There is an easy, delicious way to make chicken drumsticks that doesn’t include a grill, smoker, or oven. It’s the crock-pot, and good crock-pot chicken drumsticks come down to two things: the quality of your chicken, and the quality of your sauce.
What are chicken drumsticks?
Drumsticks are the bottom part of a chicken leg that includes an easy-to-grab bone and rich white meat. The whole chicken leg includes both the drumstick and the thigh.
Why should you use a crock-pot for drumsticks?
There are a few reasons why cooking chicken drumsticks in a crock-pot is worth your time.
It’s easy
Crock-pots are the ultimate set-and-forget-it meal. Coming home to tender chicken that you can serve over rice or next to some easy vegetables is such a treat. You can also use thawed or frozen chicken straight from the fridge or freezer. I’m not going to argue that crock-pot is the absolute best way to make chicken drumsticks (I prefer chicken leg confit), but it wins in labor- -to-taste ratio.
It’s delicious
Fall-off-the-bone chicken is always delicious and perfect for serving over rice or in a casserole, and if you are craving crispiness you can always finish it in a broiler to bring out a bit of contrast.
There are endless variations
Whatever flavor you want, all it takes is some seasoning or a sauce. Feeling BBQ? Make a quick homemade bbq sauce or use your favorite store brand. Feeling Korean? Add some soy sauce and gochujang. Want pasta? Cook it down in tomato sauce. You get the idea.
You can also decide whether or not to make sides inside the pot or outside the pot. Some crock-pot recipes suggest putting the sides in with the chicken while cooking. Think of putting potatoes and carrots beneath the chicken, or cooking it down with rice to create a quasi-risotto. That makes dinner even easier, but you can also whip up sides and treat the chicken as the main protein.
How to make slow cooker chicken drumsticks
Making chicken in a slow cooker is easy. All you need is chicken, some liquid or sauce, optional seasonings, and whatever other ingredients you want to throw in with it.
Here’s how to do it:
- Thaw your chicken in the fridge the night before if frozen.
- Pat your chicken dry.
- Choose your sauce and seasoning adventure (see recipes below).
- Place the chicken in the crock-pot.
- Cover the chicken with your sauce or season generously and add broth until just covered.
- Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours.
- Optional: broil chicken in the oven after cooking for extra crispiness.
We recommend pastured poultry for the best test and nutrition.
For a few tasty combinations of sauces and seasonings, try these:
- Italian salad dressing + chicken
- BBQ sauce and yellow onions
- Brown sugar + soy sauce
- Green chiles and crushed tomatoes, mozzarella at the end
- Cream of mushroom soup + onion soup packet
- Soy sauce + ramen seasoning packets
- Heavy cream, parmesan, and italian seasoning
- Olives, feta, and onions
- Salt and pepper + broth (doesn’t have to be fancy!)
10 chicken drumstick crock-pot recipes
We tried to choose a good mix of sauces, flavors, and spices. If any of these say to use a different part of the chicken, you can just sub in drumsticks and it will be fine. Happy cooking!
1. Crock-pot tuscan chicken
This recipe from The Recipe Critic uses creamy parmesan and sun-dried tomatoes for a Tuscan spin. The easiest way to mess this up is to add your spinach too early. Add it at the very end right before you are going to eat! This keeps the colors bright and the taste fresh.
2. Herbed lemon chicken in a crock-pot
Lemon and chicken are a classic combination, and this crock-pot recipe from Food.com uses a sort of mirepoix and lemon juice for an acidic kick. To take this up a notch, serve over rice with fried lemon rings.
3. Slow cooker glazed chicken drumsticks
These Asian-glazed drumsticks are great and don’t require anything esoteric. You just need sriracha, honey, garlic, soy sauce, and ginger. Toasted sesame seeds if you want to go all the way. Easy Weeknight Recipes shows you how to get it done!
4. Slow cooker BBQ chicken legs
For a BBQ night, use this recipe from Julia Pachecho. I’d shred the meat once it is soft enough to remove the drumsticks and serve it with buns and potato salad. Pickles on the side. You can also make an Alabama white sauce to really make things shine.
5. Crock-pot buffalo drumsticks
These tender buffalo chicken drumsticks from Heidi’s Home Cooking are like a cross between a dip and fried wings. Make a homemade ranch and use Frank’s hot sauce for the most classic experience!
6. Slow cooker lemon feta chicken
For a Mediterranean spin, use this herbed lemon chicken recipe from Food.com. Serve it with rice, fresh kalamata olives, pita, and tabouleh for a delicious night in.
