This post contains affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
These Cast Iron Chicken Drumsticks are packed with flavor and incredibly easy to make. With just the right amount of seasoning and a thick layer of BBQ sauce, all baked to perfection in one dish, it’s hard to go wrong!
Do you always seem to have chicken in your fridge at any given time?
I feel like I always do, whether that be drumsticks like the ones we have here or chicken breasts and thighs.
I guess it’s because throwing something together with chicken at the last minute is so easy. And I feel like I always cook at the last minute!
So I hope you like this recipe. It’s one of our favorites, right in line with my dutch oven fried chicken.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s incredibly easy to make. I love that you can throw this together very quickly, and it doesn’t require much hands-on time.
- It’s incredibly delicious. There’s nothing quite like the crispy, flavorful skin and juicy meat of this barbecue chicken. It’s a simple yet satisfying meal.
- It’s family-friendly. This meal is always a crowd-pleaser, guaranteed to satisfy even the fussiest eaters.
Recipe Ingredients
- 6-8 Medium-Size Drumsticks (Defrosted): Make sure they’re thawed completely for even cooking.
- Avocado Oil: I love avocado oil for its high smoke point and subtle nutty flavor. It’s perfect for searing our drumsticks to crispy perfection! (Feel free to use olive oil if that’s what you have on hand.)
- Sea Salt: A sprinkle of sea salt enhances all the other delicious flavors in this dish. Don’t skip it!
- Fresh Cracked Pepper: Freshly cracked pepper adds a touch of heat and depth of flavor. Give your pepper grinder a few good cranks!
- Garlic & Onion Powder: You can’t have one without the other!
- Paprika: Paprika adds a touch of smoky sweetness and a vibrant red color to the chicken.
- Cayenne Pepper (Optional): Like things a little spicy? Feel free to add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick! You can always adjust the amount to your taste preference.
- Barbecue Sauce (Your Favorite Kind!): This is where you can get creative! Use your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce or whip up your own homemade version. I won’t judge!
Cast Iron Chicken Drumstick Recipe
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss chicken with the dry rub ingredients, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
Step 2: Sear the drumsticks on all sides in a large skillet with avocado oil, flipping only once the skin becomes crispy and pulls away easily from the pan.
Step 3: Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven with oven mitts, baste the chicken with barbecue sauce, and return it to the oven for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Step 4: Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Expert Tips
- I suggest leaving the skillet uncovered so the chicken develops a crispy exterior. However, if you feel like the skin is getting too crispy, you can cover the skillet with aluminum foil during part of the cooking time.
- For best results, look for locally raised, organic chicken drumsticks.
- This recipe works best with defrosted chicken. If you do have frozen chicken, I would skip the searing step and go straight to baking it. You will need to adjust cook times accordingly 🙂
- Do you like an extra crispy layer on your chicken? Set your oven to broil for the last 5 minutes! Don’t forget about it, though! It can quickly go from crispy to charcoal in no time.
- Skip the oven altogether and put these pan-fried chicken drumsticks entirely on the stovetop. Just add a touch more oil to keep the pan-fried drumsticks from sticking, and rotate frequently until done. I use this method for my cast iron chicken breast recipe.
Simple BBQ Sauce Recipe
- 1 ½ cup of Ketchup
- ⅛ cup of apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup of brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon of soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- ½ tablespoon of lemon juice
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and bring it to a slow boil, stirring frequently.
Step 2: Reduce to simmer while continually stirring for 10 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from heat to cool.
I love this barbecue sauce recipe on my dutch oven spare ribs, too!
Serving suggestions
Cast iron drumsticks are the perfect, high-protein dish. Serve it with dutch oven baked beans and boiled asparagus; after all, you must have some greens.
Recipe FAQs
Depending on the thickness of the chicken legs, they can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
The higher the heat, the crispier the legs will be. I like to bake chicken at 400-425°F, which generally takes about 40-50 minutes to cook through.
Chicken must be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165° using an instant meat thermometer.
Yes, chicken can be cooked from frozen like these boiled chicken thighs; just add approximately 20-30 minutes to the total cooking time.
Related recipes
- Tuscan roasted whole chicken
- Stovetop coconut lime chicken
- Cast iron fried chicken
- Chicken pot pie
- Cajun roast chicken
If you tried this Cast Iron Chicken Drumstick Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Cast Iron Drumsticks
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 Medium-size drumsticks defrosted
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic and onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Barbecue sauce or see notes for our favorite homemade sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- Toss drumsticks in the dry seasonings.
- Add the oil to a preheated skillet on medium heat and sear the drumsticks for a total of 4 minutes, flipping every minute, or until each side is browned and crispy.
- Carefully transfer the skillet to the oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- Use oven mitts to remove the skillet and baste the chicken in barbeque sauce before returning to the oven to finish cooking for an additional 10-20 minutes.
- Let the meat rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
-
- I suggest leaving the skillet uncovered so the chicken develops a crispy exterior. However, if you feel like the skin is getting too crispy, you can cover the skillet with aluminum foil for the last few minutes of cooking.
- For best results, look for locally raised, organic chicken drumsticks.
- This recipe works best with defrosted chicken. If you do have frozen chicken, I would skip the searing step and go straight to baking it. You will need to adjust cook times accordingly 🙂
- Do you like an extra crispy layer on your chicken? Set your oven to broil for the last 5 minutes! Don’t forget about it, though! It can quickly go from crispy to charcoal in no time.
- I also included instructions for making your own BBQ sauce, as well as step-by-step pictures above!
These drumsticks look so delicious!