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Get It NowI bake chicken legs year round, but there’s something about the smoky char of grilled chicken legs that brings a unique, irresistible flavor to a summer meal. I can almost smell their aroma just writing about them. The tender meat, the crispy skin, the quick cook time, and of course, that classic charred taste… there’s so much I love about this recipe. Grill up these easy grilled chicken drumsticks with me and you’ll see what I mean!
Why You Need My Grilled Chicken Legs
- Smoky, juicy inside with perfect crispy skin – Grilling chicken legs is one of the easiest cuts to master, because they’re hard to overcook. I’ve got the perfect simple seasoning blend. But more importantly, tips to nail that juicy, tender interior with crispy skin. (You know I’m obsessed with crispy skin!)
- Quick and easy – The prep takes just minutes and there’s no marinade to wait for. And while I love butter underneath the skin for my air fryer chicken legs, I kept my grilled chicken legs recipe extra simple, because… yes to all the care-free grilled recipes in the summer.
- 2 grilling options – I have a method for the crispiest skin (ever, ever), as well as a super fast option for when you’re short on time.
- Family favorite at cookouts and barbecues – Hosting a backyard barbecue?Just having a cookout for your family? My grilled chicken drumsticks will leave everyone happy. Including you, because they take almost no effort at all.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for cooking chicken legs on the grill, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Chicken Drumsticks – A.k.a. chicken legs. You can also use the same method for my grilled bone-in chicken thighs or even chicken leg quarters, but grilling time will vary. I use a different method for skinless white meat, like grilled chicken breast.
- Olive Oil – This is my go-to, but avocado oil also works great.
- Spices – As mentioned above, I keep my grilled chicken legs simple. Just grab smoked paprika (you can swap in sweet paprika), garlic powder, and onion powder. Or choose one of my variations below.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – My rule of thumb for boneless chicken is 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of pepper per pound, but since chicken legs have bones, I use half that amount for these. Add a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like extra heat.
Seasoning Variations:
Want something different? Try my lemon pepper seasoning for a tangy kick, blackened seasoning for smoky heat, or jerk seasoning for a Caribbean-inspired flair.
I recommend 2 tablespoons of any of these to replace the spices in my grilled chicken drumsticks recipe. All of mine already contain salt so you won’t need extra, but add it if you use store-bought ones without salt.
How To Grill Chicken Legs
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Prep the grill. Clean your grill grates with an oiled paper towel, then preheat to medium-high heat. (See my tips below to decide whether to turn on all the burners.) I use a gas grill, but you can also use a charcoal grill and just place the coals where you want the heat.
- Season the chicken. Pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels first, then brush both sides with olive oil. I like to arrange them on a baking sheet to contain everything. Stir the seasonings together in a small bowl and sprinkle on both sides of the chicken.
- Grill to perfection. You can grill chicken legs over direct heat or indirect heat — see my tips below to decide which is best for you. Let them rest for a few minutes before serving.
My Recipe Tips
- Choose direct or indirect heat upfront. You’ll need to decide whether to preheat all the burners or just half:
- For faster grilling, preheat all the burners and place the chicken legs on the grill over direct heat. I flip every 5-7 minutes with this method.
- For extra crispy skin, you’ll need my slower method with 2 zones. Turn on the burners on only half of the grill and cook on the other side, over indirect heat. Cooking slowly allows the fat to render, so the skin gets more crispy. You only need to flip once, halfway through.
- Grill the presentation side down first. Grilling chicken drumsticks skin side down first gets you the prettiest grill marks. Plus, I find that they don’t stick as easily this way.
- Keep the lid closed, except to flip. This is like creating a mini flavor oven. It locks in heat (and those smoky flavors), and ensures your chicken cooks evenly.
- How to troubleshoot sticking: This means either the grill isn’t hot enough or your drumsticks need to cook for longer before flipping.
- How to avoid flare-ups: If fat drips down and fire flares up, move the grilled chicken legs to a different spot right away. Flare-ups can cause too much char on the skin and affect the flavor.
- Leave uncovered while resting. Covering will cause a steaming effect that will soften the skin and make it less crispy.
How Long To Grill Chicken Legs?
Grill chicken legs over direct heat for about 25 minutes, or for crispier skin, grill over indirect heat for 30-40 minutes.
While 165 degrees F is safe, I highly recommend grilling chicken legs to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F for juicy results. I use this meat thermometer to check. (This is always my recommended temp for dark meat to make it more juicy. White meat is the opposite.)
Storage Notes
- Store: Keep leftover grilled chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. I like to remove the meat from the bones and make my BBQ chicken salad.
- Reheat: The skin softens a lot when storing. My fave reheating method is the air fryer, since it crisps up the skin so well. But you can also reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F, or reheat the chicken legs on the grill again (wrap them in foil and place over indirect heat).
- Freeze: Pop them in a zip lock bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before heating.
