Easy Smoked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
These smoked BBQ chicken drumsticks are an easy, budget-friendly dinner that's packed with smoky flavor. Seasoned with your favorite BBQ rub, slow-smoked until juicy, and basted with barbecue sauce, they're perfect for busy weeknights, backyard cookouts, or feeding a crowd without breaking the bank.
Equipment
- Smoker or Pellet Grill
- Instant Read Thermometer
- Basting Brush
- Grill Tongs
Ingredients
- 1 package chicken drumsticks (about 12 drumsticks)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoon BBQ seasoning (I use Honey Hog by Meat Church)
- ½ cup BBQ sauce (I prefer Stubbs, but you can your whatever you like)
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 225°F.
- Wash your drumsticks, then pat the chicken drumsticks dry and place them in a large bowl.
- Drizzle with olive oil and toss until lightly coated.
- Season generously with your favorite BBQ seasoning, rubbing it into all sides of each drumstick.
- Arrange the drumsticks directly on the smoker grates.
- Smoke for about 1- 1.5 hours, flipping the drumsticks halfway through cooking.
- During the last 20–30 minutes of cooking, baste the drumsticks several times with the BBQ sauce.
- Continue cooking until the thickest part of the chicken reaches 175–185°F for the juiciest, most tender meat.
- Remove from the smoker and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Every smoker cooks a little differently, so always cook to temperature instead of time.
- Any BBQ seasoning and BBQ sauce work great in this recipe.
- For extra sticky BBQ chicken, brush on one final layer of sauce during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
- Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- These can absolutely be done in the oven, as well.