Home » Chicken Recipes » Honey BBQ Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Honey BBQ Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Published:January 4, 2019October 6, 2024 Updated on:October 6, 2024

Pin4.8K

Flip

Yum4.0K

8.8K Shares

JUMP TO RECIPE - PRINT RECIPE

Learn how to make barbecue chicken indoors with these Easy BBQ Baked Chicken Drumsticks. Smothered with a sweet and smoky thick barbecue sauce. Tender and moist oven baked chicken legs that everyone will love.

Within this post, you’ll learn how to make an easy Oven Baked Honey BBQ Chicken Drumsticks. It tastes like grilled chicken but made indoors. Plus you’ll learn why it’s better (and safer) not to rinse your chicken before cooking.

I’ve tried oven-baked chicken recipes before like Baked Breaded Chicken Breast. This time will try drumsticks and this may be the easiest oven baked BBQ drumsticks you’ve ever had. Only a few ingredients and short prep time are needed. Salt and pepper to the chicken legs bring out more flavor, and that’s it; easy oven baked BBQ chicken drumsticks. These drumsticks are so moist and juicy, you’ll be licking your fingers until the last bite.

Baked Chicken Drumsticks…BBQ Style

Just a few ingredients are needed for easy BBQ chicken drumsticks baked in the oven:

Chicken drumsticks: With the skin on (see why below)
BBQ sauce: Adds loads of flavor and a thick, saucy coating. Choose a good quality one with lots of flavor.
Honey: Adds a delicious sweetness to the sauce.
Salt and pepper: Enhances the flavor of meats.

How to bake chicken drumsticks

If chicken drumsticks are frozen, defrost in the fridge 1-3 days before.
Pat chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Place chicken drumsticks on a large foil or parchment lined baking pan. Lightly sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Mix together barbecue sauce and honey in a small bowl. Brush both sides of drumsticks with sauce.
Bake for 25 minutes at 375º F. Rotate drumsticks and generously coat tops with rest of sauce.
Bake 20–25 minutes more, or until chicken reaches a safe internal temp of 165º F.
Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

How to keep chicken moist

To help make baked chicken drumsticks moist buy chicken with the skin on. The skin adds a lot of flavor to the meat and it also helps seal in the moisture keeping the chicken juicy while cooking. Chicken drumsticks without the skin can easily dry out.

Coating in barbecue sauce keeps chicken legs moist as well. When it comes to the BBQ sauce choose a good quality one and mix it with honey. The honey adds extra sweetness and sticky texture to the sauce which I love, it also helps the sauce stick to the chicken.

Keep an eye on the internal temp and don’t overbake. Remove from oven once chicken drumsticks reach 165º F.

Tips for making Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Use good quality chicken (organic and/or free range) for the best flavor
If your drumsticks are frozen put in the fridge to defrost 1-3 days before
Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture and helps them crisp a bit
Don’t rinse chicken beforehand
Make sure to season the chicken well with salt and pepper before brushing with the glaze so it sticks
Cover baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup
Don’t cover chicken drumsticks when baking. This will create a soggy skin.
Rotate chicken legs halfway for even baking and a more crisp skin
Glaze the other side chicken legs when you rotate to keep moist and infuse more glaze into chicken

How to tell if chicken legs are cooked

Use a thermometer to check that internal temperature has reached 165º F. This is the safe temp for chicken and it will be cooked all the way through. If you don’t have a thermometer be sure the inside of the meat is no longer pink before serving.

Should you rinse chicken before cooking?

You should not wash chicken before cooking. It’s unnecessary and spreads bacteria. Chicken has already been cleaned and washed before packing. Rinsing spreads germs and bacteria in your kitchen sink.

You may have been told to rinse your chicken before cooking, or that’s what your family always did growing up. To be honest, I even used to do that. The safe temp for chicken is 165º F. As soon as it reaches that, your chicken is safe of any bacteria and is perfectly cooked. No washing needed.

Can you bake chicken drumsticks frozen?

You can by adding extra baking time but it’s not recommended. The skin my dry or brown too quickly, plus the BBQ sauce will not soak in as well. The flavor and texture will not be as good. If chicken legs are frozen, plan ahead and defrost in fridge 1-3 days before baking.

Are baked chicken drumsticks healthy?

Since these chicken drumsticks aren’t fried these can be a healthy addition to your dinner or appetizer menu. Each drumstick with skin has roughly 180 calories and 13 grams of protein. Not bad for so much flavor.

The BBQ sauce adds sugar so look for a lower sugar variety if desired. Honey adds sweetness and unique flavor but can be omitted to reduce sugar content.

Are they keto?

BBQ baked chicken legs can be a great addition to your keto diet matched with Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese. If following a high-fat diet, the skin will add plenty of fats paired with lean protein, plus chicken has no carbs or sugar.

Substitute a keto-approved barbecue sauce with no added sugars. Also, omit the honey.

BBQ Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe at-a-glance:

Flavor profiles: Meaty, roasted, and slightly sweet. Umami from tomato-based barbecue sauce.
Texture: Tender, moist and a thick, finger-licking sauce coating.
Dietary Options/Substitutions: Look for gluten-free or paleo barbecue sauce if needed. For keto chicken drumsticks use a keto-approved BBQ sauce and omit the honey.

More Easy Chicken Recipes You Might Like:

Brushing barbecue sauce over Oven Baked Honey BBQ Chicken Drumstick on white plate

BBQ Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Written by Matt | Plating Pixels

Easy Oven Baked Chicken Drumsticks smothered with sweet and smoky thick barbecue sauce.

5 from 11 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 45

Total Time 50

Course Barbecue

Cuisine American

Servings pieces

Calories 213 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

3-4 pounds chicken drumsticks (legs) skin on, 12–15 pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons honey

Instructions

If chicken drumsticks are frozen, place in the fridge to defrost 2-3 days before baking. Preheat oven to 375º F. Let chicken sit at room temp 20-30 minutes.
Pat chicken dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. Do not rinse before; see cooking tips section above for details.
Place chicken drumsticks on a large foil or parchment lined baking pan. Lightly sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
Mix together barbecue sauce and honey in a small bowl. Use a brush to generously coat both sides of chicken drumsticks with barbecue sauce. Note: use about ⅔ of the sauce.
Bake for 25 minutes. Rotate drumsticks and generously coat tops with rest of barbecue sauce. Note: If sauce spilled onto foil and is browned, transfer drumsticks to a clean baking sheet with foil to prevent burning of sauce.
Bake 20 minutes more, or until chicken reaches a safe internal temp of at least 165º F. Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Optional: Brush tops with additional barbecue sauce (that hasn't touched raw chicken) using a clean brush before serving.

Video

Notes

I used KC Masterpiece Private Stock Original BBQ for the sauce but any will do as long as it’s thick and has good flavor
Use good quality chicken (organic and/or free range) for the best flavor
Pat the chicken dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture
Don't rinse the chicken beforehand, rinsing spreads germs and bacteria in your kitchen sink.
Make sure to season the chicken well with salt and pepper before brushing with the glaze
Line baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup
Don't cover chicken drumsticks when baking. This will create a soggy skin.

Nutrition Facts

BBQ Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Amount per Serving

Calories

213

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Cholesterol

Sodium

568

Potassium

280

Carbohydrates

Fiber

Sugar

Protein

Vitamin A

140

Vitamin C

0.2

Calcium

Iron

0.8

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keyword baked bbq chicken legs, easy honey bbq chicken, honey bbq chicken

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!