Smokey Sweet Grilled Chicken Legs

Fire up the grill for these irresistible Smokey Sweet Grilled Chicken Legs!  Combining sweet and savoury flavours with crispy skin and juicy, tender meat, this easy recipe makes the most delicious grilled chicken of summer.  Great for barbecues, picnics or easy weeknight dinners, these sticky sweet chicken legs are always a crowd favourite!

The best recipes of summer are delicious, simple and quick  – and this grilled chicken recipe delivers on all three.  With just a few pantry staples, you can turn humble chicken legs into a show-stopping dinner.   I have a feeling that this is going to be a recipe you go back to over and over again, because these Lakehouse favourite chicken legs are as popular with kids as they are with adults. Whether you’re a seasoned grill master or just starting out at the barbecue, this recipe will show you how to grill up perfectly cooked, tender and juicy chicken legs every time.

What goes in Sweet and Smokey Grilled Chicken Legs?

• Chicken Legs:  Look for chicken “drumsticks”, which is the lower part of the chicken leg, with the thigh removed.  Drumsticks are easy to grab and easy to hold, making them a popular choice with kids and adults alike.  Skin-on chicken is the best option for this recipe, since the skin holds in moisture, resulting in the juiciest meat.
• Garlic Powder and Onion Powder:  Instead of a marinade, this recipe relies on a dry rub to infuse the chicken with flavour.  The dry rub is made mostly of spices that you likely already have in your pantry, such as garlic powder and onion powder.  Fresh garlic burns easily, so for recipes that require high heat cooking, such as grilling, garlic powder is a better choice.  You can apply the rub up to 24 hours in advance and keep the chicken covered in the fridge until ready to grill.  The longer the rub sits on the chicken, the more flavour the chicken absorbs, but even 15 minutes of time while you prepare the sauce and preheat the grill is enough to add delicious flavour.
• Smoked Paprika: To increase the smokey flavour of these grilled chicken legs, smoked paprika is added to both the rub and the BBQ sauce.  Smoked paprika is a delicious spice is made from red peppers that have been smoked, dried and ground to a fine powder.  Look for smoked paprika in the spice aisle of good grocery stores, or buy smoked paprika online.
• Cayenne & Tobasco Sauce:  A little (or a lot!) of chili heat can be added with the addition of cayenne pepper to the rub, and Tobasco to the BBQ sauce.  If you’re serving these grilled chicken legs to kids or to people who don’t like spicy foods, simply leave these ingredients out.
• Kosher Salt: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt in my recipes, which is less salty per volume than Windsor or Morton’s Kosher Salts.  If you use a brand other than Diamond Crystal, use about half of the recommended amount of salt.  You can always add more to taste.
• Ketchup:  This ever-popular sauce gets mixed with other pantry staples to make a deliciously sweet and tangy BBQ sauce that gets richly slathered all over the grilled chicken legs.  Be sure to serve these Smokey Sweet Grilled Chicken Legs with lots of napkins, as these chicken legs are saucy and a little messy, but oh so delicious!
• Brown Sugar:  Added to the BBQ sauce, brown sugar adds a deep sweetness with a touch of molasses flavour.
• Worcestershire Sauce:  Add depth of flavour and a kick of umami to the glaze with this pantry staple condiment.
• White Vinegar:  Plain old white vinegar adds the perfect amount of acidity and tang.

