Grilled Chicken Legs
14 Comments
Posted: 04/06/22
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Need a simple grilled dinner that that whole family will love? Then you need to make a batch of Grilled Chicken Legs with perfectly crispy, seasoned skin! They are so easy. Simply toss them in oil, seasonings and grill them. The results is a finger-lickin’ good chicken leg.
Serve them as is or dunk them in Alabama White BBQ Sauce. Whichever you choose, these are the best grilled chicken legs! You need to grill up a big batch and everyone will love them.
There’s something that just screams summer when you serve up hot, juicy Grilled Chicken Legs for dinner! I love all kinds of grilled chicken recipes and these chicken legs are so good!
What is better than that? Add some grilled corn on the cob and everyone will beg for seconds!
This chicken drumsticks recipe is so simple – the spice rub is all basic pantry ingredients! When you mix them together it gives this chicken a burst of flavor in every bite.
Why this recipe works!
- This is one of my go-to easy dinner recipes that my kids love. They are so easy to make, they are off the grill in 30 minutes.
- They are an inexpensive recipe to make that’s always a hit!
- Perfectly crispy skin! Don’t forget to pat the legs to dry them before putting the rub on. This gets you that crispy skin.
Grilled Chicken Legs Ingredients
- Chicken legs: I buy a two pound package that has about eight legs.
- Olive oil: This adds flavor and keeps them from sticking to the grill
- Seasoning dry rub: Sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder
See that right there. That’s all you need for this recipe. I love that I have everything on hand and just have to grab some chicken legs!
Should you marinate them before grilling?
You don’t have to – the seasoning adds lots of flavor without waiting around for the legs to marinate. That said, feel free to coat them in the rub and then keep them in refrigerator – they’ll just absorb more flavor! You can do this up to 24 hours in advance.
How to Grill Chicken Legs
Mix Seasoning – In a small bowl mix together all of the seasoning in ingredients and place aside.
Prep Chicken Legs – Pat chicken legs off with a paper towel and then place in a resealable plastic bag. Add olive oil to bag and toss to coat. Pour in seasoning mixture into bag and toss chicken legs until completely coated.
Grill – Place chicken legs on grill over direct heat that’s been preheated to 350 degrees F. Grill for 30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature 165 degrees F. I actually prefer my chicken legs about 180-190 degrees so they fall off the bone and there’s no bloody spots around the bone.
How long to grill chicken legs
These chicken legs take about 30 minutes on the grill over direct heat.
They need to reach an internal temperature of 165°F, but we prefer them at 185 – 190°F otherwise you sometimes end up with a little blood around the bone.
Cooking to a higher temperature will give you crispy chicken legs that are juicy and delicious!
What to serve with Grilled Chicken Legs?
We love pairing these healthy chicken legs with grilled vegetables. It’s the perfect way to use up the random assortment of vegetables in your refrigerator!
Since we have vegetables and chicken on the grill why not pair these baked potatoes on the grill too. They will take a little longer than the chicken so start them first!
Another great healthy option is this delicious grilled corn salad that’s packed with flavor!
Got a sweet tooth? Finish the perfect summer dinner with Lemon Blueberry Crisp!
Expert Tips!
- Keep the grill temperature around 350 degrees F. This allows the meat to perfectly cook but does not cause the skin to burn or torch.
- Grill for about 10 minutes per side, flip over with a tongs and continue grilling. Do this for about 30 minutes.
- When rotating the chicken legs gently lift off the grill grates with a pair of tongs to make sure the skin is not sticking to the grill grates.
- Keep the lid closed as much as possible. This helps to cook the legs evenly.
- Got a flare-up? This can happen since chicken legs are somewhat greasy. If this happens simply turn down the heat to low and move the chicken away from the flames.
- Cook the legs over direct heat when you are grilling. You can cook them over to the indirect heat side of the grill, but I think the skin is a lot crispier when you cook over direct heat.
