Baked Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks

These baked barbecue chicken drumsticks are just the thing to scratch your barbecue itch when the weather doesn’t allow for grilling. They take just 10 minutes of prep time and then an hour or so in the oven, which gives you plenty of time to assemble your favorite side dishes.

In fact, oven baked barbecue chicken drumsticks are convenient enough that you may prefer this method, even when grilling is an option.

Ingredients for Baked Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks

• Chicken drumsticks: Drumsticks are a low-cost chicken option. Dark meat is tasty and moist, and typically sell for less than breasts or wings.
• Canola oil: Canola is a good oil for frying, with a neutral flavor and a high smoke point.
• Ketchup: Ketchup’s thickness, and balance of sweet and tart, makes it a good base for this DIY barbecue sauce.
• Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire’s boldly tart, savory and peppery flavor brings interest and umami to the sauce.
• Sugar: Sugar helps balance out the tart Worcestershire and vinegar in the sauce.
• Cider vinegar: Cider vinegar is relatively mellow and complex, making it a good fit for sauces like this one.
• Steak sauce: The savoriness of steak sauce makes it a good complement to the Worcestershire and ketchup.
• Hot pepper sauce: The pepper sauce adds another level of tanginess and savor, along with the heat.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the chicken and sauce

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet, and brown the drumsticks. Lightly coat an 8-inch square baking pan with pan spray, and transfer the chicken to the pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and pour the sauce mixture evenly over the drumsticks.

Step 2: Cook the chicken

Bake the chicken at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes, basting with the sauce 2 to 3 times, until a thermometer inserted into the chicken shows a temperature of 170°-175°F.

Baked Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks Variations

• Try a different barbecue sauce: The sauce in this recipe is savory and flavorful, but it’s not the only game in town. If you like the recipe but want to switch things up occasionally, pick one of our other popular barbecue sauces and use that instead.
• Swap the sauce for a dry rub: Licking a sticky sauce from your fingers is part of the barbecue experience, but there’s a case to be made for dry rubs as well. Seasoning the chicken with a hand-crafted mix of spices gives you full control of the flavor profile, and lowers the calories. Just choose a dry rub recipe from our collection, sprinkle it over the drumsticks and cook them normally. You can still provide a sauce for dipping, if desired, when you serve them.
• Go for a completely different flavor profile: Barbecue flavors are popular for good reason (they’re really tasty) but you have options. To change things up, or to serve a crowd, you can bake these chicken legs with a number of other sauces. Any of our wing sauces will work just fine, and drumsticks make an interesting alternative to wings as party food. For a neat appearance, “French” them by cutting around the tendon at the thin end of the drum and removing the skin and cartilage from that end. The meat will shrink to a plump “lollipop” of chicken as it cooks, leaving the bare bone as a convenient handle.

How to Store Baked Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks

Any leftover chicken should be refrigerated as soon as possible after the meal. Your best option is a food safe storage container with a tight-fitting lid.

How long will barbecue baked chicken drumsticks keep?

If it was refrigerated promptly after the meal, any leftover portions of chicken should remain food safe for 3 to 4 days. If they stay at room temperature for up to 2 hours, it’s safer to eat them the next day. If they were at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (or one hour at 90°F or higher), they may no longer be safe to eat and should just be discarded.

Can I make the drumsticks ahead of time?

Chicken reheats pretty well, so you can prep these drumsticks ahead of time if you wish. Cool them as soon as they come out of the oven, and transfer them to a food safe storage container for refrigeration. Reheat them gently in your oven, a toaster oven or microwave before serving.

Baked Barbecue Chicken Drumstick Tips

What kind of hot pepper sauce should I use for this recipe?

Any kind you like, really. Any sauce with a moderate heat level will work fine, if you like its flavor profile. There should be at least enough heat that you can taste it in the sauce. How far past that minimum you choose to go is entirely up to you.

Isn’t 165°F the recommended temperature for chicken?

Yes, the USDA suggests cooking chicken to 165°F for food safety, and you can stop at that temperature if you wish. Because legs are dark meat they contain a bit more fat and connective tissue, and you may find that you prefer their texture at the slightly higher temperature shown in the recipe.

Can I use my toaster oven instead?

The recipe cooks in an 8×8-inch pan, and heating up your main oven for a single small pan could be considered overkill. Many countertop ovens and toaster ovens can fit a pan of that size, and you can certainly use one of those instead. Just be aware that the heating elements in these compact ovens are closer to the food. The sauce may begin to caramelize earlier than it should, or even burn. To prevent that, cover the pan with foil once the sauce is at your preferred texture and color.