Chicken legs seasoned with a simple, sweet, and savory BBQ rub, then grilled to juicy, tender perfection. Drumsticks are one of the cheapest cuts you can buy, and that flame-kissed, smokey char is hard to beat. Once you sink your teeth into these, you’ll see why they’re called the Best Damn Grilled Chicken Legs!
More ways to make chicken legs:
The Keys to Nailing This Recipe
Drumsticks are one of my favorite things to throw on the grill. They’re forgiving and easy, but a few things make the difference between good and great.
Get these right and the rest takes care of itself.
- Start with a hot, oiled grate. Clean grates rubbed with oil keep the skin from sticking and help it crisp up.
- Grill over direct heat, turning often. Medium direct heat with a quarter-turn every 5 minutes cooks them evenly without burning the sugar in the rub.
- Take dark meat to 185°F. Drumsticks aren’t done at 165°F. They get more tender and juicy closer to 185°F.
A quick note about “chicken legs“
Technically, a drumstick is the lower portion of the leg, while a whole chicken leg includes both the drumstick and the thigh. In everyday cooking, though, many people (myself included) use the term chicken legs to refer to drumsticks. Since this recipe is made with drumsticks, that’s what I’m referring to here. If you’re using whole chicken legs or chicken quarters, you’ll just need to increase the cooking time accordingly.
How to Make Grilled Chicken Legs
Here’s how it comes together. This is about as easy as grilling gets, and the payoff is crispy, charred skin and juicy meat right down to the bone.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Mix the rub and coat the chicken
Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl or zip-top bag. Coat 8 drumsticks with a little vegetable oil, then work the seasoning all over. You can shake them in the bag or just do it on a large plate.
The brown sugar is what caramelizes and crisps the skin, while the smoked paprika, mustard, and cayenne build that sweet-and-savory BBQ backbone.
✦ Swap smoked paprika if needed. Regular paprika works fine. Just add ½ teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder to make up for the lost depth.
Step 2: Prep the grill
Brush the grates clean, then oil them. Roll up a couple of paper towels, dip them in about ½ cup of vegetable oil, hold them with tongs, and wipe the grates to coat.
Preheat to medium with the lid closed for at least 5 minutes. You want those grates good and hot.
✦ Season the grate before it heats. Oiling clean grates is the single best thing you can do to stop the skin from sticking and tearing.
Step 3: Grill over direct heat
Place the drumsticks on the grill over direct heat, spaced apart so they aren’t touching.
Leave them alone for 5 to 7 minutes. They’ll release cleanly from the grate when they’re ready, then you can turn them with tongs.
Give them a quarter-turn every 5 minutes for a total of about 30 to 35 minutes, lid closed between turns.
✦ Don’t move them too early. If a drumstick sticks when you try to turn it, it needs another minute. It’ll let go on its own.
✦ Watch for sugar flare-ups. The sugar in the rub can flare, especially over charcoal. Move legs off any hot spots if the skin starts to blacken.
Step 4: Check the temp and rest
Pull the drumsticks when they hit 185°F on an instant-read thermometer. Dark meat is more forgiving than white meat, and it’s genuinely better at that higher temp.
Let them rest for at least 5 minutes so the juices redistribute before you dig in.
✦ Brush on sauce at the end. If you like them saucy, add BBQ sauce in the last few minutes on the grill so it sets without burning.
Goes Great With…
Grilled drumsticks are the centerpiece of a good cookout plate, so round it out with a few easy sides. These are the ones I reach for:
- Country Creamy Coleslaw — cool and creamy, the classic grill pairing
- Instant Pot Potato Salad — a cookout staple, made hands-off
- Grilled Corn in the Husk — already at the grill, so throw it on
- Instant Pot Baked Beans — sweet, smoky, and easy
- Macaroni Pasta Salad — make it ahead and keep it cold
- Iron Skillet Cornbread — for soaking up every bit
Storage and Reheating
Store cooked chicken legs in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
To reheat, you have a few options:
- Air fryer: Set to 325°F for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Best for keeping the skin crisp.
- Oven: Arrange on a baking sheet and heat at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Grill: Preheat to medium and grill for 5 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until hot and the skin re-crisps.
- Microwave: Heat in 1-minute intervals until warmed through, usually 2 to 4 minutes. Quickest, but you’ll lose the crispy skin.
FAQs
Should you grill chicken legs over direct or indirect heat?
