Juicy, crispy, and easy — these grilled chicken legs are everything you want from a backyard cookout. Simple seasoning, steady heat, and turning every 5 minutes for about 35 minutes give you perfect drumsticks every time — no marinade or tricks needed.
⏰ How Long to Grill Chicken Legs
- Grill temperature: about 450°F (range 400–500°F)
- Total time: 30–35 minutes
- Turn every: 5 minutes
- Final internal temp: 185°F for the best texture
Time varies slightly by drumstick size and grill temperature. Always cook to temperature, not time.
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Featured Comment by Jan:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"the best...the best..... chicken legs...ever....goodbye Bobby Flay...hello Doctor Dan....it is going to be an excellent chicken leg summer....thank you!"
🍗 TL;DR — Recipe Summary
What it is: Juicy, crispy grilled chicken legs made simple for any skill level — works with gas, propane, charcoal, or whatever grill you have.
Why it works: Simple seasoning, steady medium heat, and turning every 5 minutes for about 35 minutes give foolproof results.
How to make it: Grill at about 450°F until the internal temperature reaches 185°F for tender, crispy drumsticks.
Jump to the Recipe Card or keep reading for tips, seasoning ideas, and temperature control tricks.
🐓 Ingredients
- Chicken legs (drumsticks) — Use drumsticks of similar size so they cook evenly. Trim loose skin or joint pieces if needed. Chicken leg quarters are covered in the FAQs.
- Seasoning — Use your favorite seasoning or just salt and pepper. My All-Purpose 7:2:1 mix works perfectly.
- Optional:
- A light brush of oil can help dry skin crisp faster, but it’s not required.
- Want BBQ flavor? Add a dry rub and brush with your favorite sauce during the last 5 minutes.
👨🍳 Quick Overview: How to Grill Chicken Legs
1. Preheat the grill — Clean and oil grates. Heat to about 450°F (medium-high).
🔥 Pro Tip: Use a grill surface thermometer for accurate temps—hood thermometers aren’t reliable for this. See A Beginners Guide to Grill Temperature to learn more.
2. Prep the chicken — Trim excess skin and loose pieces, then pat dry and season.
3. Grill — Place legs on the grill, close the lid, and cook for 30–35 minutes, turning every 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 185°F.
🌡️ Pro Tip: An instant-read meat thermometer is a must. Don’t rely on time alone—185°F is your target for juicy, tender legs.
4. Rest and serve — Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
📌For complete step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card or keep reading for tips, flavor options, and serving ideas.
⏰ How Long to Grill Chicken Legs on a Gas Grill
Grill chicken legs for about 30–35 minutes over about 450°F, turning every 5 minutes, until they reach an internal temperature of 185°F for the best texture (safe at 165°F).
About 450°F is recommended—medium-high on most grills—but anywhere in the 400–500°F range works. Exact time varies by drumstick thickness and grill temperature. Lower heat takes longer and can dry the meat; higher heat risks burning the skin before the inside is done.
✅ Tip: Always use a meat thermometer — it’s the only reliable way to know when they’re done.
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🌡️ Best Internal Temperature for Chicken Legs
For chicken drumsticks and thighs, 185°F is the target for juicy, tender meat with great texture.
While 165°F is the FDA’s minimum for safety, dark meat cuts like legs and thighs stay tough and stringy at that point. The connective tissue breaks down between 170°–185°F, turning the meat moist and tender.
You can even go up to 195°F if needed — the meat will still be juicy. America’s Test Kitchen agrees (subscription required).
🍗 More Chicken Recipes You'll Love
👇 More Reader Favorites:
- Grilled Chicken Thighs – Juicy, flavorful, and grill-friendly.
- Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Thighs – Great skin, great flavor, no frying.
- Chicken for a Crowd – The original that inspired these easy methods.
Oven Bake Chicken Legs
Oven-baked chicken legs are crispy, moist, and tender every time. A simple recipe, just trim, pat dry, season, and bake. Follow the easy step-by-step photo instructions for perfect chicken legs every time in your oven, with or without convection.
🍽️ Serving Ideas
Serve grilled chicken legs with classic cookout sides like grilled corn on the cob, potato salad, coleslaw, or mac and cheese.
For lighter meals, pair with a green salad, grilled vegetables, or caprese pasta salad. They’re also great chilled for picnics or meal prep.
❄️ Storage and Reheating Leftovers
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze for up to 4 months, but the skin will lose crispness — remove it before freezing if you plan to reheat later.
To reheat, use a 325°F oven or air fryer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until warmed through and the skin crisps back up a bit. Microwaving works but will soften the texture.
