Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks.
We love these super easy baked BBQ chicken drumsticks! They are versatile and super flavorful, made with homemade cola BBQ sauce. And they can be served with just about any side you love or eaten cold straight from the fridge!
I have an easy and delish dinner for you today!
These baked BBQ chicken drumsticks are sticky and sweet, made with homemade BBQ sauce and so deliciously tender, they fall right off the bone. And they can go with just about any side that you want to make for dinner tonight!
Woohoo!
Everyone loves ‘em. They are good enough for weeknight dinners, game day snacks and even for summer BBQs.
And there are a few reasons why I love them so much.
First, I love making my own BBQ sauce. I adore this because of the versatility and customization of flavors. It’s so tangy and sticky and simple to make. You can also make it ahead of time which is great for meal prepping. And you can use it on sandwiches or anything else you may enjoy.
Of course, it’s not a necessity to make it, so you can always use your favorite store-bought sauce as well. If I do that, I will often get Stubbs sweet & sticky sauce.
Next, the quick little spice rub. Some salt, pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder. The combination of the spice rub PLUS the BBQ sauce is what really takes the flavor over the top. These have so much flavor you won’t believe it.
I roast the drumsticks first so the skin gets crispy, then brush the sauce on. So it’s super simple and you can see how any sauce works.
Another reasonI love making these for dinner is because we can serve them with so many different side dishes. Even on the same night! A few of our favorites to pair with the sticky drumsticks:
Smoked gruyere cauliflower gratin
These are just a few but the options are endless! I’m pretty sure I’ve served these with almost everything on my site before.
They are also so delicious as leftovers. Cold straight from the fridge… yes! Reheated – chicken pulled off the bone – so many options to enjoy these.
Winning for winter dinner!
Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
cola BBQ sauce
- ¾ cup ketchup
- ⅔ cup cola, like Dr Pepper, Coke, Root Beer, etc
- ½ cup honey
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
chicken drumsticks
- olive oil, for drizzling or spraying
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
Instructions
cola BBQ sauce
- Place all ingredients in a saucepan and whisk together until combined. Heat oven medium heat and bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and cook for 30 to 60 minutes, until thickened. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and let sit at room temperature until it cools and thickens even more.
- Store in a jar or sealed container in the fridge. This lasts about a week, so it can easily be made ahead of time.
chicken drumsticks
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Drizzle a baking sheet with olive oil. Place the drumsticks in a large bowl. Stir together the salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder until combined. Sprinkle it over the drumsticks and toss to coat until they are all seasoned.
- Place the drumsticks on the baking sheet in a single layer. I like to give them an extra spray of olive oil here, because it helps them get crispy!
- Roast for 35 minutes. Remove the baking sheet and brush the drumsticks all over with sauce. Return to the oven for 10 minutes. Brush again with more sauce and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan and let the chicken cool slightly before serving. Sprinkle with green onions to serve.
Did you make this recipe?
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I appreciate you so much!
So tender, chewy, sticky and sweet!
2 Comments on “Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks.”
Great tangy sauce and deliciously charred chicken! I made 1.5x time amount of sauce and I’m using the rest of it next week.
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