7. Slow cooker gluten-free garlic drumsticks
For an easy, gluten-free meal, use this slow cooker recipe from Mash-up Mom. It’s about as easy as a recipe can get. I’d add a little bit of fresh lemon juice at the very end to help add some balance and depth.
8. Crock-pot drumsticks and potatoes
A true throw-and-go crock-pot recipe from the TexMex Mom. Sear some drumsticks, throw them in the slow cooker, add some potatoes and carrots, and season to your heart’s content.
9. Sweet chili chicken drumsticks in the crock-pot
For a Thai direction (think ginger and soy sauce), use this sweet chili chicken drumstick recipe from Five Heart Home. Don’t skip the broiling at the end; it makes all the difference.
10. Slow cooker sesame chicken
For another Asian spin, use this recipe from Art From My Table. Beware of how strong sesame oil is! I can’t tell you how many times I have added too much to a recipe. A little goes a long way.
Extra crock-pot drumsticks tips
Sear before placing them in the crock-pot for added flavor
As a general rule, thawing and then browning (but not overcooking) the drumsticks can add additional depth. Do this before placing it in the crock-pot, but don’t do this if you are planning on broiling at the end. Just like a steak, browning the drumsticks forces the amino acids and sugars to react and unlock delicious flavor compounds. This is known as the Maillard reaction.
Use caution if throwing frozen chicken in the crock-pot
You can throw frozen chicken right in the crock-pot, but minimize the time it spends in the danger zone (40º to 140º) by preheating the crock-pot and not putting huge drumsticks in. It’s also better to cook the drumsticks until almost done before adding in vegetables to prevent contamination.
Add fresh herbs and quickly-cooked vegetables at the end
Crock-potting is the perfect vehicle for a “little of this, little of that” energy, but try to stagger your vegetables and herbs to how long they need to cook. You shouldn’t add spinach at the beginning of a 6-hour recipe, but you can add mushrooms. If using fresh herbs, add them in the last 30 minutes instead of at the beginning to preserve their fragrance and texture.
Chicken drumstick crock-pot FAQ
Here are a few common questions people ask about crock-pots and drumsticks!
How long does it take to cook chicken legs in a crock-pot?
You can cook drumsticks on high for around four hours or low for six hours as a general guide.
Can I put raw chicken in a crock-pot?
It’s safest to preheat the crock-pot beforehand and/or sear briefly beforehand, but people put raw drumsticks in the crock-pot all of the time.
Can I put frozen drumsticks in the crock-pot?
While it is safer to use thawed drumsticks, if you preheat your crock-pot and cook it on high, you should minimize risk.
Do I need to put any liquid in when cooking drumsticks in a crock-pot?
You don’t need to, but we recommend putting in a little bit of broth if you aren’t using a sauce.
Where to get good chicken drumsticks
From good sources! Eating healthy starts with buying healthy, and 100% pasture-raised chicken is better for your taste buds and your health.
Industrial poultry suffers from some of the worst practices in the meat industry: disease is rampant, chickens are fed corn and low-quality grain from birth, and they often never see a bit of sunlight. All of that disease, bad diet, and medicine transfers to the taste, nutrition, and quality of the chicken we buy. In other words, we are what we eat, eats.
In contrast, our pastured chickens are raised on family farms based right here in the United States, where they roam in open pastures pecking insects, worms, grasses, seeds, and whatever else nature intended. Nothing about their lives is rushed or forced, so our chickens all mature at their natural pace — just as it should be.
We never use antibiotics or added growth hormones and only use natural, non-GMO supplemental grains. We never compromise on that, and we are proud of our sustainable partnerships with USA poultry farmers. As soon as you take your first bite, you will understand exactly why we go through all of the trouble it takes to raise poultry as naturally as possible.
Check out our pasture-raised drumsticks selection.
Conclusion
Chicken is perfect for anyone looking to eat a little leaner, and it is great for crock-pots because chicken takes on the flavor of whatever you cook it in.
There are so many amazing ways to make chicken drumsticks in your crock-pot, from sweet chili drumsticks with a side of white rice to creamy parmesan chicken over pasta.
Just pick a recipe, throw the ingredients in, and come back to a delicious dinner. Enjoy!
Nathan Phelps
Nathan Phelps owns and writes for Crafted Copy, a boutique copywriting shop that finds the perfect words for interesting products. He is also an ethical foodie, outdoors-aficionado, and hails from Nashville, TN. He splits his time between helping sustainable businesses find new customers and managing his ever-increasing list of hobbies, which include playing guitar, baking bread, and creating board games.