Direct heat is the way to go. Medium direct heat gives you the char and crispy skin, and turning every 5 minutes keeps the sugar in the rub from burning.
If flare-ups get out of hand, slide the legs to a cooler part of the grill to finish, then move them back to crisp up at the end.
Do you grill chicken legs with the lid open or closed?
Closed between turns. A closed lid traps the heat and works like an oven, so the legs cook through evenly instead of just charring on the outside. Open it to turn them and to keep an eye on flare-ups.
Can you grill chicken legs from frozen?
It’s best to thaw them first. Frozen drumsticks cook unevenly, and the rub won’t stick to an icy surface. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, or drop the sealed package in a bowl of cold water for about an hour if you’re short on time.
Can the recipe be doubled?
Yes, easily, and you can even triple it. The main thing to watch is crowding, so give each drumstick some room to sear instead of steam and work in batches if your grill runs out of space. The dry rub scales cleanly too, so mix up a big batch and keep the extra in a jar for next time.
More Chicken on the Grill
- Grilled Chicken Kabobs
- Grilled Chicken Tenders
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Wings
- Ninja Foodi Grill Chicken Drumsticks
- Indoor Grill Chicken Breast
Best Damn Grilled Chicken Legs
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings
Description
Chicken drumsticks coated in a simple sweet-and-savory BBQ dry rub, then grilled over direct heat until the skin is crispy and the meat is juicy. Easy enough for a weeknight and good enough for the whole cookout.
Ingredients
- 8 chicken legs (drumsticks)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix all the dry ingredients. Coat the chicken legs with the oil, then rub the seasoning all over.
- Make sure the grill grate is clean and well oiled. Preheat to medium with the lid closed for 5 minutes.
- Add the chicken legs, spaced apart. Grill over direct heat, turning every 5 minutes, for 30 to 35 minutes total, until the internal temp reads 185°F for juicy dark meat.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving
Notes
On the grill: Start with a hot, oiled grate. Grill over medium direct heat and turn every 5 minutes. Don’t force a turn; the legs release from the grate when they’re ready. Watch for flare-ups from the sugar in the rub, especially over charcoal.
Temp, resting, and storage: Pull dark meat at 185°F, not 165°F. It’s more forgiving and better at the higher temp. Rest 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers airtight in the fridge up to 3 days.
Make it your own: Cayenne is optional; scale to ⅛ teaspoon or skip it. No smoked paprika? Use regular and add ½ teaspoon each of onion and garlic powder. Brush on BBQ sauce in the last few minutes if you want them saucy.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 35 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
KG says
I made these on the top level grate of my ancient gas grill. Left them on for about 40 minutes turning every 10. Turned out amazing. Best grilled chicken legs I’ve ever cooked. Thank you.
RecipeTeacher says
Thanks for the high praise, Kent!!
Mark J Grzywa says
Absolutely delicious!
KristenL says
These are delicious! Seasoning is a perfect blend of sweet with heat from the cayenne pepper. I’ve made them twice just this weekend!
Melody Gibbs says
Hi Jason, Making these again today. They are always a hit. Wondering if I could make these up prior to cooking (a few hours) I just wanted ease in the kitchen and not worry about getting things ready when it was time to eat.
Thank you for a great recipe!!
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Melody!! So basically, you can make them ahead of time, just be careful not to overcook, even though chicken legs have a lot of wiggle room with that. Then just throw them in the grill on low until heated through. They’re always going to be best made and eaten right away, but they’ll still be good.
peggy J stivason says
Hey Jason , Making this ..this evening. Love the combination spices . I’m sure it will be a hit . Thanks Jason
RecipeTeacher says
Awesome! Hope you enjoy them, Peggy!
Cindy Balsinger says
Strictly followed the recipe and it is flavorful and impressive. Can’t go wrong serving to family or guests.
Kim says
These chicken legs were FANTASTIC!! Delicious!! Will definitely make again!
Bethany Brandvold says
Absolutely Love the pork chop and chicken leg recipe! We grill it up once a week. Need try some of the other recipes
Katie says
This has become my go-to recipe for chicken legs – and they are always a hit! Super simple and delicious!
Rita DelPercio says
Jason this recipe sounds so good. Can I use the air fryer???
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Rita! I’ve actually got a recipe specifically for the air fryer…
https://recipeteacher.com/best-damn-air-fryer-chicken-legs/