You will find a wonderful weeknight dinner option in these easy baked bbq chicken drumsticks. The homemade tangy, paleo bbq sauce makes for both a fabulous marinade and dipping sauce. These drumsticks are healthy, juicy, and delicious!
Super juicy, baked BBQ chicken drumsticks
I'm a sucker for juicy chicken recipes. If I am baking or broiling chicken in the oven and it comes out a bit dry, I am thoroughly disappointed.
I don't make a lot of white meat chicken recipes, but I knew I wanted to try my hand at barbecue chicken drumsticks because barbecue chicken is one of my husband's favorite things to eat.
By thoroughly coating the drumsticks with the sauce/marinade and giving them proper time to first sear/broil before baking them, they really retain a lovely moisture level and flavor.
- They are the perfect dish to have on hand all week long for meal prepping as they will go well with many side dishes.
- The barbecue sauce lasts so long and can be used as a marinade in other dishes or as dipping sauce!
- This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, nut free, and paleo.
How to make baked bbq chicken drumsticks
Make BBQ sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, add all of the sauce ingredients except for the liquid smoke. Stir well to combine and let it simmer for roughly 5-7 minutes, letting all of the flavors meld together and stirring occasionally.
Carefully transfer the barbecue sauce to a blender pitcher. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy throughout. Transfer to a glass jar, leaving the lid off so it begins to cool. Stir in the liquid smoke.
Marinate chicken: Pat dry the chicken drumsticks with a paper towel and sprinkle generously on both sides with kosher salt. Using a silicon brush, brush the chicken drumsticks with ½ cup of barbecue sauce. Set aside the rest.
Cover, and set in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
Sear chicken: Set the broiler to high heat with a rack positioned a few inches below it. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a metal cooling rack inside of it. Arrange the marinated chicken on the rack with space between each drumstick.
Slide the pan under the broiler, and broil chicken until you begin to see brown charred spots, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken, and sear the other side until it is browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Turn the oven to temperature down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and move the rack into the middle of the oven.
Finish cooking chicken: Brush chicken all over with another ½ cup (but leave behind 1 tablespoon) of the sauce. Slide into the oven and bake about 15 minutes. Flip the chicken, and brush with the remaining tablespoon of sauce anywhere it's bare.
Continue baking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, approximately another 15 to 20 minutes.
Serve hot with leftover barbecue sauce. Enjoy!
Homemade paleo barbecue sauce
I don't know about you, but I truly prefer a tangy yet balanced barbecue sauce.
I tend to favor honey barbecue sauces or ones that are fruit forward with some zing.
I decided to try my hand at creating something similar at home by coconut aminos and honey for sweetness to balance out the balsamic vinegar in the recipe.
What's really awesome about this is sauce is that it takes very little time to whip up. I love that it also doubles as both a marinate and a dipping sauce.
Sophie does not like white meat chicken, and once she got a taste of dipping this chicken into the sauce, she ate nearly 4 ounces of it. Unbelievable, girl.
How do I store it?
It an be stored in an airtight container n the refrigerator or the freezer.
How long will it last in the refrigerator?
It will last in the refrigerator for up to 3 months or in the freezer for up to 1 year.
You will have plenty of barbecue sauce leftover afterwards, and I recommend using it for all of the things:
- Roasted veggies & potatoes
- Mix it with my homemade paleo mayo and make it a BBQ aioli!
- Pair it with this gluten free & vegan cornbread.
More healthy chicken recipes you'll love:
Easy Baked Gluten Free Chicken Strips
Easy Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
BBQ Sauce
- ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ cup filtered water
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 ½ tablespoons dijon mustard
- 3 ½ tablespoons coconut aminos
- 4 garlic cloves
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
Chicken Drumsticks
- 2 pounds organic chicken drumsticks pat dry
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup barbecue sauce divided
Instructions
BBQ Sauce
- In a medium saucepan over medium low heat, add all of the sauce ingredients except for the liquid smoke. Stir well to combine and let it simmer for roughly 5-7 minutes, letting all of the flavors meld together and stirring occasionally.
- Carefully transfer the barbecue sauce to a blender pitcher. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes until smooth and creamy throughout. Transfer to a glass jar, leaving the lid off so it begins to cool. Stir in the liquid smoke.
Chicken Drumsticks
- Marinate chicken: Pat dry the chicken drumsticks with a paper towel and sprinkle generously on both sides with kosher salt. Using a silicon brush, brush the chicken drumsticks with ½ cup of barbecue sauce. Set aside the rest.
- Cover, and set in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.
- Sear chicken: Set the broiler to high heat with a rack positioned a few inches below it. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a metal cooling rack inside of it. Arrange the marinated chicken on the rack with space between each drumstick.
- Slide the pan under the broiler, and broil chicken until you begin to see brown charred spots, about 6 minutes. Flip the chicken, and sear the other side until it is browned, about 3 to 5 minutes.
- Turn the oven to temperature down to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and move the rack into the middle of the oven.
- Finish cooking chicken: Brush chicken all over with another ½ cup (but leave behind 1 tablespoon) of the sauce. Slide into the oven and bake about 15 minutes. Flip the chicken, and brush with the remaining tablespoon of sauce anywhere it's bare.
- Continue baking until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F, approximately another 15 to 20 minutes.
- Serve hot with leftover barbecue sauce. Enjoy!
I'm still licking the BBQ sauce off my fingers -- I can't yet enough!
Only one note -- the liquid smoke goes in the sauce, it's not a part of the chicken preparation, as the listed ingredients might suggest.I figured that out later (oops).
Easy prep and my 2 year old toddler (who is picky) dug into it! So thrilled -- this recipe is a keeper!
Heck yeah!!!!! OOPS. Will fix this ingredient list situation- thank you, friend!