Easy Spice-Rubbed Grilled Chicken Drumsticks with BBQ Sauce

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 30 mins

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 4 Servings

Grilled chicken may sound like a ho-hum option when you’re planning your next grilled meal, but if you make an easy spice rub (with just five ingredients!) and use your favorite ketchup- or tomato-based barbecue sauce (store-bought is great!), it’s easy to turn ordinary chicken drumsticks into a sticky, slightly sweet and nicely charred meal that friends and family will love. Served with potato salad and slices of ice-cold watermelon, you couldn’t ask for a more summer-y meal. Plus, leftovers are delicious cold the next day for a quick and easy meal.

Ingredients

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon packed light or dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic granules
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
8 chicken drumsticks (2 to 2 1/2 pounds total)
Vegetable oil, for oiling the grill
1/2 cup tomato or ketchup-based barbecue sauce, plus more for serving

Instructions

Place 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic granules, and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Pat 8 chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels. Place in the spice mixture and toss with your hands until the chicken is evenly coated. If grilling immediately, let sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes while you heat the grill. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate up to overnight.
Heat an outdoor grill for medium, direct heat (350 to 375ºF). If the chicken has been refrigerated, let it sit at room temperature while the grill is heating.
Scrape the grill grates clean if needed. Oil the grill grates with a folded paper towel dipped in vegetable oil. Place the chicken on the grill so the pieces are not touching. Cover and grill until grill marks appear on the bottom and the chicken releases easily from the grill, about 10 minutes. Flip the chicken, cover, and grill until grill marks appear on the other side, about 10 minutes more. Meanwhile, measure out 1/2 cup barbecue sauce.
Flip the chicken again. Brush generously with the barbecue sauce. Cover and grill for 5 minutes. Continue to flip and brush the chicken with barbecue sauce every 5 minutes until the chicken is charred in spots and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the drumstick not touching bone registers at least 165ºF, about 30 minutes total grilling time (you may not use all the barbecue sauce). Serve with more barbecue sauce if desired.