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–+ servings
Closeup shot of honey bbq chicken legs on plate.
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5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Honey Barbecue Drumsticks

Slow Cooker BBQ or Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks or Legs is an easy, healthy, crock pot recipe, served plain or coated, oven broiled to crispy skin perfection!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 hours
Broil15 minutes
Total Time5 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 237kcal
Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

  • 8-12 chicken drumsticks 2 - 3 pounds (¼ pound each)

Spice Rub

Honey Barbecue Sauce

Extra Flavor Options

Instructions

  • Get out and measure your ingredients.
    Overhead photo of all the ingredients.

Making the Sauce

  • Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until needed.
    Pouring honey into a bowl with the sauce ingredients.
  • Stir unti blended.
    Sauce ingredients mixed well inside a bowl.

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.
    Seasoned chicken drumsticks.
  • Place drumsticks or chicken legs inside the slow cooker. Distribute them as evenly as possible. 
    Seasoned chicken drumsticks placed inside a slow cooker.
  • Cover and cook until chicken is cooked and tender; 4 to 5 hours on low.
    Chicken drumsticks cooked inside a slow cooker.
  • 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.
    Chicken drumsticks placed onto a rack.
  • Broil chicken legs or drumsticks until browned and lightly charred; about 10 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through broiling.
    Chicken broiled inside the oven and resting on a rack.
  • Brush chicken with sauce and continue to broil until lightly charred; about 5 minutes, flipping and brushing chicken with more sauce halfway through broiling.
    Brushing sauce onto the cooked chicken.
  • Remove from oven and brush chicken with remaining sauce.
    Chicken broiled and brushed with more 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! 
    Closeup photo of cooked Chicken drumsticks on a rack.
  • Remove from baking sheet.
    Closeup photo of a Chicken drumstick held up by a pair of metal tongs.
  • Serve.
    Chicken drumsticks served on a white platter and garnished with chopped parsley.
  • Enjoy!
    Closeup photo of a Chicken drumstick help up by hand.
  • Every bite!
    Closeup shot of slow cooker honey bbq chicken drumstick with bite taken out.

Video

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!

Nutrition

Calories: 237kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 1030mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 191IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg