These honey BBQ chicken legs crock pot are tender, juicy, and full of BBQ flavor. One of my favorite slow cooker chicken drumstick recipes. Try out this simple drumstick crockpot recipe that's loaded with flavor for a simple weeknight dinner.
If chicken were a language, then I'd speak it fluently! There are so many awesome ways of making it and one of my favorites is this Crockpot Chicken Drumsticks.
Drumsticks in the crockpot are easy to make and taste fantastic with or without sauce! Place them in the slow cooker, finish them under the broiler and you've got crispy chicken that's sublime!
But not only that, slow cooker honey BBQ chicken drumsticks are a long-standing favorite in my home.
I remember seeing my son's face smothered in the sauce as he devoured these BBQ drumsticks. Thinking about it, makes me smile and I sometimes wish he was still small.
This was inspired by another chicken drumstick recipe on Kitchen Divas and pairs well with this amazing cheesy broccoli rice. Also check out our Condiment Recipes for a variety of flavors that make an already delicious dish taste even better!
If you enjoy cooking in the slow cooker, check out this balsamic beef recipe or this slow cooker rice casserole.
Why You Will Love This Drumstick Crockpot Recipe
- Budget-friendly meal. Drumsticks are more flavorful and juicier than chicken breasts but they're also easier on the wallet.
- Slow cooking simplifies your life. The crock pot does most of the work and helps you get dinner on the table in a flash.
- Healthy drumstick crockpot recipe the whole family loves!
Ingredients in Slow Cooker Honey BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
You only need a few basic ingredients to make one of my favorite chicken leg crockpot recipes. You'll find them all easily at your local grocery store.
- Chicken drumsticks: Make chicken legs slow cooker with fresh or frozen chicken. It's best to thaw out in the refrigerator before cooking. You can use chicken leg quarters.
- Paprika, salt, and pepper: Some spices to flavor the chicken as it cooks.
- Barbecue sauce: Store-bought works great but you can also use homemade which gives you a bit more control over the sweetness and flavor.
- Honey: Adds more sweetness to the bbq sauce.
- Minced garlic: For a touch of additional flavor.
See our recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
How to Make Honey BBQ Drumsticks in Crockpot
It only takes a few simple steps to make these honey BBQ chicken legs in the crock pot. It's much easier than you might think, even when making homemade BBQ sauce.
Step 1: Prepare the Chicken
In a large resealable bag, combine the rub ingredients, add chicken pieces and shake until coated.
Step 2: Slow Cook
Prepare the slow cooker with cooking spray. Place the chicken legs inside the bottom of the insert.
Cook for 4-5 hours on low.
Step 3: Make the BBQ Sauce
You can make this while the chicken is cooking.
Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl to make the base BBQ sauce.
For different flavoring, you can try adding any of the options listed in the ingredient section of the recipe card under "Extra Flavors".
Step 4: Add the Sauce and Broil
Adjust the oven rack so it's six inches from the broiler and turn it on. Prep your baking sheet and transfer the chicken from the slow cooker to the tray. Brush with sauce.
Transfer chicken to rack and place in oven. Broil chicken legs or drumsticks until browned and lightly charred; about 10 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.
Hint: Do not leave your oven unattended while broiling as your chicken can burn quickly if you're not careful
Substitutions
Don't have the correct ingredients on hand or want to change something up? Here are some helpful tips for you to change this honey BBQ chicken legs in the crock pot recipe.
- Chicken Legs: Swap out the chicken drumsticks with four chicken leg quarters, ten chicken thighs, or four chicken breasts instead. The larger the pieces of chicken, the longer the chicken will need to cook.
- No Honey? Use maple syrup or brown sugar instead.
- Paprika: If you prefer your bbq drumsticks a bit smoky, swap the regular paprika for smoked.
- BBQ Sauce: Don't like storebought then make your own! Here's an easy homemade version. Simply combine the ingredients and mix it up!
- ¾ - 1 cup ketchup
- 3 tablespoons molasses, not blackstrap
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
Variations
Want to personalize this slow cooker honey bbq chicken drumsticks recipe? Here are some of my tried and true tips for changing up this recipe.
- Plain: Serve the drumsticks without any sauce. Simply broil them in the oven without any sauce. You can even serve it up with a dipping sauce or two.
- Spicy: Add chili pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the rub while cooking to imbue heat into the chicken.
- Buffalo Sauce: Mix together ½ cup hot sauce, 6 tablespoons of melted butter, 2 tablespoons of molasses (not blackstrap) or honey, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Brush on cooked chicken and broil instead of using the honey barbecue sauce.
- Honey Glaze: Interested in adding the best honey glaze to your drumsticks? Look no further. Have a look at our Honey Glazed Chicken Thighs and broil that glaze right into your drumsticks.
- Pick your favorite sauce and go to town: Storebought or homemade, just about anything works! We have an Asian Zing Sauce,
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs, Slow Cooker Raspberry Chicken, Crock Pot Bourbon Chicken, Butterfly Drumsticks or our Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Thighs.
Equipment
It only takes some basic equipment to make this super easy recipe.
- Slow cooker
- Broiler
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Aluminum foil
Storage
Leftovers: Cool and then store inside an airtight container inside your fridge for up to three days.
