Baked Chicken Drumsticks BBQ (Print Version)

Tender baked chicken drumsticks glazed with smoky BBQ sauce, ideal for quick, flavorful dinners.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 8 skin-on chicken drumsticks (approx. 2 lbs)
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
06 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder

→ BBQ Sauce

07 - ½ cup BBQ sauce (store-bought or homemade, gluten-free if necessary)
08 - 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
09 - 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
10 - ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Heat oven to 425°F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and, if desired, place a wire rack on top for crispier skin.
02 - Pat chicken drumsticks dry thoroughly with paper towels to ensure crisping.
03 - Combine olive oil, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Toss drumsticks until evenly coated.
04 - Place drumsticks spaced evenly on the prepared baking rack or directly on the foil-lined sheet.
05 - Bake drumsticks uncovered for 25 minutes.
06 - While baking, mix BBQ sauce, honey, apple cider vinegar, and chili powder in a small bowl until combined.
07 - Remove drumsticks from oven and brush all sides generously with BBQ glaze. Return to oven and bake an additional 15 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 165°F and glaze is caramelized.
08 - Allow drumsticks to rest for 5 minutes off heat before plating to retain juices.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • Sticky, caramelized skin without deep-frying or hours of fussing.
  • The whole thing comes together in under an hour, leaving your kitchen calm and your table happy.
  • Drumsticks are forgiving—you can't really mess them up, which takes the pressure off.
02 -
  • If your drumsticks are browning too fast, tent them loosely with foil for the second bake—oven temperatures vary, and you'd rather have moist meat with mild sauce than burnt edges.
  • The wire rack changes everything; if you have one, use it—the air circulation underneath is what creates that textured, crispy skin.
03 -
  • Brush the sauce on only in the last 15 minutes of cooking—if you do it earlier, it can burn and turn bitter.
  • Save a little sauce to drizzle over the finished drumsticks at the table; fresh sauce against warm chicken is a texture contrast that people notice and love.

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