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Are you looking for quick and easy instant pot recipe for chicken legs? Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks recipe is so flavorful and perfect for that off-the-grill taste! Looking for a low carb option? Use our Low Carb BBQ Sauce to make this a delicious low carb crock pot meal.
Note: We use referral links to products we love.
Table of Contents
How to Make Low Carb BBQ Chicken in an Instant Pot
Cris here.
I just LOVE this recipe. We have made the crock pot version for years and it is one of our most popular recipes.
So, when readers have asked me to start converting our crock pot recipes into instant pot recipes (click here for all our instant pot and electric pressure cooker recipes), this was a natural choice. Truth be told, I would have converted it earlier, but my family has been eating primarily a low carb lifestyle, and I couldn’t find a low sugar BBQ sauce that I liked so I was waiting until I did 😉 (Here is a link to all our low carb recipes.)
Low Carb BBQ Sauce
And since I couldn’t find a low carb bbq sauce I liked, I set out to make one and it is ah-mazing if I do say so myself! If you need a low carb option for BBQ sauce, you can check it out here: Low Carb BBQ Sauce Recipe. However, if you aren’t eating low carb, you can just use your favorite BBQ sauce.
Ingredients forInstant Pot Chicken Drumsticks
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar (or Brown Sugar Alternative)
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
- 1 stick butter- sliced
- 4 lbs bone in, skin on chicken drumsticks
- BBQ Sauce to taste (or Low Carb BBQ Sauce)
Notes on Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks or Chicken Legs
- We have used both our 6 quart Instant Pot and 6 quart Crock Pot Pressure Cookerto make these yummy chicken legs. Any 6 quart electric pressure cooker should work just fine. Or you could also make them in a crock pot using our Crock Pot Drumsticks recipe.
- We used our favorite low carb BBQ sauce to make this recipe low carb, but feel free to use your own favorite BBQ Sauce.
- Also, we provided an amazon referral link toour favorite sugar alternative, however if you want to make a bulk purchase, you may find it cheaper to buy directly from Sukrin (not sponsored– just what we use).
- Broilers much like crock pots all cook differently, so when broiling your chicken at the end, make sure you watch it carefully so you do not burn it.
- If you are using an 8-quart Instant Pot, you may need to use a half cup more liquid to make sure your Instant Pot will come up to pressure.
- Looking for more recipes? OurRecipe Findercan help you find exactly what you need.
- Check out all our favorite recommendations for cookbooks, slow cookers and low carb essentials in ourAmazon Influencer Shop.
- As with any of our recipes, carb counts, calorie counts andnutritionalinformation varies greatly. As a result, yournutritionalcontent depends on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish.The auto-calculation is just an automated estimate and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.
- Finally, all electric pressure cookers cook differently, so cooking times are always a basic guideline. Recipes shouldalways be tested first in your own electric pressure cooker and time adjusted as needed.
Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks
Are you looking for quick and easy instant pot recipe for chicken legs? Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks recipe is so flavorful and perfect for that off-the-grill taste! Looking for a low carb option? Use our Low Carb BBQ Sauce to make this a delicious low carb crock pot meal.
4.95 from 39 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: instant pot
Keyword: instant pot chicken drumsticks
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes minutes
Natural Release: 15 minutes minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes minutes
Servings: 12 legs
Calories: 132kcal
Author: Cris
Ingredients
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar or Brown Sugar Alternative
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
- 1 stick butter sliced
- 12 chicken drumsticks skin on, bone in
- BBQ Sauce or Low Carb BBQ Sauce, to taste
Instructions
Pour chicken broth into the bottom of a 6 quart instant pot or electric pressure cooker and place pot rack on top.
Place all the seasonings and brown sugar into a gallon sized baggie and shake well.
In batches, throw chicken legs in the bag and toss to season well before placing into your instant pot rack.
Top with butter and seal lid– making sure that your seal valve is set to seal.
Cook on Poultry or Manual Setting on High Pressure for 22 minutes.