❓ FAQs
Chicken legs stay juicy when cooked over medium-high heat (about 450°F) and turned regularly. Don’t overcook early—finish at about 185°F for the best texture, not just 165°F. Always use a thermometer and avoid high heat that burns the outside before the inside is done.
Closed is best—it gives you better control and more even cooking. A good rule of thumb: leave it open for very thin foods (under ½ inch thick), but close it for anything thicker. Between ½ and 1 inch is borderline, but closed still works better. Over 1 inch? Always close the lid.
Not needed. The skin crisps better without it, but brushing with oil will make it thicker and softer.
No. The outside will burn before the inside cooks safely. Always thaw completely before grilling.
Chicken legs and drumsticks are the same and used interchangeably.
Leg quarters include the drumsticks and the thigh. Follow the Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe to handle the extra fat and flare-ups.
This is rare, but it can happen—usually with previously frozen chicken when bone marrow pigments seep into the meat during cooking. If the internal temperature is 165°F or higher, the chicken is safe, and at 185°F it will be fully tender. In most cases, properly cooked chicken legs will not appear pink.
⚕️ Food Safety
Treat all raw chicken as potentially contaminated — wash your hands and surfaces thoroughly after handling.
Don’t rinse chicken; it spreads bacteria without improving safety or taste.
According to the USDA, chicken is safe at 165°F, but for drumsticks and thighs, aim for 185°F for the best texture.
Always check with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the meat.
📖The Recipe Card
Grilled Chicken Legs (Easy, Crispy & Juicy Drumsticks)
Video Slideshow
Ingredients
- 6 Chicken drumsticks
- Salt and pepper - to taste or seasoning of your choice
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat the grill to get a surface temp of about 450°F. That is medium-high on a standard gas grill and medium on a hot gas grill. Clean and oil the grill grates.
- Pat the drumsticks dry with paper towels. If you have the time, let them rest at room temperature for 15-30 minutes before grilling.
- Trim off excess skin and loose bones/tissue, especially in the joint area.
- Season to taste. Kosher salt and pepper will be fine, or you can use my 7:2:2 spice mix. Or use the seasoning of your choice.
- Check the grill surface temperature and place the chicken legs on the grill. Close the grill hood. Flip about every 5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 185°F, about 30-35 minutes.
- Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips
- Pat dry and season to taste. I like my All Purpose Seasoning - 7:2:1 and 7:2:2. Seasoning mixes or dry rubs work well. A light touch of cayenne pepper adds a bit of heat that most adults like but do not use with kids.
- Medium grill with a surface temperature of about 450°F. Over 500° will not work well. 400° minimum. 350°F will take longer and dry the meat more.
- This recipe's key is the final internal temperature of 185°+. While 165° is safe, the texture will be much better at 185°.
- If you are cooking chicken leg quarters, use the Grilled Chicken Thighs recipe to learn to control the fat flare-ups.
Your Own Private Notes
To adjust the recipe size:
You can adjust the number of servings above; however, only the amount in the ingredient list is adjusted, not the instructions.
Nutrition Estimate (may vary)
Editor's note: Originally published June 26, 2011. Updated with refreshed photos, clearer instructions, and improved formatting for easier navigation — same great recipe, just better explained.
Amy Combs says
Love love love this recipe. I've made it a few times and it always turns out great. Thank you!
Simon says
Great tips, my Chicken legs came out great. Thank You!
Mikey says
Hey there: Thanks for the great tips! I had cooked chicken before, but made the same mistakes over and over -- too high heat, and too low a finishing temp. I had always read 165 was the target point, but the chicken (thighs or legs) always came out kinda fatty and stringy. Taking the meat to 185 or even a little higher is the key to great texture. And the 7:2:1 seasoning mix (I also add one part smoked paprika) is all the seasoning you need. I apply it liberally, almost like I'm putting a rub on. It looks like it's going to be too salty, but it's not. The meat comes out crisp and tender and delicious. Thanks!
Len says
I made this tonight. Nervous as these were big drumsticks and I’m a novice griller. I tuned every 5-7 min and boy were they crispy and juicy. My only error was not enough seasoning, but will fix that next time.
Great recipes.
Andrea says
Are skinless chicken drumsticks okay for this recipe?
DrDan says
Hi Andrea,
I have some doubt about this much prolonged high heat on skinless drumsticks. The method is to get crispy skin and finish the meat. If you want to do skinless, I would suggest a light olive oil brush and probable about 350 degree convection (375 regular oven) to final temp of 180-185. Probably about 45-55 minutes depending on size of drumsticks.
Dan
Esmerelda says
Followed step by step and these turned out very nice, even though I think I still prefer your oven version. It's just more fun to grill :)
Nik Edmiidz says
Is that celsius or fahrenheit?