- We recommend cooking until the chicken is about 185 – 190°F. It’s safe to eat at 165°F, but the higher temperature is better for darker meat. The chicken will fall off the bone and be so tender. Use a meat thermometer to measure the internal temperature of the chicken – it takes away the guesswork!
More Grilling Recipes You Have to Try
- BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are another easy dinner idea!
- We love making Greek Marinated Chicken – you can use fresh or frozen chicken breasts! It’s one of our favorite marinades.
- A favorite BBQ sauce is our Sassy and Sweet BBQ Sauce – it’s easy to make and goes with all kinds of meat!
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Shop Now!Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @gimmesomegrilling or #gimmesomegrilling so I can see your grilling masterpieces!
Grilled Chicken Legs
Tender, juicy chicken legs in a delicious seasoning that are grilled for a quick and easy dinner!
Ingredients
- 2 lb chicken legs about 8 chicken legs
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Rub
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 350 degrees F.
- In a small bowl combine all the rub ingredients, set mixture aside.
- Pat chicken dry with paper towel. Place chicken in a plastic resealable bag or bowl. Add olive oil and toss to coat.
- Add spice mixture to bag or bowl and toss to coat chicken legs.
- Place chicken legs on preheated grill over direct heat. Grill for 30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature 165 degrees F. I actually prefer my chicken legs about 180-190 degrees so they fall off the bone and there’s no bloody spots around the bone.
Tips
- Keep the grill temperature around 350 degrees F. This allows the meat to perfect cook but does not cause the skin to burn or torch.
- Grill for about 10 minutes per side, flip over with a tongs and continue grilling. Do this for about 30 minutes.
- When rotating the chicken legs gently lift off the grill grates with a pair of tongs to make sure the skin is not sticking to the grill grates.
- Keep the lid closed as much as possible. This helps to cook the legs evenly.
- Got a flare up? This can happen since chicken legs somewhat greasy. If this happens simply turn down the heat to low and move chicken away from flames.
- Cook the legs over direct heat when you are grilling. You can cook it over indirect heat, but I think the skin is a lot more crispy when you cook over direct heat.
- We recommend cooking until the chicken is about 185 – 190 degrees F. It’s safe to eat at 165 degrees F, but the higher temperature is better for darker meat. The chicken will fall off the bone and be so tender.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 344kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 21g (42%), Fat: 28g (43%), Saturated Fat: 7g (44%), Cholesterol: 120mg (40%), Sodium: 693mg (30%), Potassium: 289mg (8%), Fiber: 1g (4%), Sugar: 1g (1%), Vitamin A: 525IU (11%), Vitamin C: 1mg (1%), Calcium: 12mg (1%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
Marcua says
This is so easy to make. We have grill grates and that helped with more indirect heat so the legs cooked all the way through. The rub was just right, not overpowering but a little smoke from the paprika.
Courtney says
That is great to hear!
Wendy says
Wow this recipe is so good! Excellent flavor and crispy skin. I followed exactly. I prepped the chicken and marinated it a couple hours in refrigerator to save time later. I will make this again and again. Thank you for sharing.
Courtney says
So great you love this recipe! Thank you for commenting and rating this post. 🙂
Susan says
So glad we tried this recipe! Easy, quick, and totally delicious chicken!
the Evinks says
Awesome to hear Susan! Thanks for commenting and rating the recipe!
Joe says
Great and easy recipe. I did add 1/4 tsp Ground Cumin.
the Evinks says
Great addition! Thanks for rating and commenting on the recipe!
Malinda says
My whole family loved these chicken legs and they were so easy to make!! Thank you!
Megan Mitzel says
Awesome! I’m so glad they were a hit!
Alison LaFortune says
Definitely making again! Perfectly grilled chicken.
Megan Mitzel says
Glad you loved it!
Danielle says
Tried these tonight and it was amazing. The whole family enjoyed!
Megan Mitzel says
Great! I’m so glad you loved them, they are definitely a favorite in our house!