Pro Tips for Perfectly Grilled Chicken Legs

• Start with a clean, hot grill:  When you preheat the barbecue, start it at very high heat, then scrape it to make sure the grill is clean and free of old food particles, bits of char and bacteria.  Once the grill is clean, reduce the heat to medium-high (400F) before adding the chicken legs.
• Grease the chicken, not the grill:  I don’t recommend greasing the grill to prevent sticking, which is a little controversial – but here’s why:  To safely grease a grill and avoid dangerous flare ups, the grease needs to be added to the grill before the barbecue is lit.  Many people swear by letting a barbecue cool after use, scraping it clean and rubbing the cold grill with oil in preparation for the next time.  That practice is great for keeping your grill in good condition, but in fact will do little to prevent food from sticking.  Have you ever noticed a preheated grill smoking before food is even added to it?  That smoke is the grease being burned off the grill before you even put food on it.  Here’s what I recommend instead:  Grease the food, not the grill.  In this case, before the chicken legs even leave the kitchen, spray them with a canola-oil based cooking spray.  Cooking sprays containing other high-smoke-point oils, such as grapeseed or avocado oil, also work as well.   When you add the coated chicken legs to the grill, the oil will have the opportunity to help prevent sticking, before being burned off.  Coating the chicken legs with cooking spray aside, the biggest thing you can do to prevent sticking is to make sure your grill is clean and hot before adding the food.  Grill marks will form where the food touches the grills, and when it’s ready, the food will lift of the grill easily.  If it sticks, just give it another moment or two, then try to lift again.
• Watch Your Heat:  Before adding your chicken to the grill, make sure that the temperature has adjusted to medium-high, which is about 400F.  A barbecue that is hotter than that is likely to burn the chicken skin before the meat has had a chance to cook through.  Closing the lid of the barbecue traps the heat and creates an oven-like effect, which helps the chicken cook through while retaining moisture.
• Use an instant read thermometer:  Cutting into the chicken legs over and over to check for doneness is a surefire way to ruin the look of the chicken and to dry it out.  Instead, simply poke a small hole with an instant read thermometer to check the internal temperature at the thickest part, close to the bone.  Once the chicken reaches 165F, it is cooked.  This is the instant read thermometer that I use at The Mountain House and The Lakehouse.  I even have an extra in my travel kit, because its lightweight, portable nature makes it easy to tuck into a suitcase for perfectly cooked meats at a vacation rental.
• Hold off on the sauce:  Apply the sauce in the last few minutes of grilling to prevent it from burning, and to create a sweet and sticky glaze.
• Rest before serving:  Allowing the chicken to rest for a few minutes after cooking allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in chicken that is juicy in every bite.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

These Smokey Sweet Grilled Chicken Legs are delicious served hot off the grill, at room temperature or chilled, making them ideal for backyard barbecues and picnics.  Serve these chicken legs with simple sides such as corn on the cob, coleslaw or colourful grilled vegetables.  Cornbread or fresh biscuits with Orange Scented Honey Butter make a delicious addition.

DRINK PAIRINGS

The best wine pairings for a sweet and sticky barbecue sauce is a light, juicy and fruity red such as Zinfandel.  Have you ever had a Pinotage?  This deep red wine originating from South Africa has a smokiness that also works beautifully with barbecue flavours.  As much as I love red wines, sometimes in the midst of summer, all I really want is a cool, crisp glass of white, so I also recommend Pinot Gris.  Different than its Italian cousin Pinot Grigio (though technically the same grape), Pinot Gris is a richer, more aromatic wine – that is downright delicious with barbecue chicken.   If you’re in more of a cocktail mood, a Bourbon Lemonade or a Whisky Sour are tart enough to cut through the richness of the chicken.  Or, instead of cutting the richness with a tart cocktail, consider matching it with a rich, brown ale.

RECIPE NOTES

• Patting the chicken legs dry before coating in the rub is an essential step that ensures crispy skin and proper browning.  
• Always start with a clean, hot grill
• Use a meat thermometer to check that the chicken legs have reached a safe internal temperature of 165F at the thickest part.  I’m partial to this digital meat thermometer and keep one in each of my kitchens.  I also have an extra that I take with me to holiday rentals for perfect meats while on vacation!
• Allowing chicken (and most cooked meats) to rest for 5-7 minutes before serving or carving allows the juices to settle and redistribute throughout the meat, ensuring maximum tenderness and juiciness.  
• Leftover Sweet and Smokey Grilled Chicken Legs will keep, stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.  These chicken legs are delicious served chilled, or they can be reheated in a 300F oven for 10-15 minutes.