Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
5 Comments Nov 11, 2022
Updated May 30, 2025
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Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks cook up tender and full of flavor thanks to a simple mix of herbs and barbecue sauce. It’s an easy, family-friendly dinner that’s great for weeknights.
If you need an easy side to go with these crockpot chicken drumsticks, try Slow Cooker Collard Greens or Slow Cooker Baked Beans.
These Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks are quick to throw together and come out perfectly tender every time. A simple blend of seasonings and your favorite barbecue sauce adds plenty of flavor while the crockpot does all the work. You’ll get that slow-cooked, smoky taste without having to turn on the grill or spend hours in the kitchen.
Try my Crockpot Baby Back Ribs if you want even more bbq flavor.
Ingredients for BBQ Drumsticks
- Chicken Drumsticks: You’ll keep the skin on for this recipe. It will help enhance the flavor. We also use drumsticks in our chicken in a hurry recipe.
- BBQ Sauce: This is where you can get creative with your favorite brand. We use Sweet Baby Rays for the best chicken drumsticks. We also use that barbecue sauce in our Sweet Baby Rays Crockpot Chicken.
- Brown Sugar: Adding a little brown sugar adds sweetness to the sauce.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and onion powder provide the perfect combination of flavors for the chicken and the BBQ sauce. Essentially, we are making a BBQ rub for the slow cooker drumsticks.
How to Make Slow Cooker Drumsticks
These drumsticks come together in two easy steps.
Step One – Add the drumsticks and seasonings to a Ziploc bag and toss until the chicken is fully covered.
Step Two – Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks into the slow cooker. Add barbecue sauce over the chicken legs. Cover and cook chicken drumsticks on HIGH for 3 ½ – 4 hours or on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.
Ways to Serve
This is an easy weeknight dinner. Here are easy ways to serve:
Crock pot chicken drumsticks can be served alongside a nice side salad and garlic bread.
Other options to consider for serving the best chicken drumsticks are crockpot mashed potatoes, steamed vegetables, crockpot corn on the cob, rice, or crockpot mac and cheese.
Use some of the BBQ sauce for dipping sauce. Ranch dressing is also another great option to top the drumsticks with.
Cook’s Notes
Throw in some sliced onions or pineapple for extra flavor. A splash of apple cider vinegar or Worcestershire sauce gives the sauce a little more depth too.
Not in the mood for BBQ? Try honey mustard, teriyaki, or even Buffalo sauce if you like a little heat.
Broil the chicken in the oven (on a sheet pan after cooking) if you want crisp skin.
This works great with chicken thighs, leg quarters, or even bone-in breasts. Boneless chicken works too—it just won’t be quite as rich and juicy.
Featured Comment
Great recipe. My son really likes this one. Thank you. We will make it again.
– melisa
Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
How to Video
Ingredients
- 3 lbs. chicken drumsticks, (about 8 drumsticks)
- 1 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. onion powder, you can use garlic powder or granulated garlic as well
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika, you can use regular sweet paprika
- ½ tsp. ground pepper
- 2 cups BBQ sauce, (sweet baby ray original barbecue sauce works great for this!)
Instructions
- Place all the chicken drumsticks into a plastic bag.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar, onion powder, salt, smoked paprika, and ground pepper.
- Close the bag and massage the meat so the seasoning coats all the chicken legs.
- Place the chicken drumsticks into the slow cooker. If you don't want to waste a bag, you can do this in the slow cooker, but mix them with the seasoning with clean hands.
- Pour the BBQ sauce to cover the drumsticks.
- Cover and cook on HIGH 3 ½ – 4 hours. If you want to cook on LOW allow 5 to 6 hours. You'll know the chicken is done when the meat is falling off the bone.
- Serve and enjoy!
Sarah’s Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes
Try Slow Cooker Chicken Tenders or Crack Chicken when you’re in the mood for creamy, comforting flavors.
For something sweet or savory, Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken and Chicken Adobo offer tropical and tangy twists.
Slow Cooker Whole Chicken is a classic, and Slow Cooker Chicken Stew is perfect for a hearty, all-in-one meal.
Just delicious with a can of drained pineapple and chopped green pepper thrown in. It’s also good with pork.
Great recipe. My son really likes this one. Thank you. We will make it again.
I know. I changed the recipe. Shoot me. 18 drumsticks and 8 thighs in an 8Qt. Crockpot with 2 bottles of BBQ sauce. 8 hrs. cooking time. 190 Degrees. Perfect. My Wife and I have noticed, you can’t taste the rub from the BBQ sauce. And we had “lots” of liquid in the Crockpot. Great recipe!
Hi. Can you tell me if chicken thighs (boneless or bone in) can be added to the drumsticks and cooked for the same amount of time?
Great for busy house. Perfect with mashed potatoes and corn