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.

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
- Unpack the chicken and pat dry
- Coat the drumsticks with olive oil
- Put them on a tray
Add Smoked Chicken Rub
- Make the rub: In a small bowl combine salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked Paprika
- Sprinkle the dry rub evenly on the drumsticks
- Place drumsticks in the refrigerator
Preheat BBQ & Cook
- Preheat BBQ or smoker to 250 degrees F (BBQers use the indirect cooking method)
- Add 2 mesquite wood chunks
- Place drumsticks on the preheated grill grate
- Close lid and cook for 45-minutes
- At 45-minutes check the drumsticks. (Ours were at 155 degrees F)
- Continue cooking until 175 degrees F, checking occasionally
- It took another 55-minutes to reach 175 degrees F
- Pull the chicken drumsticks and rest them for 5-minutes
- 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:
Not necessarily, I did not have a remote thermometer for this cook. So, if you do just wait for the 175 degrees F internal temperature to pull.
We enjoy them with various side dishes like Cheesy Garlic Bread; Crispy Breaded Mushroom Bites; and our favorite Twice-Baked Potatoes.
Yes. What is important is the low & slow smoke for this cook to get the drumsticks tender and juicy.
Honestly, we have not done a low-temperature cook like this in the oven. I think it could be a starting point for you. The time and the final result may vary from our recipe.
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?
Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
Equipment
- BBQ Grill (or Smoker)
- Tray
- Mesquite smoking wood
- Instant read thermometer (Remote thermometer)
- BBQ tongs
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 pounds chicken drumsticks 12 pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked Paprika
Instructions
Prep Chicken Drumsticks
- Unpack the chicken drumsticks and pat them dry with paper towels
- Coat the drumsticks with olive oil
- Place them on a tray
Add Smoked Chicken Rub
- Make the dry rub: combine salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and smoked Paprika in a small bowl
- Sprinkle the dry rub on the drumsticks
- Place them in the refrigerator
Preheat BBQ & Cook
- Preheat BBQ or smoker to 250 degrees F
- Set up for indirect cooking method
- Add 2 mesquite wood chunks
- Put the drumsticks on the preheated BBQ
- Close the lid and smoke for 45-minutes
- Check the drumsticks at 45-minutes, if you do not have a remote thermometer
- If using an instant-read thermometer you will need to check internal temperature occasionally during the final half of the cook
- Cook approximately another 45 – 55 minutes, until the internal temperature of 175 degrees F is reached
- Remove the chicken drumsticks. Rest for 5-minutes
- Serve and Enjoy!
These look amazing! I’ve pulled some drumsticks out and I’m definitely going to try this tonight!