Perfect for your cookouts, barbecues, and backyard parties, these easy and flavorful GRILLED BBQ CHICKEN LEGS will be an instant favorite you’ll come back to all summer long!
Cookouts, picnics, and backyard barbecues are always a great way to gather friends and family, while enjoying the amazing summer weather. It’s also a great time to enjoy the amazing flavors of summer food! These delicious Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs are the ultimate cookout dish for any summer gathering.
Chicken legs are a fantastic grilling option, especially if you’re feeding a crowd. They’re very economical (typically less than $1 per pound!), kid-friendly, and really easy to grill in batches or all at once. When placing your chicken legs on the grill, place the large, meaty ends closest to your heat source in order to adequately cook the chicken. When turning the chicken, simply rotate, keeping the meaty side closest to the heat source.
To amp up the sweet and spicy flavors of the chicken, I added an easy rub to the chicken before putting it on the grill. I’ve used this rub on both chicken and pork (see my amazing recipe for Easy Grilled Pork Loin with Sugar and Spice Rub, below!) . It’s such a fantastic way to add extra flavor when grilling!
Whenever you grill up some delicious BBQ chicken, an amazing barbecue sauce is a MUST! To compliment the sweet flavors of the rub, the smokey and slightly spicy flavors of my homemade Smokey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce is the perfect match for this chicken. You’ll want to brush the sauce on each chicken leg right after turning. You will turn the chicken three to four times, so feel free to layer on the sauce. It will add such amazing flavor with each and every layer.
Once your chicken comes off the grill, you’ll have saucy, juicy and flavorful chicken, perfect for your cookout. Grill up extra, as these chicken legs always go fast!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 - 2 lbs trimmed chicken legs (about 10-12 legs)
For Rub:
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. chili powder
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 2/3 c. Smokey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, simmer the smokey chipotle barbecue sauce. Set aside to let the sauce cool.
- Preheat gas or charcoal grill. For gas grills, set your heat to medium.
- While grill is heating, mix together rub by combining brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper and olive oil in small bowl. With your hands, coat each chicken leg with the rub.
- Place coated legs on the grill, with the meaty end closest to the heat source for even cooking. Cook <g class="gr_ gr_95 gr-alert gr_gramm gr_run_anim Grammar multiReplace" id="95" data-gr-id="95">at</g> medium-high heat for 5 minutes per side, turning the legs 3-4 times, for a total of about 18-20 minutes. After turning the legs each time, brush on the <g class="gr_ gr_110 gr-alert gr_spell gr_run_anim ContextualSpelling" id="110" data-gr-id="110">smokey</g> chipotle barbecue sauce.
- Remove from grill and let set 5 minutes before serving. Serve with additional sauce for dipping.
Notes
Nutrition
Get the printable recipe for my Smokey Chipotle Barbecue Sauce here.
If you loved this recipe, check out Erin’s other fantastic grilling recipes, like this:
Easy Grilled Pork Loin with Sugar and Spice Rub and Grilled Peaches
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