Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place the chicken drumsticks into a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the brown sugar, smoked paprika, dark chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper over the chicken.
- Mix well until every drumstick is fully coated in the seasoning mixture.
- Place the seasoned chicken drumsticks directly into your slow cooker or Instant Pot insert. Do not add liquid and do not add the BBQ sauce yet.
- Cook using one of the following methods: Traditional slow cooker on LOW for 5-6 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. For the Instant Pot slow cooker function, cook on HIGH slow cook for 5-6 hours.
- Carefully transfer the cooked drumsticks onto a foil lined baking sheet.
- Brush each drumstick with bottled BBQ sauce.
- Broil for 2-5 minutes, or until the BBQ sauce becomes sticky, caramelized, and slightly crispy around the edges.
- Brush with a little extra BBQ sauce if desired and serve immediately with rice, potatoes, salad, or your favorite budget friendly sides.
Video
Notes
- Dark chili powder adds extra smoky flavor, but regular chili powder works too.
- The cayenne pepper adds a little warmth rather than strong heat. Leave it out if preferred.
- Do not add the BBQ sauce before slow cooking. Adding it at the end helps the spice coating flavor the chicken first and keeps the sauce sticky after broiling.
- Instant Pots usually run cooler on the slow cook setting than traditional slow cookers, so use HIGH when slow cooking in an Instant Pot.
- Always check chicken with a meat thermometer. Chicken should reach 165°F / 74°C internally.
Storage
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Reheat in the oven or air fryer for the best texture.
- Freeze cooked drumsticks for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
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- Check out all our Slow Cooker Recipes!
- Find more Chicken Recipes!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.