Serving Ideas
Not sure what to serve with your grilled chicken legs? Here are some ways I like to complete the meal:
- Grilled Veggies – While the grill is hot, use it to grill up some sides, like grilled asparagus or grilled cauliflower.
- Salads – I love these grilled chicken legs with a summer salad to make the meal feel fresh. Try my cauliflower potato salad, sweet mango salad, or easy cucumber tomato salad.
- More Grilled Proteins – If you’re having a larger cookout, add on my grilled steaks, grilled salmon, or my (amazingly juicy) burger recipe to give people a choice of protein.
- BBQ Sauce – I think these grilled drumsticks are plenty flavorful on their own, but if you want BBQ chicken drumsticks, brush on your favorite BBQ sauce in the last few minutes of grilling. (Mine is my sugar free BBQ sauce.)
More Chicken Drumstick Recipes
Don’t want chicken legs on the grill? I’ve got other ways to cook them:
Grilled Chicken Legs
You'll love my easy recipe for the juiciest grilled chicken legs with extra crispy skin. These drumsticks will be a hit at your barbecue!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Clean the grates of your grill with an oiled paper towel before cooking/preheating. Preheat the grill to medium-high for at least 10 minutes. (If using the slower grilling option below, leave half of the burners off.)
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Pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels.
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Brush both sides of each drumstick with olive oil.
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In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper, paprika, onion and garlic powder. Season drumsticks with the seasoning blend on both sides. (You can also add each seasoning individually instead if you like.)
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Fast grilling option: Place drumsticks on the grill over direct heat, skin side down. Cook for about 25 minutes, flipping every 5-7 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F (77 degrees C).
Slower grilling option for crispier skin: Place the chicken legs on the grill over indirect heat (do not place over a burner that’s on). Close the grill and cook for 15-20 minutes, then flip and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 170 degrees F (77 degrees C). (The safe internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F (74 degrees C), but letting them reach 170 degrees F (77 degrees F) will result in more juicy grilled chicken legs.)
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Remove the grilled chicken legs from heat and let rest, uncovered, for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Did You Make My Recipe?
Leave a rating to help other readers, tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram (I’d love to see!), or save the recipe to your email.
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Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 small grilled chicken legs, or 1 large one
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Grilled Chicken Legs
Gratitude Moment
I was looking back at last summer’s photos today to see if I have any of me grilling chicken legs (lol). Apparently I don’t, but I stumbled across this photo from a year ago today. We’re at Noah’s Ark waterpark, and it brought back memories from the trip.
Sometimes I think everyone around me gets annoyed with me taking so many pictures, but I’m always so grateful to have them to look back on. It reminds me of so many little moments.
Do you look back at old pictures often, or is it just me?
12 Comments
Tom Jackson
0Please clarify something for me. In your discussion, you say that your rule of thumb for chicken is 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper per lb but because drumsticks have bones you half the numbers, ( 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper/lb.) The numbers in the recipe do not seem to reflect this. (1/2 tbsp salt = 1-1/2 tsp which agrees with your 1/2 tsp/lb as does the specified 3/4 tsp black pepper.) Should these numbers be halved?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tom, I said my rule of thumb is 1 teaspoon of salt per pound, not 1/2 teaspoon. I use 1/2 teaspoon per pound in this recipe because it’s bone-in. For black pepper, my rule of thumb is 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per pound, and opted for 1/4 teaspoon per pound for the bone-in chicken. You can cut that in half if you want to be on the lower end of the range. Hope this helps clarify!
Angie
0This was so tasty!! My picker eater approved of the spice blend! Best chicken recipe I have had!!! The chicken was moist, the skin crispy- so delicious! You have to try this one- it’s a keeper!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Yay, so glad to hear that, Angie! I know that feeling of being excited when the picky eater approves, haha.
Olivia
0Here’s one-The blend of smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder created a deliciously smoky flavor. The chicken was juicy and perfectly seasoned. I love how easy this recipe is to follow, and the leftovers made a great BBQ chicken salad the next day. Reheating in the air fryer kept the skin nice and crispy, just like fresh off the grill.
Ellen Townsend
0Had to say that this is one of my kids favorites. Could never go wrong with chicken legs. I paired them with a fresh garden salad and roasted vegetables, making it a well-rounded and satisfying meal.
phil
0I made some remarks about the combination of potato and cauliflower mashes. If you want a quick additive to taste, add one or two tins of tuna. Depending on the size of your bowl contents and you have an instant one bowl dinner that tastes excellent. Try it is great. Phil B
Julianne
0Easy, delicious, definitely going on my regular rotation!
Gina
0Loved the tip for indirect cooking! These came out perfect with that method and the rub was so easy yet super flavorful!
Madison
0Drumsticks are so underrated – they are always so delicious! This was the perfect recipe for us this weekend for Father’s Day.
Giangi Townsend
0Crispy and so delicious, we could not get enough of it.
Thank you for the recipe
Liz
0This chicken was so good! My dad made it last night and my brother asked for the recipe! Haha thanks for the tasty recipe!