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Savor the ultimate summer flavor with these juicy, smoky, perfectly caramelized grilled BBQ chicken legs!
This easy recipe uses a flavorful dry rub and a slather of barbecue sauce to create tender, mouthwatering chicken with crispy skin and bold BBQ flavor.
Chicken legs are one of the easiest and most affordable cuts to grill, making them perfect for beginners and backyard pros alike.
Table of Contents
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe
🔥 Smoky, Saucy Perfection - Sweet and smoky dry rub + sticky BBQ glaze = unforgettable flavor.
🌚 Tender & Juicy - Cooked low and slow, then finished with saucy, high-heat caramelization.
🤝 BBQ Crowd Favorite - Perfect for backyard cookouts, picnics, or casual weeknight dinners.
💸 Budget Friendly - Chicken legs are affordable and packed with flavor.
🧂 Ingredients & Substitutions
- Chicken Legs: Use bone-in, skin-on drumsticks for best flavor. About 6-8 legs for 2 pounds.
- Dry Rub Spices: A simple mix of brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and mustard powder. You can swap in cayenne or chipotle for added heat.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite brand-honey, smoky, spicy, or sweet.
- Water: Just a splash to thin the BBQ sauce slightly for easier basting.
The full ingredient list with quantities is in the recipe card below at the bottom of the post.
🔧 Equipment
- Grill (gas or charcoal)
- Tongs
- Mixing bowls
- Meat thermometer
- Basting brush
🌿 Instructions (Step-by-Step)
Mix the dry rub. In a small bowl, combine all the dry rub spices.
Season the chicken. In a large bowl, toss the chicken legs with the dry rub until evenly coated. For best flavor, refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. You can grill immediately if short on time.
Prepare the BBQ sauce. If the BBQ sauce is too thick, mix the store-bought BBQ sauce with water in a small bowl and set aside. (Optional)
Preheat the grill. Set your gas grill to medium (350-375°F), or set up a charcoal grill for indirect medium-high heat. Clean and oil the grates.
Grill the chicken. Place chicken over direct medium heat (for gas grills) or indirect heat (for charcoal grills). Turn every 3-5 minutes until internal temp reaches 130-140°F, about 15-20 minutes. Watch for flare-ups.
Baste and finish. Move chicken to indirect heat (if not already there). Brush with BBQ sauce every 1-2 minutes, turning frequently, until nicely glazed and internal temp reaches 165°F or up to 180-190°F for fall-off-the-bone tenderness.
Rest and serve. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
🤔 Recipe Tips
- Preheat the Grill - Hot, clean grates prevent sticking and promote even cooking.
- Use a Thermometer - Chicken legs are safe at 165°F, but best at 180-190°F.
- Let It Rest - Always rest meat before serving to lock in juices.
- Don’t Crowd the Grill - Leave space between the legs to ensure proper air circulation.
- Watch for Flare-Ups - Move legs to a cooler part of the grill if fat drips cause flare-ups.
- Crispy Skin Secret - Pat chicken legs dry with paper towels before seasoning to help the skin crisp up.
⚛️ Variations
- Kick It Up - Add cayenne or hot sauce to the dry rub for a spicy twist.
- Get Saucy - Swap in your favorite BBQ sauce flavor: honey mustard, smoky chipotle, or sweet heat.
- Add Smoke - Use indirect heat with wood chips or a smoker box for extra smoky flavor.
🍽️ What To Serve With BBQ Chicken Legs
These BBQ chicken legs are perfect with classic summer sides like:
- A scoop of creamy, tangy Easy Picnic Potato Salad
- The irresistible crunch of Frito Crack Corn Salad
- Lightly charred Grilled Vegetables for a healthy, smoky complement
- Cool, light and refreshing Creamy Cucumber and Onion Salad or Mexican Cucumber Salad.
- And don't forget dessert-cool down with a bowl of tropical Pineapple Ice Cream
💬 Join The Conversation
Do you like your BBQ sauce sweet, spicy, smoky, or tangy? Let me know in the comments or tag your grill pics @flavormosaic!
Tried this recipe? Leave a star rating and review to help others find it!
🔗 More Grilling Recipes
💳 Nutritional Info
See nutrition information in the recipe card below. Nutrition values are estimates and will vary based on ingredients used.
📌 Save + Share
Loved it? Save this recipe on Pinterest and share it with your grilling crew!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar packed 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 pounds chicken legs
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and ground mustard.
Place the chicken legs in a large bowl and toss with all of the spices. Cover and place inthe fridge for 2 hours to marinate, or use immediately.- Stir together the bbq sauce and water until combined.
Preheat the grill to medium heat and oil the grates.- Place the chicken legs onto the grill and allow them cook, turning every few minutes until an internal temperature reaches 130-140°F. Time will depend on the size of the legs, but this should take 15-20 minutes.
- Baste the legs on both sides with the sauce, and continue to cook until an internal temperature reaches at least 165°F about another 10 minutes or until your desired doneness (180-190°F results in fall-off-the-bone meat). I like to rotate the legs every minute or so and baste with the bbq sauce each time so the sauce will caramelize.
- Once they hit your desired temperature, remove from the grill, let rest for about 5 minutes and then serve.
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