A simple recipe for Pineapple Barbecue Glazed Chicken Drumsticks will get dinner on the table with minimal effort.
I created this Pineapple Barbecue Glazed Chicken Drumsticks recipe for the days I don’t get to the store early enough to make an all-day crock pot meal.
By the time I get home from the store on Sunday, it’s after lunch time, and I’m irritable. This drumstick recipe could be popped in the slow cooker and be ready for dinner in about 3 hours.
How to make:
Gather these ingredients:
- Chicken drumsticks (with the skin on)
- Barbecue sauce – I use BBQ Pete’s
- Pineapple slices
- Cooking oil
- Salt and Pepper
That’s all you need for this simple recipe.
Directions:
- Add the oil to a hot skillet on the stove-top. Sprinkle the drumsticks with the salt and pepper then add them to the hot pan. Brown on all sides, no need to cook through.
- Add the drumsticks to the slow cooker. Pour over the barbecue sauce and a half cup of the pineapple juices and lay over pineapple slices.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 hours, or LOW for 5-6 hours.
What I love about this meal is that drumsticks usually come in giant 5-pound packages, I put half in the freezer for the next week. I seem to forget how cheap drumsticks are; they run about .99 cents a pound at my local grocery store.
What to serve this with:
- Rice – white or brown
- Corn on the cob
- Ceaser Salad
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Baked Beans
The chicken cooks up so lovely in the slow cooker, fall off the bone tender, and the barbecue sauce and pineapple make a perfectly tangy and sweet sauce for the chicken. I hope you try this recipe and have a great week!
Other great barbecue chicken recipes here on The Magical Slow Cooker:
- Slow Cooker Root Beer Chicken
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken with Bell Peppers and Onions
- Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Quesadillas
- Slow Cooker Barbecue Bacon Chicken Dip
Want to make more magic in your crockpot? Stay up to date and subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.
Slow Cooker Pineapple Glazed Barbecue Drumsticks
Equipment Needed:
- Slow Cooker – 3 quart or larger
Ingredients:
- 2.5 lbs. chicken drumsticks about eight drumsticks
- 1/4 salt
- 1/4 pepper
- 2 Tbsp. cooking oil
- 1 cup favorite barbecue sauce
- 20 oz. can pineapple slices (1/2 cup of juices reserved)
Instructions:
- Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet set to medium-high heat, add the cooking oil. When the pan is hot, brown the chicken on all sides. Add the chicken to the 3-quart or larger slow cooker.
- Pour over the barbecue sauce evenly over the chicken. Next, pour over a ½ cup of juices from the pineapple can. Using a fork, add the pineapple slices over the chicken and sauce.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or on LOW for 5-6 hours. Do not open the lid during the cooking time. If you do not brown the chicken, or your chicken is frozen, cook for longer.
Has anyone made this exact recipe without browning them first? Did they turn out just as good? Plan to put them on low around Midnight Ish.. friend read me the recipe but I’m just now seeing the browning part for myself. Do not want to brown at midnight lol
It will be fine without browning, I’ve done it before.
Can I use wings and how long to cook if I doubled the recipe the wings are frozen
Hi Nancy, I do not use frozen meats so I can’t advise. I apologize
Could I do tbighs and breasts? How long?
Same amount of time. Will work great.
If I doubled this recipe,how much more time would I cook it for?
I would do 4 hours on high
Hey Sarah…love your recipes.
I’m a 91-year-old single guy, and your recipes are tool cool for words.
Only prob is that my freezer is overloaded with humongous batches of leftover slow-cook goodies.
What is a ball-park rule for changing the cooking time for half-, or less, quantities of your recipes?
Or do I have to learn that through trial and error?
If using frozen legs and not browsing them first, how long would you leave them in the slow cooker?
I’m thinking 4 1/2 hours on high, the extra time for them to thaw, takes a while.
If I were to triple this recipe and do it covered in a sheet pan, how long should I could them?
Can I use chicken breast instead. I’m not a fan of dark meat.
Yes, I would cook longer. About 4 hours.
Thanks for the info!
It doesn’t tell you if you do not use a frying pan how longer to cook it
Hi Gayle, I say 30 minutes more would work.
Did you use skinless legs or do you keep the skin on ?
Skin on. I will add the to the recipe card. 🙂
Your recipe already says “skin on”.
Sounds yummy, I think I’ll try this for dinner tonight.
could you use another part of the chicken like the breasts? don’t care for dark meat
Bone in breasts would do great. I would cook them for an 1-2 hours longer though.
Do you need a slow cooker to cook this or can you put it on the stove or in the oven ?
I’m sure it would do fine in the oven or stove top. You will have to experiment with the time.
I think since you’ve already browned it by frying, you can cook the rest of it in the oven.
Browned chicken legs and thighs a pressure cooker then followed as above. Took only 25 minutes in pressure cooker. Was great. Husband loved it!!
Man, I love this SO much! Love sweet & savory flavors! And drumsticks are always so budget friendly to buy too. 🙂
That looks delicious! I love dark poultry meat but sadly husband doesn’t or I would be whipping this one up right away!
I love to try new BBQ sauces too! This is such an easy way to get dinner on the table. Love it!
I love drumsticks and this sounds so fabulous! Great idea adding the pineapple!
That sauce looks delicious! Perfectly paired with dark meat and love that it’s ready in just 2 1/2 hours!
Drumsticks are such an economical meal. I love the pineapple you put with them.