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Home » Smoker » Smoked Chicken Legs

Smoked Chicken Legs

Published: Jul 9, 2023 · Modified: Sep 8, 2023 by Louisa Clements · This post may contain affiliate links

This post may contain affiliate links

Smoked chicken legs are a summer favorite to make on your pellet smoker. They are slightly sweet with a hint of heat and have a delicious crispy skin with juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken. Whether you’re a seasoned BBQ enthusiast or just starting out, this recipe guarantees tender, juicy chicken drumsticks with a delectable smokiness, thanks to a perfect dry seasoning rub.

Smoked chicken legs on a white platter.
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1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes 1 Comment

In the summertime, using my Traeger is one of my favorite ways to cook. I find learning to use it is an exciting and enjoyable challenge—it’s an entirely new way of cooking for me.

Making homemade smoked salmon on the Traeger is one of my go-to dishes. But salmon tends to be pricey, so adding a more affordable cut to your smoker repertoire will help manage your grocery budget.

Chicken drumsticks are one of those ingredients that are often on sale and are so delicious no matter how you cook them! I like to make drumsticks in my slow cooker, tender, fall-off-the-bone drumsticks in my Instant Pot, or simply roast chicken legs at high temperature in your oven.

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  • 📋 Ingredients you’ll need
  • 🔪 Step by step instructions
  • 📖 Variations
  • ❓FAQ

📋 Ingredients you’ll need

The ingredients for these smoked chicken legs couldn’t be easier. You’ll make a dry rub to add flavor and a crispy skin.

Ingredients for chicken drumsticks on a wooden board.
  • Chicken drumsticks are the star of the show here. If they have an excess amount of fat overhang, you can trim this off.
  • Olive oil is used to coat the chicken and help the spice rub adhere to it. The olive oil also helps with the browning and crisping of the skin.
  • For the dry rub you’ll use a combination of spices. In this rub, I’m using salt, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, thyme, cayenne pepper and onion powder.

🔪 Step by step instructions

The simple steps for this recipe mean that it’s easy to assemble and then you can just let your pellet grill cook the chicken legs.

Spice rub ingredients being combined in a glass bowl.

Combine all spices for the dry rub in a small bowl.

Olive oil being poured over chicken drumsticks in a glass bowl.

Toss drumsticks with olive oil.

Spice rub in a glass bowl being poured over chicken drumsticks in a larger glass bowl.

Season drumsticks all over with the dry rub, tossing to coat. Try and make sure they are all evenly coated.

Chicken legs in a bowl coated with spice rub.

The chicken should be well coated with the dry rub.

Once you’ve coated the chicken legs in the spice rub, you’ll cook them on your pellet grill at 350 for about 1 hour. Flipping the chicken legs halfway through.

Drumsticks cooking on the traeger.

📖 Variations

You can swap up the ingredients in your spice rub to experiment with flavor variations.

  • Spicy – Increase the amount of cayenne pepper or add chili flakes to the spice rub.
  • Saucy – These are not a saucy barbecue recipe, but you could absolutely add your favorite bbq sauce. Simply remove the chicken when it hits 155F and brush with barbecue sauce, return to the smoker and allow it to cook until 165F.
  • Buffalo style – Swap out the spice rub, and use my buffalo chicken drumsticks spice rub and sauce.

❓FAQ

How long does it take to smoke chicken legs at 350F?

The chicken will take about an hour to be fully cooked and juicy with crispy skin.

Do you flip chicken when smoking?

Yes, you flip the chicken halfway through to ensure even cooking and crispness on both sides of the chicken.

Closeup of chicken in a white dish.

Smoked Chicken Legs

Author: Louisa Clements
4 from 20 votes
Smoked chicken legs are a summer favorite to make on your pellet smoker. They are slightly sweet with a hint of heat and have a delicious crispy skin with juicy, fall-off-the-bone chicken seasoned with a delicious seasoning rub.
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Prep: 10 minutes minutes
Cook: 1 hour hour
Total: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

For chicken:

  • 2.5 lbs about 12 chicken drumsticks
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Dry Rub:

  • 2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

  • Preheat your pellet grill to 350F. Make sure to oil the grates to prevent sticking.
  • In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, garlic powder, dried thyme, onion powder mustard powder and cayenne pepper. Mix well to create the dry rub.
  • In a large bowl, toss the drumsticks with the olive oil to ensure they are evenly coated.
  • Sprinkle the prepared dry rub mixture evenly over the chicken drumsticks. Use your hands to massage the dry rub onto the chicken, ensuring each drumstick is well coated with the flavorful spices.
  • Arrange the seasoned chicken drumsticks on the preheated grill grates.
  • Smoke the chicken legs for approximately 1 hour, flipping them halfway through the cooking time. Cooking times may vary, so use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165F.

Notes

  1. If the drumsticks have excess fat, you can trim this off before cooking. 
  2. If you’d like to add bbq sauce, simply remove the chicken when it hits 155F, and brush with your favorite barbecue sauce. Return to the smoker and allow it to cook until it reaches 165F. 
Did you try this recipe?Leave a comment + rating and let me know what you think!
Filed Under: chicken, Dinner Recipes, Smoker, Summer
Nutrition Facts
Smoked Chicken Legs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340 Calories from Fat 189
% Daily Value*
Fat 21g32%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 0.1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 4g
Monounsaturated Fat 10g
Cholesterol 175mg58%
Sodium 780mg34%
Potassium 462mg13%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 0.2g0%
Protein 34g68%
Vitamin A 637IU13%
Vitamin C 0.2mg0%
Calcium 26mg3%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Nutrition information is an estimate and is provided for informational purposes only. If you have any specific dietary concerns, please consult with your healthcare practitioner.
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4 from 20 votes (19 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Brenda Brenda M. Chalmers

    February 06, 2025 at 11:25 am

    Regards! They're quite easy and delicious, so definitely try them...

    5 stars

    Reply

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Hi, I'm Louisa Clements & welcome to Living Lou. I've been creating simple, fresh & flavorful recipes for the modern kitchen for 14 years.
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