Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

These tender and juicy smoked chicken drumsticks have a light & crispy skin. The combination of the flavors of the chicken, simple rub, and low & slow cook gives every bite just the right hint of warmth from the pepper and Paprika.

this recipe

Drumsticks on the BBQ

You are going to be amazed by how these drumsticks turn out. The “Low & Slow” mesquite smoke in the BBQ just makes these heavenly. The key to this BBQ cook is the indirect heat. It lets the drumsticks cook evenly and of course, you get the smoky flavors from the wood. If you want to use a different wood, check out the section on “Smoking Wood” in our “Smoked Sausage” post for other options.

How long to cook Chicken Drumsticks

You may wonder, is it worth a longer cook on the BBQ for the drumsticks? Yes.
The meat is fall off the bone tender and has the addition of the smoking wood aromatics. The wood I used is mesquite because it brings strong flavors of Texas BBQ. Which is one of my favorites for this short smoke of just under 2 hours.

Chicken Drumstick Temp

The great thing about this smoke is you are just waiting for the drumsticks to come to 175 degrees F. That’s it, so if your BBQ or smoker is a bit off on cooking temperature don’t worry. This is a forgiving cook. Now 165 degrees F is the standard for food safety temperature but we prefer going higher. The higher temperature lets the connective tissue break down for a more tender and yummy drumstick. The low & slow cook also allows the skin to keep everything nice and moist, too.

Smoked Chicken Rub

The rub is subtle and does not overpower the drumsticks. The dry rub is just 4 ingredients: salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked Paprika. This simple rub lets all the spices complement the chicken and the smoking wood wraps it all together. The Kitchen Bucket List loves it when we have such a classic rub with natural flavors. What makes it even more fun is…your favorite BBQ sauce. So, enjoy these Smoked Chicken Drumsticks wet or dry!

Smoked Chicken Drumsticks Recipe

This is a straightforward recipe with simple ingredients that give these drumsticks a hint of spice and a tasty flavor combination.

Equipment you will need

• BBQ Grill or Smoker
• Tray
• Smoking wood (Mesquite for this recipe)
• Instant read thermometer or Remote thermometer
• BBQ tongs

Ingredients

• Chicken Drumsticks
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Smoked Paprika

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients with measurements.

Instructions for Smoked Chicken Drumsticks

The best thing is once the drumsticks are on the BBQ or smoker all you need to do is let them smoke.

Prep Chicken Drumsticks

1. Unpack the chicken and pat dry
2. Coat the drumsticks with olive oil
3. Put them on a tray

Add Smoked Chicken Rub

1. Make the rub: In a small bowl combine salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked Paprika
2. Sprinkle the dry rub evenly on the drumsticks
3. Place drumsticks in the refrigerator

Preheat BBQ & Cook

1. Preheat BBQ or smoker to 250 degrees F (BBQers use the indirect cooking method)
2. Add 2 mesquite wood chunks
3. Place drumsticks on the preheated grill grate
4. Close lid and cook for 45-minutes
5. At 45-minutes check the drumsticks. (Ours were at 155 degrees F)
6. Continue cooking until 175 degrees F, checking occasionally
7. It took another 55-minutes to reach 175 degrees F
8. Pull the chicken drumsticks and rest them for 5-minutes
9. Serve and Enjoy!

You can find all the instructions and ingredient amounts at the end of this post in the recipe card.

Storage

You can store extra smoked drumsticks in the fridge for 3 – 4 days or freeze them for a few months. Just make sure to use an airtight container to keep them fresh.

FAQs:

Other recipes that go great with the Drumsticks

• Twice-Baked Potatoes
• Cheesy Garlic Bread
• Crispy Breaded Mushroom Bites
• Cinnamon Tortilla Chips and Apple Pie Dip

I hope you love this Smoked Chicken Drumsticks recipe, which leads to a question. Are you a drumstick or leg person?