Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken and Ranch Potatoes
42 Comments Apr 10, 2023
Updated May 02, 2024
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Chicken drumsticks and potatoes are given a tasty new twist with this Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken and Ranch Potatoes recipe. Drumsticks are coated in pantry-staple seasonings just before being smothered in Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce. Red potatoes are quartered and covered in olive oil and ranch seasoning before being slow cooked together for an amazing one-pot meal.
If you want to cook drumsticks by themselves, you’ll love my Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks.
Table of Contents
Why this chicken drumsticks and potatoes recipe works
Chicken legs always make a good meal choice, but there only seem to be just a few ways to cook them. In this recipe, a seasoning mixture is applied to give it a flavor similar to roasted chicken drumsticks. And since red potatoes are similar to baby potatoes, they provide just enough servings to feed a small family.
The drumsticks and potatoes are cooked in the same crock pot dish; however, separated by a glass bowl. Everything will cook evenly and maintain great flavor at the same time. If you’re looking for a chicken and potatoes meal to cook on busy nights, this is the one to try. The prep time is quick and the cooking time is reasonable. It’s also versatile and can pair great with different veggies.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks: This recipe calls for about 2 pounds of raw drumsticks; however, you can use as many that will fit. Keep in mind that if you want to add many more, you’ll need to use a bigger slow cooker.
- Red Potatoes: These are always one of the go-to potato types for slow cooking. Instead of adding them into the crock pot with the chicken, they’ll be placed inside a glass bowl to cook separately (but together).
- Seasonings: Salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, ranch seasoning, and olive oil are used to season the chicken and potatoes.
- Water: Water is added to the potatoes to create steam-like cooking.
Step-by-Step Directions
Step One – Place the quartered cut red potatoes into a large Ziploc bag along with the oil and ranch mix seasoning. Shake until well combined.
Step Two – Place the potatoes in an oven-safe glass bowl with 1/4 cup of water and put the bowl with the potatoes into the slow cooker. Then add the drumsticks around the glass bowl. Season them with the salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
Step Three – Pour the barbecue sauce on top of the chicken and add another 1/4 cup of water to the slow cooker with the chicken.
Step Four – Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours. Do not open the lid during cooking time. Before serving, stir up the potatoes a bit. Serve with extra barbecue sauce and enjoy!
How to serve
- This meal is perfect to serve as-is. Simply add a drumstick or two to a plate along with a scoop of potatoes.
- You can also tweak the potatoes by adding a little butter, sour cream, and shredded cheese.
- If you want to add more veggies, consider adding steamed carrots or green beans.
Recipe FAQs
I use a one-quart pyrex or a pampered chef quart large glass measuring bowl works well too.
Sure! You can swap out the potatoes for sweet potatoes to add sweetness to the meal. If you want to stick with “white” potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes work just fine.
If you’d like to add another veggie, you can add onions with the potatoes.
Chicken thighs could work, but you’ll want to make sure the crock pot is big enough for them to fit. The chicken legs are small enough to evenly distribute along with the glass dish.
You can’t go wrong with adding fresh rosemary, smoked paprika, onion powder, and lemon juice.
Place any remaining chicken and potatoes in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, place the leftovers on a sheet pan or baking sheet and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees until warmed throughout.
You can make a “bowl” out of foil.
More Chicken Recipes:
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Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken and Ranch Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 quart oven safe glass bowl such as pyrex or pampered chef
Ingredients
For the Ranch Potatoes
- 1 ½ pounds red potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
- 2 tablespoon olive oil or canola oil
- 1 oz. packet ranch dressing dry mix
- ¼ cup water
For the Chicken
- 2 lbs. raw chicken drumsticks, about 6 drumsticks, though you can use as many will fit.
- 1 cup sweet baby rays bbq sauce, (not need to measure, just eyeball it!)
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. garlic powder, (or onion powder)
- 1 tsp. paprika
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Add the potatoes, oil and ranch mix to a large ziplock bag, shake until well combined. Add the potatoes to an oven safe glass bowl, I use a one quart pyrex or a pampered chef quart glass measuring cup works well too. Place bowl with the potatoes into slow cooker. Add a 1/4 cup of water to the bowl of potatoes. If you don't have a bowl that will fit in your slow cooker with the chicken, don't fret; just make a bowl out of foil.
- Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Place the chicken next to the potatoes in the slow cooker (next to the bowl), add the bbq sauce on top of the chicken, and a 1/4 cup of water to the slow cooker with the chicken.
- Place the lid on the slow cooker.
- Set the slow cooker to HIGH for 4 hours.
- Do not open the lid during the cooking time.
- After cooking time is up, stir up the potatoes a bit.
- When serving, spoon the extra bbq sauce liquid from the crockpot onto the chicken.
- Enjoy!
How to Video
Sarah’s Notes
- You can use any type of potato in this recipe.
- Be sure your glass bowl is oven safe; a too thin bowl may crack and ruin your meal.
- If you want crispy skin chicken, simply put your chicken on a sheet tray and broil for a few minutes in the oven.
Nutrition
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
Hey! I am trying this recipe out, but am new to cooking. Could you change the pounds to amount to make it easier for those of us who don’t have anyway to measure the food? The potatoes would be easiest in cups for me also.
Hi Audra! The potatoes is probably 3-4 cups. And probably 8 chicken drumsticks. It’s not super important for this recipe to have exact amounts. I hope that helps 🙂
So after work I bought all the ingredients to make this tomorrow and only just now realized I accidentally bought chicken wings instead of chicken drumsticks…do you think that would work fine still?
It should be fine! 🙂
Thank you!!
After everything goes into the crockpot do you need to cover it with water??? Im going to make this tomorrow!
You add 1/4 cup water to the bbq side 🙂
This sounds delicious! I want to make this while I’m at work one day… Would 8-9 hours on low work for this if I’m using boneless chicken breast?
I’ve never tried this on low. I think the potatoes may over cook. I usually make this dish on my day off. 🙂
For those with a 5 qt. slow cooker, I was able to fit a 4 cup Pyrex measuring cup and 8 drumsticks in mine.
I have 3 hours and 30 minutes to go. So exciting!!
Can you make this using boneless chicken breasts? And how would you adjust the recipe for it? Thanks!
I would do 1.5 to 2 pounds if the chicken breasts. 4 hours on high still. I hope this helps!
Great simple recipe. Will try this at home this weekend.
I love that you are cooking the potatoes and the chicken both on the crock pot. Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe at Simple Supper.
OMG… this is a BRILLIANT idea Sarah! Shared on FB and pinned! Can’t wait to try it out. 🙂
Thanks Corey! You are too kind!
Looks awesome! Question – have you tried leaving the side dish in the bowl in the crock pot all day? Just wondering how it would work…
I haven’t tried that yet Hannah. If you do try it, let me know how it works!
I did, I was nervous the heat would shatter it but it didn’t. Everything went fine. I used a small pyrex bowl.