Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are a quick and easy dinner idea that your whole family will love. No need for the grill - using our dry rub recipe, or even just garlic salt & pepper, along with the tasty bbq sauce.
You'll have tasty oven-baked bbq chicken drumsticks in no time! Substitute any bone-in chicken! This recipe is low carb, keto, and sugar-free.
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Recipe Video
You'll Love These Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
Easy
A simple and easy recipe, and no need for a grill! 🙂 Simply season the chicken and bake. Slather with the delicious BBQ sauce after baking then serve. If you don't feel like making our dry rub seasoning (note: it's also EASY to make and makes the chicken taste amazing!), you can substitute garlic salt & pepper, seasoned salt & pepper, or just plain salt and pepper - whatever you feel like, or have on hand.
Tasty
There is just something about the combination of the dry rub and the BBQ sauce recipe (below) that make it super delicious. It will equally be delicious if you use your own favorite BBQ sauce for chicken too!
Healthy
The nutritional analysis in the recipe is used with our Dry Rub for Chicken Recipe and the BBQ sauce recipe below. It is low carb, there is no sugar added, and it is ketogenic. A serving size is 2 drumsticks. 🙂
30.8 g fat |7.1 g net carbs | 51.6 g protein
Ingredients and Tools
Ingredients
Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup of our Dry Rub for Chicken Recipe (or 3 tsp garlic salt and 1/2 tsp pepper)
- 1 cup bbq sauce (recipe below, or your favorite store-bought sauce)
Tools
- large mixing bowl
- baking sheet
- tongs
- spoon
- measuring cup
- measuring spoon
- foil
Instructions
Here's how to make baked bbq chicken drumsticks! They're super easy!
- In a large bowl toss chicken drumsticks with olive oil and dry rub. (You can do this step up to 24 hours in advance) (#1 & 2)
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and place chicken drumsticks on the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. (#3)
- Remove from oven and place chicken pieces in a large bowl. (#4)Toss with bbq sauce and serve.
How Long To Cook Drumsticks In The Oven
Cook drumsticks in the oven at 400 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the juices are no longer pink inside.
USDA recommends a safe cooking temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F. An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to check. Check the temperature by inserting the thermometer in the thickest part of the drumstick, being careful not to touch the bone.
BBQ Sauce Recipe For Chicken (Sugar-Free Version)
This is the sugar-free version of our yummy homemade BBQ sauce. If you don't want sugar-free, use regular ketchup and regular brown sugar. If you use sweetened ketchup, reduce the brown sugar called for in this recipe by 1/4 cup. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup unsweetened ketchup (we used Primal Kitchen brand)
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar substitute (we used So Nourished brand brown sugar substitute)
- 1/2 to 1 tsp liquid smoke (Love this stuff!! I add 1 to 2 tsp to pulled pork too! Yum.)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
- In a nonstick saucepan pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until the onions are soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce is very thick. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking. Makes approximately 1-1/4 cup. Note: if sweetened ketchup is used, reduce the brown sugar called for by 1/4 cup.
📋 Printable Recipe
Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks (Low Carb, Keto, Sugar-Free)
No need for the grill! A quick and easy dinner idea that your whole family will love. Using our dry rub recipe, or even just garlic salt & pepper, along with the tasty bbq sauce - you'll have a delicious oven-baked bbq chicken drumsticks in no time! Substitute any bone-in chicken! This recipe is low carb, keto, and sugar-free.
Ingredients
Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- 8 chicken drumsticks
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 cup Dry Rub For Chicken recipe, or use 3 tsp garlic salt & 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1 cup bbq sauce (recipe below, or your favorite store-bought sauce)
BBQ Sauce For Chicken (Optional)
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 cup unsweetened ketchup (we used Primal Kitchen brand)
- 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar substitute (we used So Nourished brand brown sugar substitute)
- 1/2 to 1 tsp liquid smoke
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions
Baked BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- In a large bowl toss chicken drumsticks with olive oil and dry rub. (You can do this step up to 24 hours in advance).
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and place chicken drumsticks on the pan. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink.
- Remove from oven and place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Toss with bbq sauce and serve
BBQ Sauce For Chicken (Optional)
- In a nonstick saucepan pan, saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until the onions are soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 25 to 30 minutes until the sauce is very thick. Stir occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking.
- Makes approximately 1-1/4 cup. Note: if sweetened ketchup is used, reduce the brown sugar called for by 1/4 cup.
Notes
Recipe: Dry Rub For Chicken
Helpful Hints:
- You can easily substitute any bone-in chicken. Thicker pieces may take longer than 40 to 45 minutes.
- Although we think you will love our Dry Rub For Chicken Recipe AND our BBQ Sauce For Chicken Recipe - you can easily substitute your favorite seasoning and BBQ sauce! 🙂
- The nutritional analysis below includes our dry rub for chicken and our BBQ sauce recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size: 2 drumsticksAmount Per Serving: Calories: 523Total Fat: 30.8gSodium: 1358mgCarbohydrates: 7.7gNet Carbohydrates: 7.1gFiber: 0.6gSugar: 3.1gProtein: 51.6g
How to Serve
Since the chicken is easy, here are some really easy side dishes to serve with the chicken drumsticks...
- Dill Pickle Slaw
- Blue Cheese Wedge Salad Recipe (Keto Salad)
- Italian Roasted Cabbage Slices (Low Carb & Keto Cabbage Recipe)
- Baked Zucchini Casserole With Cheese
- Keto Zucchini Recipe – Zucchini Carpaccio
Related Recipes
- Best Grilled Chicken Recipe (Dry Rub Grilled Chicken With White Barbecue Sauce)
- Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork (Instant Pot BBQ Pork)
- The Best Baby Back Ribs Recipe (Grilled Pork Back Ribs)
- Herbed Butter Steak (Simple Steak Recipe Grilled With Garlic Herb Butter)
- Grilled Romaine Hearts (Easy Grilling Recipe)
- Dry Rub For Chicken (Easy Grilled Chicken Dry Rub)
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Easy baked BBQ chicken is tasty and delicious - and there's no need for a grill! This chicken recipe has only a few ingredients and is an easy dinner idea. This baked bbq chicken is also a perfect low carb and keto dinner idea. Substitute any bone-in chicken! #bakedchicken #bbqchicken #easyrecipe #ketodinner #lowcarb #keto #ketogenic
Jennifer says
Why have the Pinterest pin on the site if you can't save the pins?
seekinggoodeats says
The pins are for pinning but we are experiencing a technical issue at the moment.
seekinggoodeats says
Thanks for letting me know! I have reported it and hopefully it will be fixed soon! In the meantime if you have the floating Pinterest button hovering over the image you can pin that way. I just check and that worked. 🙂