe for one of the quickest and best air fryer Buffalo chicken drumsticks you’ll ever make!
- chicken drumsticks, trimmed or chicken leg quarters, trimmed
- vegetable oil
Spice Rub
- paprika
- salt
- pepper
Buffalo Wing Sauce
- unsalted butter
- hot sauce
- molasses
- cornstarch
Combine paprika, pepper and salt in a bowl.
Pat drumsticks dry with paper towel.
Using a sharp knife or metal skewer, poke 10 to 15 holes in the skin of each drumstick.
Rub with oil and sprinkle evenly with spice mixture.
Arrange drumsticks in air fryer basket, spaced evenly apart, alternating ends and skin side up if using chicken legs.
Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees.
Cook until chicken DRUMSTICKS are crisp and register 195 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes, flipping and rotating chicken halfway through cooking.
Cook until chicken LEGS are well browned and crisp and register 195 degrees, 27 to 30 minutes, rotating chicken halfway through cooking but do not flip the chicken.
Cook until chicken THIGHS are well browned and crisp and register 195 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes, rotating chicken halfway through cooking but do not flip the chicken.
Given that chicken thighs range in size, getting the exact timing can be slightly challenging. If thighs are small, check at the 20 minute mark and for large thighs check at 26 minutes or more.
Transfer chicken to large plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
Remember you can coat the drumsticks with buffalo or barbecue sauce too!
Meanwhile, microwave hot sauce, butter, molasses, and cornstarch in large bowl, stirring occasionally, until hot; about 1 minute.
If barbecue sauce is preferred, get it ready and use it.
Add chicken and toss to coat.
Serve.
Baked Buffalo Chicken
Baked Buffalo chicken drumsticks or wings go amazingly well with dips and I have four fabulous options to choose from in the link below.
These family favorites are delightfully creamy and so pleasing to the palette, you’ll wonder what took you so long to try them.
Although dipping is optional, I can’t imagine eating these Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks without these dips!
Make your dip early in the day allowing it to thicken and for the flavors to nicely blend together while it sits in your fridge.
For the record, I rely on sour cream for my base although Greek yogurt is perfectly fine and your dip will still turn out great.
If using sour cream, choose the full fat version as I’ve found the light one doesn’t thicken as well.
My husband, Ken, simply adores the blue or bleu cheese dip.
Ranch and Caesar dips are obsessions of mine.
And my son, Patrick, loves them all with tons of hot sauce!
Baked Buffalo chicken is the heart of the meal and the dip is its essence.
Dip and vegetables make beautiful companions. So go deep on the dip with veggies as they bring out the best in them.
Give these dips a try and check out my BEST DIPS EVER and discover a world of dips that go with so many things!
Ingredients in Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
- chicken drumsticks
- Buffalo wing sauce, homemade or store bought
- salt
- pepper
- cooking spray
- blue cheese, Caesar or ranch for dipping
How to make Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and a rack lightly coated with cooking spray. Set aside.
Rinse drumsticks and pat dry with paper towel.
Sprinkle drumsticks with salt and pepper.
Place on prepared sheet spaced evenly apart.
Bake between 30-35 minutes (DRUMSTICKS); 35-40 minutes (CHICKEN THIGHS) and 40-45 minutes (CHICKEN LEGS).
Skin should be crisp and internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.
Once cooked, coat them with your Buffalo wing sauce, using a brush if possible.
Bake for another 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and coat with more buffalo wing sauce.
Allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.
Serve with additional buffalo wing sauce, blue cheese, Caesar or ranch dip or dressing on the side.
Ahhhh….lovely! Enjoy every bite!
If you’re anything like my next door neighbor and personal food critic, Renate, chicken drumsticks are one of her absolute favorite foods on the planet.
She’s tried every single one of these easy chicken drumstick recipes below and they are Renate approved! That’s saying something because she takes chicken drumsticks very seriously. So give these dishes a serious try and you’ll know what Renate’s talking about!
Easy Chicken Drumstick Recipes
Slow Cooker Honey Barbecue Drumsticks
Chinese Honey Chicken Drumsticks
Honey Mustard Chicken Drumsticks
From carrots and celery sticks to salads, there’s nothing you can’t serve with these Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks! Have a peek at this video and see just how easy these drumsticks are to make!
Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks Video
Easy Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
- rimmed baking sheet
- rack
Ingredients
Making Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks in the Oven
- 12 chicken drumsticks, assuming 4 drumsticks per pound or ¼ pound each
- ¾ cup buffalo wing sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- cooking spray
- blue cheese, ranch dressing or caesar dip
Buffalo Wing Sauce Coating
- ½ cup hot sauce
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
DIPS - BEST DIPS EVER
Creamy Blue Cheese Dip
- ¾ cup bleu or blue cheese, crumbled
- ¾ cup mayo
- 6 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce, optional
- 1 pinch pepper
- 1 pinch garlic powder
Buttermilk Ranch Dip
- 1 cup mayo
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 4 teaspoons fresh chives, minced
- 4 teaspoons fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper or cayenne pepper
Caesar Parmesan Dip
- 1 cup mayo
- ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon anchovy fillets, minced to a paste (2 fillets)
- 1 pinch black pepper
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
- 12 - 16 drumsticks, 3 to 4 pounds or ¼ pound each
Spice Rub
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt or seasoned salt
- 2 teaspoons pepper
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
Spice Rub
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt or seasoned salt
Making your Drumsticks
- 4 chicken drumstick or 2 legs, trimmed
- 1 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Buffalo Sauce Coating
- 6 tablespoons hot sauce
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 4 teaspoons molasses
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
Making Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks in the Oven
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. This easy sauce results in ¾ cup of Buffalo Wing Sauce which is enough for this recipe.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and rack and lightly coat with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Rinse drumsticks and pat dry with paper towel. Sprinkle drumsticks with salt and pepper. Place on prepared sheet, spaced evenly apart.
- Bake between 30-35 minutes (DRUMSTICKS), 35-40 minutes (CHICKEN THIGHS) and 40-45 minutes (CHICKEN LEGS). Skin should be crisp and the internal temperature should be 165 degrees.
- Once cooked, coat them with Buffalo wing sauce.
- Bake for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from oven and coat with more Buffalo wing sauce.
- Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
- Serve with additional Buffalo wing sauce, blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side, if desired. Enjoy!
DIPS - BEST DIPS EVER
- The BEST DIPS EVER will give you a list of all of our favorite dips. Hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Creamy Blue Cheese Dip
- Using a handheld or stand mixer, blend ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate for at least an hour (if not longer) before serving. Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to one week.
Buttermilk Ranch Dip
- Whisk ingredients together in a bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. The longer the better. Store in an airtight container in fridge for up to 5 days.
Caesar Parmesan Dip
- Whisk ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. Store in an airtight container in fridge up to 2 days, including the day you made it.
Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Combine paprika, pepper or cayenne and salt in a bowl.
- Pat drumsticks dry with paper towel. Using a sharp knife or metal skewer, poke 10 to 15 holes in skin of each drumstick or chicken leg.
- Rub with oil and sprinkle evenly with spice mixture.
- Arrange drumsticks or chicken legs in air fryer basket, spaced evenly apart, alternating ends.
- Place basket in air fryer and set temperature to 400 degrees.
- Cook until chicken DRUMSTICKS are crisp and register 195 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes, flipping and rotating chicken halfway through cooking.
- Cook until chicken LEGS are well browned and crisp and register 195 degrees, 27 to 30 minutes, rotating chicken halfway through cooking but do not flip the chicken.
- Cook until chicken THIGHS are well browned and crisp and register 195 degrees, 20 to 30 minutes, rotating chicken halfway through cooking but do not flip the chicken. The problem with exact timing is that chicken thighs range in size. For small thighs, check them at the 20 minute mark and for large thighs check at 26 minutes or more.
- Transfer chicken to large plate, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, microwave hot sauce, butter, molasses, and cornstarch in a large bowl, stirring occasionally, until hot; about 1 minute.
- Add chicken and toss to coat. Serve.
Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
- Place paprika, salt and pepper or cayenne in a large resealable bag.
- Coat slow cooker with cooking spray.
- Add chicken and toss until coated.
- Place inside slow cooker.
- Cover and cook chicken until tender; 4 to 5 hours on low.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from your broiler element and turn it on.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with tinfoil and a rack coated with cooking spray.
- Transfer chicken to prepared rack.
- Broil chicken until lightly charred, about 10 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.
- Whisk hot sauce, butter and molasses or honey together in a small bowl.
- Brush chicken with sauce and continue to broil until lightly charred, about 5 minutes, flipping and brushing chicken with more sauce halfway through broiling.
- Brush chicken with remaining sauce.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Samantha
These are the best chicken legs ever thank you so much
Karin and Ken
Thank you for noticing! I love this recipe too! 💕 Karin
Dawn
Easy and hubby approved.Will definitely make these again.Thank you for sharing this recipe
Karin and Ken
You are most welcome! So happy to hear you enjoyed them and will make them again. I make these at least twice a month and sometimes more! I hope you have a great rest of your day! All the best. Karin
Sandie
After trying these I will never make wings again I never thought about it but you are right more meat and less work They were delicious and I will be making these again Thx
Karin and Ken
Glad you loved them as much as we do! You truly made my day! I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know. I truthfully prefer drumsticks to wings now. So much less work and just as tasty! Take care and be well. Karin
Ruthie
We LOVED THESE DRUMSTICKS. thank you.
Karin and Ken
Glad to hear we are not the only ones who love them! Can’t thank you enough for taking the time to let me know. All the best to you. Karin