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Slow cooker chicken drumsticks with a simple dry rub and barbecue sauce. Easy crockpot drumsticks that come out tender, juicy, and fall-off-the-bone!
Some nights I need dinner to cook itself, and these crockpot drumsticks are my go-to on exactly those days. I toss the chicken in a bag with a little olive oil and my favorite dry rub, lay it in the slow cooker, pour barbecue sauce over the top, and walk away. A few hours later the house smells amazing and the chicken is so tender it slides right off the bone.
Drumsticks are one of the most budget-friendly cuts at the store, and they are made for the slow cooker. Unlike lean chicken breasts, which can dry out, bone-in, skin-on drumsticks stay juicy the whole time they cook. Finish them with a fresh coat of sauce, slide them under the broiler for a couple of minutes if you want sticky, crispy skin, and dinner is done. Kids love them, and they are just as good for game day as they are for a busy Tuesday.
Erin’s Notes
- 5 minutes of prep. Toss, layer, pour, and let the crockpot do the rest.
- Just a few ingredients. Chicken, olive oil, dry rub, and barbecue sauce.
- Budget-friendly. Drumsticks are one of the most affordable cuts of chicken, and this recipe feeds the whole family.
- Juicy every time. Bone-in, skin-on drumsticks stay moist and tender in the slow cooker.
- Easy to customize. Make them spicy, sweet, or swap in your favorite sauce.
- Kid-approved. Finger food with barbecue sauce is always a win at our table.
What You’ll Need
Be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post for the FULL PRINTABLE recipe card.
- Chicken Drumsticks – I like to leave the skin on so they stay juicy, but you can remove it if you like.
- Olive Oil – Helps the dry rub stick to the chicken.
- Dry Rub – Use your favorite spice blend. I use my favorite Best Dry Rub that goes with just about anything, and I included a small-batch version in the recipe card. Chicken Seasoning or Pork Chop Seasoning work well too.
- Barbecue Sauce – Your favorite store-bought sauce or Homemade Barbecue Sauce works great. Half goes in the crockpot and the other half gets tossed with the chicken at the end.
How To Make Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
- Make the dry rub. If you are making the dry rub from the recipe card, combine the chili powder, salt, paprika, black pepper, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne in a small bowl and mix well.
- Season the chicken. Add the drumsticks, olive oil, and dry rub to a large plastic bag. Seal it and toss well until the chicken is evenly coated.
- Layer in the crockpot. Arrange the drumsticks in a single, even layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Alternating the direction of each drumstick (thick end, thin end) lets you fit more in. Pour 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce over the top.
- Cook. Put the lid on and cook on low for about 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and reaches at least 165°F at the thickest part (without touching the bone).
- Sauce and serve. Remove the drumsticks from the crockpot and toss them with the remaining 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce. Serve right away, or broil for a few minutes first if you want crispy skin (see Recipe Tips).
How Long to Cook Chicken Drumsticks in a Crockpot
Cook the drumsticks on low for about 4 hours. Slow cookers can run hotter or cooler depending on the brand, size, and how full it is, so start checking around the 3 1/2-hour mark the first time you make them. They are safe to eat at 165°F, but drumsticks are a dark-meat cut that gets even more tender as it climbs toward 175–185°F, so a little extra time won’t hurt them. An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to know for sure.
Recipe Tips
- Leave the skin on. The skin protects the meat and keeps it juicy and tender as it cooks. Drumsticks hold up in the slow cooker so much better than lean chicken breasts, and the skin is a big part of why.
- Crisp them under the broiler. The slow cooker won’t give you crispy skin on its own. Once the chicken is cooked, brush it with sauce, place it on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil for 3–5 minutes until the skin crisps and the sauce gets sticky. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn.
- Keep it to a single layer. Spreading the drumsticks out helps them cook evenly. Alternate the thick and thin ends to fit more in.
- Always start with thawed chicken. Frozen chicken takes too long to come up to a safe temperature in a slow cooker. Thaw drumsticks in the fridge overnight first.
- Keep the lid on. Every peek lets heat escape and adds cooking time.
- Use a thermometer. Check the thickest part of the drumstick, away from the bone, for at least 165°F.
Recipe Variations
- Honey BBQ. Stir a little honey into the barbecue sauce for sweet, sticky drumsticks.
- Spicy. Add extra cayenne to the dry rub or use a spicy barbecue sauce.
- Other sauces. Barbecue is my favorite, but this method works with just about any sauce you love. Swap it in for the barbecue sauce and follow the same steps.
- Change the seasoning. Use Chicken Seasoning, Pork Chop Seasoning, or keep it simple with just salt and pepper.
- Other cuts of chicken. Thighs, breasts, and even wings all work with this recipe. Cook times will change based on the size of the pieces and whether they have a bone, so check the temperature as you go.
What Goes With Chicken Drumsticks
This is a super simple meal that you can serve just about anything with! You can see I served with my favorite Homemade Coleslaw, but here are a few of my favorites.
Storage & Reheating
To store: Let leftovers cool, then keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
To reheat: Warm the drumsticks in the oven at 350°F until heated through, or in the microwave. Brush on a little extra barbecue sauce before reheating to keep them from drying out.
No extra liquid is needed. The barbecue sauce is plenty, and the chicken releases its own juices as it cooks, so there will be lots of liquid in the slow cooker by the end.
No, always thaw them first. The USDA advises that the frozen chicken stays in the temperature danger zone too long in a slow cooker, which isn’t safe. Thaw the drumsticks in the refrigerator overnight (or for about 24 hours if the package is large), then follow the recipe as written. Thawed chicken also holds onto the dry rub much better.
Use the broiler. After the chicken is cooked, brush it with barbecue sauce, place it on a foil-lined baking sheet, and broil for 3–5 minutes until the skin crisps up. Keep an eye on it so the sauce doesn’t burn.
More Easy Crockpot Recipes
- Mississippi Chicken
- Barbecue Pulled Pork
- Cafe Rio Pork
- Honey Garlic Meatballs
- Slow Cooker Pork Chops
Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup favorite dry rub or spice mixture
- 1 cup barbecue sauce
Dry Rub
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch cayenne pepper
Instructions
- If you are making the dry rub, combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix to combine.1 Tablespoon chili powder, 1 Tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, Pinch cayenne pepper
- Add the chicken, olive oil, and spice mixture to a large plastic bag. Seal and toss well to coat the chicken evenly.3 pounds chicken drumsticks, 1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup favorite dry rub or spice mixture
- Arrange the chicken in the base of the crockpot in a single, even layer. Alternating the way you put them down allows to fit more in. Pour over 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce.1 cup barbecue sauce
- Cook on low for approximately 4 hours, or until the chicken reaches at least 165ºF.
- Remove chicken from crockpot and toss with the remaining barbecue sauce.
- Serve immediately for broil for 3-5 minutes to get crispy skin (see notes)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Winner winner, chicken dinner! Literally. This looks so good, and I love how easy it is to make.
This is such an amazing dinner! Such a great recipe for slow cooker!