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A close-up picture of the finished chicken drumsticks on a grill.
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5 from 1 vote

BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

Brined chicken gets a crispy, caramelized glaze for these restaurant-worthy Grilled BBQ Chicken Drumsticks in under an hour.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Brining and Cooling Time20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken, grilling
Servings: 6 people
Author: Jillian Wade

Equipment

  • measuring cups and spoons
  • gas grill
  • pastry brush
  • large mixing bowl
  • Cutting board
  • Mixing spoon

Ingredients

BRINE:

  • 4 cups water
  • 2 Tablespoons table salt
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch

CHICKEN:

  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 pounds chicken drumsticks

BBQ SAUCE:

  • 3 cups barbecue sauce of your choosing
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

BRINE THE CHICKEN:

  • Combine water, salt, and cornstarch in a large bowl.
  • Add chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes, ensuring not to exceed an hour.

PREP THE GAS GRILL:

  • As the chicken is brining, preheat the grill by turning the gas grill to HIGH and closing the lid.
  • Ensure the grill is preheated for 15 minutes before placing the chicken on it. Prepare the grill grates by scraping and oiling them.
  • Turn off all of the burners except for the main burner, keep that one HIGH.

PREP THE CHICKEN:

  • Retrieve the chicken from the brine and transfer it to a sanitized cutting board.
  • Swiftly pat the chicken dry using paper towels.

COOK THE CHICKEN:

  • Position the chicken on the cooler side of the grill and cover it.
  • Cook for 30-34 minutes or until the chicken starts to brown.
  • Arrange the chicken in a single line close to the main burner that is still on.
  • Brush the chicken with BBQ sauce, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
  • Flip the chicken, brush it with BBQ sauce, and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
  • Repeat the process of flipping and brushing the chicken with BBQ sauce two more times. By this point, the chicken should have a crusted layer of BBQ sauce, and the internal temperature of the drumsticks should register 175 degrees F.
  • Once cooked, transfer the BBQ chicken drumsticks to a serving platter.
  • Cover with foil for 5 minutes

GARNISH AND SERVE:

  • Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired.
  • Serve hot and enjoy these deliciously grilled BBQ chicken drumsticks!

Notes

Storage:

Serve: You can keep the chicken out for no longer than two hours before it needs to be refrigerated.
Store: Store the leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for three to four days. 
Freeze: Once cooled, place the drumsticks on a pan and flash freeze until frozen solid, about 2 hours. Transfer the chicken to a freeze-safe plastic bag and freeze for 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5pound | Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 140mg | Sodium: 4352mg | Potassium: 676mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 392IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg