Smoked Chicken Legs – Easy and Juicy
This post may include affiliate links, meaning I will earn a small commission if you purchase through my link. Affiliate Disclaimer.
Smoked Chicken Legs are easy and oh-so flavorful; you’ll be licking your fingers! The secret lies in the amazing sweet and spicy rub, as well as the simple smoking process. Enjoy them as is or brush on some of your favorite barbecue sauce; either way, they’re perfect!
As soon as summer hits, our smoker comes out, and someone in my house is asking for these smoked chicken legs—and I’m always happy to say yes. They’re easy to prep, full of smoky flavor, and they disappear fast!
Why You’ll Love Smoked Chicken Legs
Chicken is one of the easiest cuts of meat to smoke, and drumsticks are especially beginner-friendly. One of the best parts about smoking chicken legs is that they cook quickly, so you don’t have to wait hours to enjoy that delicious smoky flavor.
Drumsticks are all dark meat, which means they’re naturally juicy, flavorful, and forgiving. Since they’re small, they’re done in just over an hour. Then, a few minutes on a hot grill is all it takes to get that perfectly crisp skin.
The brown sugar–based rub is what makes these smoked chicken legs so popular. It adds just the right mix of sweet and spicy, and it goes so well with the rich, smoky flavor from the wood chips.
This flavorful blend is also incredibly versatile. You’ll want to use it on everything—from a whole smoked chicken to Smoked Turkey Legs and Oven BBQ Chicken Wings. It is even great on ribs!
I promise, this simple recipe will have you feeling like a grill master in no time. And if you’re ready to take things up a notch, try my Smoked Prime Rib. It’s bold, flavorful, and perfect for your next special occasion or backyard feast.
Ingredients and Notes for Smoked Chicken
- Chicken Legs: Chicken legs or chicken drumsticks are the portion of the whole leg (AKA chicken quarters) that has been separated from the thigh. I recommend leaving the skin because it keeps the meat moist, producing the juiciest chicken and most flavor.
- Brown sugar: This is the base of the rub, giving it a sweet and caramel undertone.
- Cayenne Pepper: The cayenne adds a spicy kick to the chicken. If you don’t want a spicy dish, you can reduce the amount in recipe or omit it altogether.
- Kosher Salt: I prefer the flavor of kosher salt in this rub, but you can substitute regular table salt if that’s what you have on hand. If you are using regular table salt, you must cut the quantity in half because it is saltier by volume than Kosher salt.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Prepare your smoker:
- We use apple, cherry, or hickory wood chips when smoking chicken. Apple and cherry will give the chicken a slightly sweet, fruity smoke flavor, and hickory adds an almost meaty flavor. They all complement the flavor of chicken, so you can’t go wrong with any of them.
- Bring the smoker up to a temperature between 225°F and 250°F. Cooking the chicken at lower temperatures means more smoky flavor will be absorbed.
- Make the spice rub: Combine all the herbs and spices in a bowl or jar and mix until completely and evenly combined.
Photo 1: Prepare the drumsticks: Dry the chicken legs with paper towels. Pull the skin down and rub a small amount of olive oil over the chicken. Sprinkle the dry rub evenly over the legs, then pull the skin back up. Rub the skin with olive oil, and finally coat it with the spice rub.
Photo 2: Smoke the chicken legs: Place the chicken legs directly on the grill grates of your smoker, cover, and cook them for between 1 and 1 1/2 hours. Cooking the legs to an internal temperature of 170°F-175°F will produce tender, juicy meat.
Photo 3: Finish on high heat: For nice crispy skin, place the legs on a hot grill for a few minutes on each side. When you remove them from the grill, tent them with aluminum foil and let them rest for about 10 minutes.
Cooking Tips for Best Results
- Dry the chicken legs and let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Removing the extra moisture from the surface of the meat will help to create crispy chicken skin.
- Make extra rub and store it in a jar so it’s ready whenever you want to grill or smoke chicken or ribs.