DrDan says
fahrenheit
Becky says
So you leave the lid open or close in between clippings?
Becky says
Flippings
DrDan says
Hi Becky,
I hate spell check too.
Closed. General rules. Things under 1/2 inch thick can usually be cooked open. 1/2 to 1 inch is usually closed and 1 inch or more is always closed.
Dan
SMR says
Thank you for this rule of thumb! I've never heard that before and it certainly helps.
Amardeep says
Hi Dan.
How would I do this with open grill over hot coals.
Thanks
DrDan says
My last experience with charcoal and open grilling is about 40 yrs ago. But here is my best,
You cannot be placing the chicken over high heat. The skin will be burnt black and the meat bloody. So you need to let the charcoal burn down some since it is hottest when it is about 10-15 minutes in so it needs to cool down a bit so probably about 25 minutes after lighting ( a guess) but you will need to cook at least 30 minutes and probably longer, so you need to maintain a temperature. Hard on open charcoal.
On gas, I recommend always to close the lid if the thickness is over 1 inch and you should close the lid if 1/2 to 1 inch. So frequent flipping and a bit longer grilling probably. And remember, you are cooking to a final internal temperature of 185. 165 is safe but stringy and tough.
So charcoal and the open top both present issues. Indirect cooking is possible but I have no suggestions about setup. I would probably cook something else considering the hardware limitations.
Dan
sreno7 says
I dried the drumsticks and brushed them with oil. It was crispy and didn't stick to the grill.
I enjoyed the spice mix except it was too salty.
amber says
Have you ever tried sous-vide the drumsticks ... then throw them on grill for quick char? saves slaving over the grill for 30 min
DrDan says
Hi Amber,
No, I haven't. For the readers, the term sous vide is French I believe for under vacuum. The food is vacuum sealed and cooked in hot water to a final temperature and then can be seared or finish however you want. Somewhat like reverse searing a steak but involves the sealing and water. I think it is an interesting technique and if you are so equipped, it would be interesting to try.
Dan
Ron Garstka says
Well I just finished my dinner of drummies. Had a bit of a problem getting my grill DOWN to 450 during the first 5 min. Weber Spirit 310. At MEDIUM my grill surface registers in excess of 600. To get to 450 I had to turn all 3 burners to LOW. Had a bit of char after the first 5 min. but they finished up just short of 30 min total and were absolutely delicious. I have to give both the grilled chicken thighs and now the drummies a 5. Also looking forward to some ribs and steaks soon. Great library of recipes. Nice work, continue to enjoy it. Best wishes.
DrDan says
Hi Ron,
Thanks for the note. I’m glad it worked well for you.
I have a Weber Summit s470 and it doesn’t run that hot. All burners on low will be about 300 range. Medium is 450 plus minus. I get almost 700 plus on high with long preheat or if I add in the 5th burner. But I’m on natural gas which will be a bit cooler than propane. The variance in grills is tremendous so those cheap little grill surface thermometers are so worth the $10. I go through 2-3 per year since they get unreadable after a while.
Dan
Johnboy says
I did this but added one thing: After spicing the chicken, I carefully coated them with spray oil (Pam, etc.) It didn't affect the taste and the chicken was extra crispy.
Jackie Treehorn says
Great, really easy recipe. Drummies were perfect. Meat was fall off the bone tender and skin was nice and crispy. Having a meat thermometer and slathering sauce at the end in order to avoid sugar burn was key. 5 stars!
Dave says
Made this today, very salty. I'd suggest halving the salt if you're going to add barbecue or any other sauce. Was fine for naked legs.
DrDan says
If I add sauce to these, I cook them bare of any spices and add the sauce for the last 5 minutes or so.
Thanks for the note
Dan
Cat says
Hello, did you used to have a recipe with the cayenne pepper measurement added in? I could've sworn this was the case as this has been a go to recipe the times I have grilled chicken over the past year. If so, are you able to provide that ratio?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan says
Hi Cat,
Welcome to the blog.
The original recipe, now called Chicken for 100, was for an adult retirement party. This and the oven-baked version are cut down and slightly modified versions. Many readers had problems anytime I specified the amounts of spices in any of these recipes. So I changed to the 7:2:2 suggestion.
For the cayenne, use about 1/8 to 1/4 of the amount of pepper. So if you make a mix of 3-4 teaspoons kosher salt to 1 teaspoon each of pepper and granular garlic powder. Add about 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne. That is too much seasoning for 6 drumsticks. That is enough for 12-24 drumsticks depending on size and your taste.
Hope that helps.
Dan
Brian says
I didn't know food could be this good...
The seasoning was great and I added a light coating of barbecue sauce for the last couple of flips - they were amazing. Will be making these again soon.