Naturally release with the warming feature turned off for 15 minutes after cooking and then flip to quick release.
Place drumsticks on a lined cookie sheet and brush with BBQ Sauce.
Broil for 2-5 minutes (watching closely) on each side.
Video
Notes
- We have used both our 6 quart Instant Pot and 6 quart Crock Pot Pressure Cookerto make these yummy chicken legs. Any 6 quart electric pressure cooker should work just fine. Or you could also make them in a crock pot using our Crock Pot Drumsticks recipe.
- We used our favorite low carb BBQ sauce to make this recipe low carb, but feel free to use your own favorite BBQ Sauce.
- Also, we provided an amazon referral link toour favorite sugar alternative, however if you want to make a bulk purchase, you may find it cheaper to buy directly from Sukrin (not sponsored– just what we use).
- Broilers much like crock pots all cook differently, so when broiling your chicken at the end, make sure you watch it carefully so you do not burn it.
- If you are using an 8-quart Instant Pot, you may need to use a half cup more liquid to make sure your Instant Pot will come up to pressure.
- Looking for more recipes? OurRecipe Findercan help you find exactly what you need.
- Check out all our favorite recommendations for cookbooks, slow cookers and low carb essentials in ourAmazon Influencer Shop.
- As with any of our recipes, carb counts, calorie counts andnutritionalinformation varies greatly. As a result, yournutritionalcontent depends on which products you choose to use when cooking this dish.The auto-calculation is just an automated estimate and should NOT be used for specific dietary needs.
- Finally, all electric pressure cookers cook differently, so cooking times are always a basic guideline. Recipes shouldalways be tested first in your own electric pressure cooker and time adjusted as needed.
Nutrition
Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 152mg | Potassium: 200mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.9mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @RecipesthatCrock or tag #RecipesthatCrock!
How to Use Ninja Foodi Air Crisp for BBQ Chicken Legs
In the video below, Mikey shows you how you can use the Ninja Foodi Air Crisp feature instead of an oven broiler to finish this recipe.
We recommend serving this dish with these recipes
- Crock Pot Loaded Broccoli Cauliflower(Low Carb)
- 3 Bean Casserole Crunch
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also enjoy:
- Instant Pot BBQ Cola Ribs (Low Carb)
- BBQ Chicken Summer Salad
- Electric Pressure Cooker BBQ Cola Chicken
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Whether you've been told you can't cook your whole life or you have the knife skills of an Iron Chef, Cris loves to connect you to just the right recipe.
Her site Recipes That Crock is dedicated to helping everyone find delicious recipes to serve their families every month.
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Reader Interactions
Comments
drake_black1 says This was my very first recipe I tried with my Instant Pot. Let me tell you guys…WOW! The chicken was amazing without the BBQ sauce.
My wife and I have gone low carb since, so I have to try you sauce soon as well. If you have time, any tips on making it a bit sweeter or savory. I have to admit vinegar is not my favorite of flavors, so I was just wondering if you had any other ideas. I’ll try it your way first and may like it. Who knows. Thanks, guys!
Reply
- Aunt Lou says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! Sweet Baby Ray’s has a sugar free BBQ Sauce we enjoy that you might give a try. If we want to make something savory, we like to use cumin. When sweetening things, we like to use erythritol. Hope that helps!
- Nicole says
Cooked 14 drumsticks and it still turned out reeeally good! Family all loved it still juicy and tender after broiling.Reply
- Aunt Lou says
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it! Thank you for taking the time to let us know. It makes our day to hear our readers like a recipe we have posted!
- ShaMak says
Holy Moly was this delicious! I used 6 drumsticks but kept the spice quantity as written. Left out the cayenne and only used 1Tbsp of butter. My picky 5yr old devoured his making mm-mmm noises the whole time so I’d call this a super win for dinner! Defo a keeper recipe!!Reply
- Aunt Lou says
Sounds like a win to me! I’m so glad you and your child enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to let us know. We love hearing when our readers enjoy a recipe we post!
