What other grillers are saying about this recipe

I love chicken drumsticks. This recipe is amazing. Easy to follow and the taste was delicious. It will definitely become one of our family’s favorite recipes. Thank you!

Wonderful Cook

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Why this recipe works

Most grilled drumstick recipes either burn the skin trying to get it crispy or leave you with rubbery, undercooked chicken. The fix is two things working together. First, a moderate heat (400°F, not the high blast a lot of grills default to) gives the inside time to cook through before the outside burns. Second, flipping every 10 minutes (closer towards the end of cooking) keeps the skin from sitting in one spot long enough to char. Five ingredients in the rub, no marinating, no special prep.

Overhead shot of plate of grilled chicken drumsticks with crispy skin this recipe

Related ->> Check out our easy and crispy Traeger Chicken Wings!

How to grill chicken drumsticks (step by step)

Just a few simple steps will give you delicious grilled chicken drumsticks with crispy skin. Here’s how:

  • First, heat up your grill to about 400° Fahrenheit. Any grill will work – charcoal, pellet grill, etc. See the recipe card below for oven-baking instructions.
Homemade chicken seasonings in a ramekin.
Mix up the seasoning by combining the salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder.
Raw drumsticks on a pan with hand pouring oil on one.
Drizzle the chicken legs with a little oil.
Raw drumsticks in a pan with hand rubbing oil on one.
Rub the oil all over the chicken pieces to completely coat.
Raw drumsticks in a pan with hand sprinkling seasonings on one.
Season the chicken drumsticks with the seasoning mix.
Overhead image of raw drumsticks on a pan covered in seasoning
Make sure the chicken is completely coated all over with the seasoning.
Raw chicken legs on a grill.
Place the chicken on the grill to cook.
Close up of cooked chicken drumsticks on a grill.
Cook the drumsticks for about 30 minutes, flipping every 10 minutes or so for even cooking. Cook until the internal temp reaches 165° Fahrenheit.

How long to grill drumsticks (and how to tell when they’re done)

About 30 minutes total at 400°F, give or take 5 minutes depending on the size of the drumsticks. Don’t rely on time alone. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the drumstick (avoiding the bone, which throws the reading off). Pull them when the internal temperature hits at least 165°F. If you cut into one and the meat is pink near the bone, give them at least another 5 minutes.

NOTE: Chicken thighs won’t really dry out, so you can safely cook them up to 185° Fahrenheit and they will be fine. This is actually a great option if you’re worried about undercooking them

How to get crispy skin without burning

Crispy skin on the grill is mostly about heat control. The mistake most people make is cranking the grill to high and getting the skin charred before the inside cooks through. Here’s what actually works:

Keep the grill at 400°F: Not 450, not 500. We tested hotter and the skin burns before the meat hits temp. Use the temperature gauge on your grill or a separate grill thermometer.

Flip every 10 minutes (at least): Letting drumsticks cook on one side for too long is what burns the skin. Towards the end of the 30 minutes, watch the chicken closely and flip more frequently. Three to five flips total in 30 minutes gets you crispy skin on every side without scorching.

Watch for flare-ups: Drumstick fat dripping on the flame causes flare-ups, which is what burns the skin most often. If you see flames jumping up around the chicken, move the drumsticks to a cooler part of the grill (or off direct heat) until the flames die down. Then move them back.

Overhead image of grilled chicken drumsticks on a plate with grill marks.

Notes from our kitchen

An instant-read thermometer is the difference between great drumsticks and dry ones. We’ve made these enough times to eyeball them, but the thermometer takes the guessing out of it. Drumsticks at 165°F internal are done. Past 185°F you start to lose the juiciness.

These are great cold the next day. Cold leftover drumsticks are one of those things we forget about until we open the fridge for lunch the next day. The skin doesn’t stay crispy in the fridge but the meat is still great.

Reader-tested variations

Several readers have shared their own versions of this recipe in the comments. Here are three that we thought other readers might benefit from:

Grill, then finish in the oven. If you want crispy skin and don’t want to babysit the grill the whole time, start the drumsticks on the grill to get the skin going (about 20 minutes), then finish them in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes until they hit 165°-175°F. Reader Lilian uses this method and says it ensures they’re cooked through every time. This is a good option if you’re cooking for a crowd or running other things on the grill.

Use the rub on thighs, breasts, or wings. The 5-ingredient rub works on any cut of chicken. Reader Wendy uses it on thighs both grilled and baked and says she won’t make those without it now. Adjust cook time for the cut: thighs run about the same as drumsticks, breasts cook faster (about 20 minutes), wings about 25 minutes. Here’s a link to our baked bone in chicken thigh recipe if you want to try it.

Add BBQ sauce in the last two minutes. If you want sauced drumsticks, brush BBQ sauce on for the last 2 minutes of grilling. Sauce earlier and the sugar in it burns. Reader Joseph mixes regular and no-sugar BBQ sauces 50/50 for sweetness without going overboard.

Grilling more chicken this week? Try our grilled pineapple chicken and grilled chicken thighs.

Overhead image of grilled chicken drumsticks on a plate with grill marks.
4.71 from 95 ratings
Get the Recipe:

The Crispiest Grilled Chicken Drumsticks (5 Pantry Ingredients)

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6 drumsticks
Drumsticks are the cut we throw on the grill more than any other. They're forgiving, cheap, and when you get the heat dialed in right the skin turns crispy and the meat stays juicy. The whole recipe is five ingredients you already have (drumsticks, oil, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder) plus a little salt and pepper. About 45 minutes from cold drumsticks to dinner.
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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken drumsticks
  • 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder

Equipment

  • Grill

Instructions
 

  • Prepare grill to medium-high heat, around 400° Fahrenheit. (See notes for the instructions for baking in the oven)
  • Mix the salt, pepper, chili powder, garlic powder and onion powder together in a small bowl.
    1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp onion powder
  • Lightly coat the chicken drumsticks with oil. Rub the seasoning mix all over the chicken to coat.
    2 lbs chicken drumsticks, 2 tbsp avocado oil
  • Grill on direct heat for about 30 minutes, depending on the size of the drumsticks. Flip every 10 minutes (every 4-5 minutes at the end of the cook time). Cook until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165° Fahrenheit. Chicken thighs won't really dry out, so you can safely cook them up to 185° Fahrenheit and they will be fine.
  • Remove from grill and allow the chicken to rest for at least five minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Last Step:

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Notes

  • To bake drumsticks in the oven, preheat oven to 400° F. Follow instructions above and place drumsticks on a sheet pan or in a baking dish. Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the drumsticks (until they reach an internal temperature of 165° F).
  • Nutrition estimates are per serving and an estimate provided for reader benefit.  See our full nutrition information disclosure here.  
Calories: 208kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Fiber: 1g
Course: Main Course
Author: Justin Winn
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Tag @realsimplegood with hashtag #realsimplegood on Instagram. We love to see what you make!
Split image with text in middle. Grilled drumsticks on a plate in both images
Grilled chicken drumsticks on a plate with text at top
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