Smoked chicken legs are one of the best things I make on my Traeger. They’re affordable, genuinely easy, and the kind of thing that tastes like you spent way more effort than you did.
I cook my chicken legs at 350F, which isn’t what most smoked chicken recipes tell you to do, but I’ll explain why. I think once you try it, you won’t go back.
This recipe was originally published on July 9th, 2023 and updated on June 24, 2026 with new cooking tips.
Using the Traeger in summer is one of my favourite ways to cook. I got into it through smoked salmon, which I still make regularly, but salmon is pricey. Chicken drumsticks are often on sale and they work beautifully on the smoker. On weeks when I’m not firing up the grill, I also make them in the slow cooker with balsamic and jalapeño.
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📋 Ingredients you'll need
It’s a short list of ingredients because the dry rub does all the heavy lifting here.
- Chicken drumsticks. About 2.5 lbs, roughly 12 drumsticks. Trim any excess fat before cooking.
- Olive oil. Helps the spice rub stick and promotes browning and crisping of the skin.
- Dry rub. Paprika, salt, garlic powder, dried thyme, onion powder, mustard powder, and cayenne. The mustard powder and thyme make this more herbaceous than a typical sweet BBQ rub, which is intentional.
Why 350°F?
Most smoked chicken leg recipes call for 225-275F. I use 350F, and here’s why: the higher heat renders the fat under the skin much faster, which gives you noticeably crispier skin. It also cuts the cook time to about an hour instead of two.
Dark meat handles the higher temperature well. You still get juicy, tender chicken. You do get slightly less smoke penetration than you would going low-and-slow, but at 350F there’s still a real smokiness, especially with the right wood.
If you’ve been getting rubbery skin on your smoked chicken, try bumping the temperature up. It makes a real difference.
🔪 Step by step instructions
Preheat your pellet grill to 350F. Oil the grates.
Combine all the spices in a small bowl.
In a large bowl, toss the drumsticks with olive oil until evenly coated.
Add the dry rub and toss again, massaging it in so every drumstick is well covered.
The chicken should be well coated with the dry rub.
Arrange the drumsticks on the grill grates. Smoke for about 1 hour, flipping halfway through. If you want to add barbecue sauce, after 45 minutes, toss with barbecue sauce and then finish them on the smoker for the last 15 minutes.
Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer. The safe minimum is 165°F.
Wood Pellet Guide
The wood changes the flavour more than you might expect. Here’s what works well:
- Apple. Mild, slightly sweet. A reliable choice that won’t overpower the spice rub.
- Cherry. Similar to apple with a slightly richer, fruitier note. My personal go-to for chicken.
- Hickory. Stronger, more traditional BBQ smoke. Best when you’re finishing with BBQ sauce. On its own with a lighter rub like this one, it can be a bit heavy.
- Pecan. Somewhere between cherry and hickory. Nutty and slightly sweet.
Tips for Crispy Skin
- Pat the drumsticks dry before oiling and seasoning. Surface moisture is the biggest obstacle to crispy skin.
- Don’t crowd the grates. Leave space between each drumstick so air can circulate.
- Flip halfway. Both sides need direct grill contact to crisp evenly.
- Don’t sauce early. If you’re adding BBQ sauce, wait until the last 10-15 minutes.
📖 Variations
- Spicier. Increase the cayenne or add chili flakes to the dry rub.
- Saucy. See the BBQ sauce section below for how to do this without burning it.
- Buffalo style. Swap the dry rub for the seasoning from my baked buffalo chicken drumsticks and finish with buffalo sauce.
How to Add BBQ Sauce
Timing really matters here. Add the sauce too early, and the sugar in it will burn before the chicken is done.
Here’s what I do: When the drumsticks hit an internal temperature of 155F (usually after about 45 minutes), pull them off the grill and brush on a generous coat of BBQ sauce. Return them to the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F, about 10-15 more minutes. For a stickier, more caramelized result, add a second coat halfway through.
Sweeter sauces (brown sugar, molasses) caramelize beautifully. Very vinegary sauces can scorch faster, so keep an eye on them.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, put them on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet and heat at 350°F for 15-20 minutes. The microwave works in a pinch but the skin won’t crisp back up.
❓FAQ
I smoke mine at 350F on the Traeger for about 1 hour. Most recipes use 225-275F, but higher heat gives crispier skin with a shorter cook time, and dark meat handles it well.
Use a meat thermometer. Safe minimum is 165F.
Apple and cherry are mild and slightly sweet. Great all-rounders. Hickory is stronger and works best when you’re finishing with BBQ sauce.
Pat the chicken dry before seasoning, cook at 350F, flip halfway through, and don’t add sauce until the last 10-15 minutes.
Yes. Remove the chicken from the grill at 155F, brush with sauce, return until 165°F. That’s how you caramelize it without burning it.
Smoked Chicken Legs
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 with canola oil to prevent sticking.
- In a small bowl, combine the 2 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon mustard powder, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Mix well to create the dry rub.
- In a large bowl, toss the 2.5 lbs about 12 chicken drumsticks with the 1 tablespoon 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
- If the drumsticks have excess fat, you can trim this off before cooking.
- 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.
Trevor
Brenda Brenda M. Chalmers