- carl says
Thank you very much for your recipe.Reply
- Jess McCartney says
INCREDIBLE recipe!!!!! My new favorite thing to make. It was so easy and unbelievably tasty. Meat falls right off the bone and it’s tender and juicy and filled with flavor!Reply
- Aunt Lou says
I’m so glad you enjoy this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to let us know. It makes our day to hear a reader enjoys one of our recipes!
- Darcy L Greenman says
Try it let ya know how it wasReply
- Rachel Reno says
Can you make this with frozen or mostly frozen drumsticks? If so how do you alter it?
Reply
- Aunt Lou says
Hi Rachel!You can use frozen drumsticks, but we haven’t tested it for time. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Aunt Lou
- Wendy Hampton says
Best flavored chicken legs ever! What a great combination and sooooo easy in the instant pot! I have avoided chicken legs because I couldn’t seem to get the seasonings right. Even without the barbeque sauce at the end, the meat is well flavored and then I added BBQ sauce to the other half of the legs and loved it again! So many recipes are on this website have been discovered and added to my FAVORITES collection. Thanks so much! Makes life so much easier! Also love being able to participate in a Patreon subscription!Reply
- Aunt Lou says
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe Wendy! Thank you for taking the time to speak life into us with your kind words. It means so much to us. Your kind words go a long way to making our day brighter. And thank you for supporting us through Patreon. We greatly appreciate it!
- Angela Marie Downie says
I followed this recipe and my chicken was falling off the bone. It was delicious and you can smell it throughout the house. Thank you for this delicious recipe, I will be using it again.
Reply
- Aunt Lou says
We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Angela! Thank you for taking the time to let us know. We love hearing when our readers enjoy a recipe we post!
- Adrian Vicente says
I followed this receipe to the tea but when I checked on my chicken it was 100% raw.
Reply
- Aunt Lou says
Hi Adrian!It sounds like something went wrong with your Instant Pot. Did it seal and come to pressure? This is a tried and true recipe that is used time and time again in our kitchens, and in the kitchens of our readers. With your chicken being 100% raw, it sounds like something went wrong with the appliance.
Aunt Lou
- Rita says
Well I tried this recipe and used the seasonings up with 4 drumsticks, lol. I just went ahead and layered the rest in my pot and sprinkled more seasoning on each layer. No butter, and they were great!!
Reply
- maryellen kearney says
this was great
tthe chicken fell off the .bone
next time i am going to use boneless and see how that isReply
- Christa says
I’ve made this several times and it always turns out great! Thanks for an easy and budget-friendly recipe.Reply
- Cris says
So glad you enjoyed it, Christa! Thanks for taking the time to stop by and let us know.
- MICHELLE REYNOSO says
I followed the YouTube video and my chicken is cooking in the instant pot right now. Oh Em Gee it smells so good! I’m excited to try it in the broiler afterwards
Reply
- Laurie Galloway says
These are, by far, the best recipe I’ve done in my IP. My family regularly requests them, and I’m happy to comply, as it’s such an easy recipe. Great job, Guys!Reply
- Cris says
So glad yo hear you guys enjoyed it as much as we do, Laurie! Thanks for letting us know!
- Lisa S. says
Hello. I just got my Instant Pot and am looking to try out new recipes for it! This one for the chicken drumsticks looks great. Just a question though…If only cooking say 6 drumsticks rather than the 12 in your recipe, how would I alter the ingredients (I assume by 1/2 but is that enough liquid)? And what about adjusting the cooking time? Many thanks and I am glad to have found your website!
Reply
- Jamie says
Negative! It legit all fell apart, too long of a cooking time.
Reply
- Therese A. Rivera says
Can this be made in crockpot/slo-cooker?Th
Reply
- Cris says
Absolutely! Here is the crock pot version: https://www.recipesthatcrock.com/chicken-drumstick-recipes/ - michelle says
I had thawed chicken legs, and found this recipe. that’s the great thing about IP, use what you have! I had 11 drumsticks.