Freezer: Freeze leftovers well sealed for up to three months.
Reheat: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer, not touching, in a pan large enough to hold all of the chicken pieces comfortably.
Add enough chicken broth or water to barely cover the bottom of your pan. The steam created will help keep your chicken from drying out. Cover with foil and reheat the chicken for 15 minutes. Turn the oven up to 400 degrees, with chicken inside the oven, and remove the cover. Reheat for another 5 - 7 minutes and the skin has crisped up.
What to Serve with Chicken Drumsticks
Here are some of my favorite sides to serve up with this chicken leg crock pot recipe.
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Air Fryer Roasted Potatoes
- Creole Smoked Potato Salad
- Classic Pasta Salad
- Greek Rice Salad
- Asparagus or another simple veggie
Tips
Even though this recipe is super easy, I still have some tips to help you make it the best it can be.
- Serve your drumsticks with a dip. You will find all our favorite dipping recipes here and, in my opinion, they are all keepers!
- Watch the chicken in the broiler. Once you put your chicken under your broiler do not leave it unattended. Once your chicken starts to brown it will burn fast if you're not careful
- Don't skip the sauce. Coated in sauce, you end up with sticky, gorgeous, tender chicken drumsticks that taste out of this world!
FAQ
Do you have questions about this drumstick crockpot recipe? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about drumsticks in the crockpot.
Yes, barbecue sauce makes a tasty marinade for chicken. In this recipe, the bbq sauce is added at the end of cooking but you also marinate the chicken in the bbq sauce for 8-12 hours prior to cooking them in the slow cooker. Be sure to discard the bbq sauce after marinating and use fresh to apply after cooking.
Both work great and it depends on how much time you have allotted for cooking. Since the low method takes more time, this setting is great to use if you will be away from home for 6 hours and want the chicken to keep cooking. The high setting takes less time and is great when you are working with a shorter amount of time for cooking.
Yes and no. Chicken can cook in a slow cooker for 6-8 though the longer it cooks, the meat is more likely to slide off the bone. Just be sure that there is plenty of liquid so it doesn't dry out. I don't recommend cooking it for longer, especially if you aren't there to keep an eye on it as it may overcook.
It's important the chicken doesn't sit for a long period of time after the crockpot is turned off. When not kept hot, chicken is more likely to be exposed to unsafe conditions.
More Chicken Drumstick Recipes
Here are my favorite drumstick recipes that taste just like chicken wings, only with a lot more meat on them. So exquisite, they're almost too good to be true.
Honey BBQ Chicken Legs in Crock Pot
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
If you have a moment, please check out our video below! It will show you exactly how these drumsticks are made. In the video we broil the drumsticks to crisp up the skin but you definitely don't have to!
Chicken Leg Crockpot Recipe Video
Slow Cooker Honey Barbecue Drumsticks
Equipment
- oven broiler
- rack
Ingredients
- 8-12 chicken drumsticks 2 - 3 pounds (¼ pound each)
Honey Barbecue Sauce
- 1 cup barbecue sauce storebought or homemade
- 2 - 4 tablespoons honey to taste
- 2 tablespoons garlic minced
Extra Flavor Options
- ⅛ -¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
- 1-2 tablespoons mustard, yellow or dijon
- 1-2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1-2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1-2 teaspoons chii powder
- 1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 jalapeño chile seeded and minced
- 1-2 teaspoons chipotle chile in adobo minced
Instructions
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
Making the Sauce
- Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until needed.
- Stir unti blended.
Making your Drumsticks or Chicken Legs
- Coat your slow cooker with cooking spray.
- In a large resealable bag combine rub ingredients. Add drumsticks or chicken legs and adjust until coated.
- Place drumsticks or chicken legs inside the slow cooker. Distribute them as evenly as possible.
- Cover and cook until chicken is cooked and tender; 4 to 5 hours on low.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler and turn it on.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and top with a rack. Lightly coat with cooking spray.
- Transfer chicken to rack and place in oven.
- Broil chicken legs or drumsticks until browned and lightly charred; about 10 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.
- Brush chicken with sauce and continue to broil until lightly charred; about 5 minutes, flipping and brushing chicken with more sauce halfway through broiling.
- Remove from oven and brush chicken with remaining sauce.
- You will end up with a few dark spots. (I always do). I find the extreme high heat crisps up the outside of the drumsticks which makes them taste even better. Leave them until dark spots start to show up which usually takes just a few minutes. Do not leave them unattended. Once these drumsticks start to burn, they will burn fast!
- Remove from baking sheet.
- Serve.
- Enjoy!
- Every bite!
Notes
- Serve your drumsticks with a dip. You will find all our favorite dipping recipes here and, in my opinion, they are all keepers!
- Watch the chicken in the broiler. Once you put your chicken under your broiler do not leave it unattended. Once your chicken starts to brown it will burn fast if you're not careful
- Don't skip the sauce. Coated in sauce, you end up with sticky, gorgeous, tender chicken drumsticks that taste out of this world!
Karan says
An awesome dish I have ever seen it was really amazing. Really a mouth-watering dish which I have ever seen!
Karin and Ken says
So happy you loved these as much as we do! You truly made my day! Take care and all the best. Karin