All you need to make these irresistible instant pot chicken drumsticks are some simple seasonings, broth, your favorite barbecue sauce, and about half an hour!
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The beauty of the instant pot is that you can cook as many drumsticks at a time as you can fit in the pot. Once the cook time is up, just toss them in your favorite barbecue sauce, stick them under the broiler for a few minutes if you want them extra crispy, then enjoy!
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- How to make delicious and easy instant pot BBQ chicken legs
- The super simple way to get the skin nice and crispy
- What to do if you want to make frozen drumsticks in the instant pot
- How to store leftover chicken drumsticks
- What to serve with instant pot chicken legs
I love how this recipe can take you from raw drumsticks to a fully-prepared meal in about half an hour. And bone-in drumsticks make such great finger food! This instant pot chicken legs recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner the whole family will love.
I made this recipe using my Instant Pot 6-Quart Duo Nova. It’s the perfect size for my family of four and makes releasing the steam so much easier than the standard Instant Pot.
How to Make Instant Pot Drumsticks
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: In a small bowl, mix the salt, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper until well combined.
STEP TWO: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season the drumsticks liberally with the seasoning.
STEP THREE: Pour the chicken broth into the inner pot, then place the trivet inside. Lay the drumsticks on top of the trivet.
STEP FOUR: Secure instant pot lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on MANUAL HIGH pressure for 15 minutes.
STEP FIVE: Once the cook time is up, perform a quick release of the pressure, but allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before removing it from the pot.
Check your Instant Pot chicken drumsticks using an Instant-Read Thermometer prior to coating with BBQ sauce and eating. If your chicken does not read 165 degrees, place it back in the Instant Pot and bring to pressure for another 2 minutes.
STEP SIX: Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and toss them in your favorite BBQ sauce. I love to use my homemade 2-ingredient BBQ sauce, but also love Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce.
OPTIONAL: Set your oven broiler to high. Place the sauced drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes or until browned slightly. Brush on more sauce after removing them from the oven if desired.
You can also use your air fryer lid to crisp up the drumsticks for 2 to 4 minutes as well!
Other Delicious BBQ Chicken Recipes:
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Wings
- Ninja Foodi Chicken Thighs with BBQ
- BBQ Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Country-Style Ribs
- Air Fryer Pork Steaks
Tips for Making Instant Pot Chicken Legs
- If you can let the drumsticks broil for a few minutes after you sauce them, it’s so worth it! The BBQ will caramelize slightly, giving your drumsticks an amazing, crispy skin.
- Never fill your instant pot past the Max Fill line. Over-filling the pot can prevent it from coming up to pressure.
- Pat the chicken as dry as possible before you apply the seasoning. This will help the drumsticks get crispier while cooking.
How Long to Cook Chicken Legs in the Instant Pot
The actual cook time for this recipe will be 15 minutes at high pressure with an extra 5 minutes of rest time after.
The instant pot will also take a few minutes to come up to pressure before the cook time begins, which will depend on how full the pot is. Overall, it should take 25 to 30 minutes total.
How to Cook Frozen Chicken Legs in the Instant Pot
1. In a small bowl, mix the salt, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper until well combined.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season the drumsticks liberally with the seasoning.
3. Pour the chicken broth into the inner pot, then place the trivet inside. Lay the drumsticks on top of the trivet.
4. Secure instant pot lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on MANUAL HIGH pressure for 20 minutes.
5. Once the cooking time is up, perform a quick release of the pressure, but allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before removing it from the pot.
Check your Instant Pot chicken drumsticks using an Instant-Read Thermometer prior to coating with BBQ sauce and eating.
6. Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and toss them in your favorite BBQ sauce.
OPTIONAL: Set your oven broiler to high. Place the sauced drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes or until browned slightly. Brush on more sauce after removing them from the oven if desired.
You can also use your air fryer lid to crisp up the drumsticks for 2 to 4 minutes.
Can You Stack Chicken Drumsticks in the Instant Pot When Cooking?
Yes! One of the nice things about using an instant pot is that stacking your food won’t affect the cooking process, so you can cook more at one time.
Just make sure not to stack the ingredients higher than the Max Fill line.
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer Frozen Mozzarella Sticks
- Air Fryer Hush Puppies
- Air Fryer Nachos
- Easy Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower
- Loaded Pub Fries with Cheese and Bacon
And check out all the air fryer vegetable recipes you can make here!
How to Store Leftovers
If you have any extra Instant Pot chicken drumsticks, you can store them in an airtight container or plastic gallon bag.
They’ll stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to four days.
How to Reheat Leftover Instant Pot Drumsticks
You can warm up leftover chicken drumsticks in the microwave or in the oven. I recommend using a low temperature so they don’t dry out while warming up.
Alternatively, if you have an air fryer, that’s my favorite way to reheat leftovers! It re-crisps the outside while the meat stays nice and juicy.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Place the drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until warmed through.
And if you’re looking to make BBQ drumsticks in the air fryer instead, you can follow our recipe here.
Other Instant Pot Recipes You’ll Love:
- Instant Pot French Onion Chicken
- Instant Pot Steak
- Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
- Instant Pot Sirloin Tip Roast
- Frozen Ham in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls
- Instant Pot Chicken Stroganoff
- Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Frozen Dumplings
- 5-Ingredient Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
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Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 ½ pounds chicken drumsticks about 6
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ½ cup BBQ Sauce
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine salt, paprika, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper, mixing well. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season the drumsticks liberally with the seasoning.
- Pour the chicken broth into the inner pot, then place the trivet inside. Place the drumsticks on top of the trivet.
- Secure and seal the instant pot lid, and cook on MANUAL HIGH pressure for 15 minutes. Perform a quick release of the pressure at the end of the cook time, but allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before removing it from the pot.
- Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and toss them in your favorite BBQ sauce.
- OPTIONAL: Set your oven broiler to high. Place the saucy drumsticks on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 2 to 4 minutes or until browned slightly, brushing on more sauce after removing them from the oven, if desired.
Notes
HOW TO COOK FROZEN CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS IN THE INSTANT POT:
- Follow all instructions as written, but pressure cook the drums for 20 minutes instead.
HOW TO REHEAT CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS IN AIR FRYER:
- Preheat the air fryer to 350 degrees F.
- Place the drumsticks in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 5 to 8 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
We all LOVED these chicken legs!!
I love how easy this recipe is! It sounds so delicious and I can’t wait to try it as my family LOVES BBQ chicken!
Simple, easy, and delicious drumsticks!
Looks fantastic. I’m making this for dinner tomorrow.
Sounds delicious! Do you leave the skin on the drums, or remove?
Hi Lori, I keep the skins on when I cook them!
do you increase the cook time if you have 10 lbs of chicken legs?
Hi Donna, no, you can keep the same cooking time and just increase the ingredients! I just recommend not cramming the chicken drumsticks in the Instant to make them fit. If you’re using an 8 qt or 10 qt Instant Pot, you will need some extra broth in there as well as the pots need more liquid to pressure cook correctly.
What if you don’t have the trivet thingy can you put the drumsticks in the pressure cooker
Hi Deonna, I recommend using some sort of wire rack or something to keep the chicken above the water so it doesn’t turn out soggy.
Best chicken ever love love Love this recipe thanks for sharing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 stars