I doubled the spice rub and used water and a dash of white wine vinegar for the liquid. decent sized legs, so I pressure cooked for 20 mins. followed release instructions.when I removed them the small ones were “fall off the bone”. the large ones were very tender. I broiled them without the sauce to make them a bit less soft-skin, then I bushed on an asian spicy sauce, and after turning I sprinkled on some sesame seeds to toast with the broil.
Your basic guidelines and rub spices were perfect!
- Pam says
For your drumstick recipe….476 calories per WHAT?Reply
- Cris says
Hi Pam-
This is one of the reasons I always caution readers to calculate their own nutritional information based on what they use at home, not what the auto calculator says. There are too many estimations and product variations for it to even begin to be accurate for a home cook. However, everyone requests it and we do now have a tool that auto calculates it, so we provide it with a lot of caution. But as you can see it can be very confusing and misleading because there are so many variables at play.In this example, the auto-calculation was based off of 4 lbs of chicken divided into 6 servings (variable), because generally folks in my family eat around 2 legs (variable)and generally 4 lbs usually comes to about 12 legs (variable). I ran the calculation back through using per leg and it produced perhaps a more useful number. However, that calculation does not take into consideration product nutritional value differences, so again, we would highly recommend figuring your own nutritional content based on what you use in your kitchen. Hope that clarifies things.
- Laurie Galloway says
Loved this recipe! I’m having a love/hate relationship w/my new Instant Pot, w/some recipes turning out fabulous, some others are total busts. This was definitely the former. Thank you for the excellent barbeque sauce as well. Not too sweet, not to bland. I halved the recipe as there’s I’m cooking for just 2, but it was just fine. I’m enjoying your video’s, too, as they’re fun and funny, not so very serious, like cooking should be. My picky husband cleaned his plate and asked for more! That’s recommendation enough for me!
I’m excited to try the rest of the IP recipes on your site, as I think I’ve finally found somebody who’s tastes/cooking style matches mine!Reply
- Cris says
Hi Laurie-
So glad you found us and that you guys enjoyed the recipe!! Welcome! - Gary says
Hi, my name is Gary. My wife did all the cooking because I was too busy working. My wife passed away a while back and now I have a choice, learn how to cook or starve. Since I wasn’t interested in starving I have become quite familiar with my crock pot. Question, what is an instant pot you refer to, I have never heard of one.
- Cris says
Hi Gary-
I am so glad you found us! An Instant Pot is an electric pressure cooker. Slow cookers cook things slower to make food flavorful and tender, while an electric pressure cooks it under pressure to achieve similar results in a much shorter period of time. Hope that helps!
- Rick says
Excellent recipe, very easy and very, very tasty and tender. I used Sweet Baby Ray’s barbecue sauce prior to broiling.The only things I will change next time is cut the time down a minute or two, because they drumsticks were almost too fall off the bone to handle. The second change I will make is reducing the cayenne pepper just a pinch, not that it’s too hot for me, but for kids they thought it was a little spicy. I found that broiling 4 to 5 minutes per side worked out pretty well, but obviously this is dependent upon how potent your Broiler is and how close the cooking rack is to it.
Reply
- Susie says
These were a hit! Very tender and flavorful. I’ll be back to try some more recipes. I got my instant pot for Christmas and this was the third dish I’ve made, and by far the best. Thanks!Reply
- Jan says
Yeah! Another Instant Pot recipe! I’d love for you to share at Let’s Party! https://themarkandjanshow.com/2018/01/10/lets-party-3/ … we look forward to seeing you there!Reply
- Kim Adams says
I got my instant pot for Christmas and I am loving it! Thank you for all your awesome recipes – I have made many of the crock pot versions and am looking forward to exploring more with my new “toy”. I made these last night and they turned out awesome, nice and tender and falling off the bone. The only change I will make next time, is leave them under the broiler for a little while longer to make them a bit crispier. Thanks for doing such a great job on you site, I really enjoy it!
Reply
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