- This dry rub recipe has a bit of a kick to it, so if you want to tone down the spice, simply reduce the amount of cayenne pepper or omit it altogether.
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes after applying the dry rub. This gives the chicken some time to absorb some of the flavors from the rub.
- Insert an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the drumstick to check the internal temperature of the chicken legs.
- Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, but cooking the dark meat to a higher temperature will further break down the tendons, resulting in tender and juicy meat.
- The higher the temperature of your smoker, the faster the chicken will cook. I find that letting it cook at 225°F for a little while longer produces a smokier flavor and more tender meat.
- This recipe works on any type of smoker (charcoal, electric or pellet smoker) as long as you maintain the proper temperature.
Storing and Reheating Recommendations
Leftover smoked chicken legs can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if they are in an airtight container or a plastic zipper bag with the excess air removed.
They can be reheated in the microwave, but to make sure they stay moist, it is best to reheat them in the oven. Set your oven to 350°F. Place the chicken on a rack set over a baking pan and pour a little water in the bottom of the pan. Bake the chicken for 10-15 minutes or until it is heated through.
What to Serve with Smoked Chicken Drumsticks
As with BBQ chicken, there are endless possibilities for side dishes to pair with smoked chicken legs. Some of our favorite sides include traditional Moist Cornbread or Sweet Potato Cornbread, Italian Pasta Salad, Watermelon Salad, Green Bean and Potato Salad, Grilled Eggplant with Garlic and Balsamic, Steak fries, or even Roasted Sweet Potatoes.
If you want to try something new, serve my Cranberry Orange Chutney with these chicken legs. The sweet, tart flavors in the chutney pair perfectly with spicy, smoked chicken.
Smoked Chicken Legs FAQs
Chicken skin needs to be cooked at a higher temperature for it to dry out and crisp up. Removing any excess moisture before cooking it and finishing it over high heat will result in the crispiest skin.
Smoking meat creates a “smoke ring,” which is pink in color. The same thing happens with chicken when it is cooked low and slow on a smoker. Red’s True Barbecue explains the science behind it. So don’t mistake the pink coloring for undercooked chicken.
I love to get your feedback so if you tried this recipe for Smoked Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) or any other recipes on this website, please leave me a comment below. I hope you enjoy our recipes and look forward to hearing from you!
You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for more recipes your family will love!
Smoked Chicken Legs – Easy and Juicy
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Enza’s Quail Hollow Kitchen
Ingredients
- 12 Chicken drumsticks
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tbsp Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Black Pepper ground
- ½ tsp Cayenne
- 1 tsp Thyme dried
- ½ tsp Onion Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225℉ and add several chunks of apple, hickory or cherry wood.
- Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken legs, in a bowl or jar and mix until evenly combined.
- Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel. Brush the drumsticks with olive oil then sprinkle completely with the spice rub, including under the skin.
- Place the chicken legs on the grate of the smoker, cover and cook until the internal temperature reaches 170-175℉.
- Turn up the heat of the smoker to high or move the drumsticks to a hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken skin is crisped to your liking. Remove from the heat, cover with aluminum foil and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Cooking Tips
- Don’t skip drying off the chicken legs. Removing the extra moisture from the surface of the meat will help to create that crispy chicken skin.
- Make extra rub and keep it in a jar so it is ready any time you want to grill or smoke chicken or ribs.
- This dry rub recipe has a bit of a kick to it so if you want to tone down the spice, just cut back on the cayenne pepper or omit it all together.
- Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes after you have put the dry rub on it.
- Insert an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the drumstick to check the internal temperature of the chicken legs.
- Chicken is safe to eat at 165°F, but cooking the dark meat to a higher temperature will break down the tendons further resulting in tender and juicy meat.
- The higher the temperature of your smoker the faster the chicken will cook. I find that letting it cook at 225°F for a little while longer produces smokier flavor and more tender meat.
- This recipe works on any type of smoker (charcoal, electric or pellet smoker) as long as you maintain the proper temperature.
Just the right heat and smoke flavor.
This rub and sauce is so good!
This rub is so good! No sauce needed.