After seven-plus years as a grill cook for a restaurant, I couldn’t help but fall in love with that irresistible char and smoky flavor (and the thrill of watching it all come together). Whether you’re using an inside or outside grill, this Dry Rubbed Grilled Drumsticks and Thighs recipe is super inexpensive and easy! I quick-brine for juicy chicken, use a bold dry rub for a knockout taste, then throw them straight onto a clean, blazing hot grill. Fire it up for the summer, or any time of the year, and savor the sizzle!
My process for grilling chicken drumsticks and thighs is simple but effective. Like our grilled chicken breast recipe, I start with a quick brine using salt, sugar, and water to lock in moisture and flavor. Then I coat the chicken in a bold dry rub packed with paprika, cumin, oregano, and a handful of other spices to create the perfect balance of smoky, savory, and slightly sweet flavors.
Now for the real flavor trick: rinse and dry the chicken well after brining, brush it with oil so the rub sticks like a charm, and grill it at just the right temp to get that gorgeous char without drying out the meat. I already know you’ll be amazed at how much flavor this simple recipe packs into every single bite!
I got a really great deal on the chicken drumsticks for this recipe. A whole 4.5 lb for just $5! If you can, I highly recommend shopping around for the best price when buying your chicken. I didn’t use the whole pack, so I’m going to save the rest and make our air fryer chicken drumsticks for dinner later in the week. 😋
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Gather all your ingredients and preheat your grill to 375°F.
Brine the chicken: Add 2 lb. bone-in chicken drumsticks to one Ziplock bag and 2 lb. bone-in chicken thighs to another. Equally divide the brine ingredients (¼ cup kosher salt, ¼ cup granulated sugar, and 2 quarts water total) between the two bags. Close the bags tightly and gently massage the brine into the chicken to dissolve the sugar and salt.
Let the drumsticks and thighs brine at room temperature for 30 minutes, or for up to 24 hours in the fridge.
Season the chicken: Meanwhile, make the seasoning for the chicken by combining 1 Tbsp paprika, 2 tsp cumin, 2 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper in a small bowl.
Once the chicken has brined for at least 30 minutes, remove them from the brine and rinse well. Pat the chicken dry on both sides with paper towels.
Brush both sides of the chicken with 2 Tbsp vegetable oil total. Now use your hands to rub the seasoning blend all over the drumsticks and thighs.
Grill the chicken: Make sure your grill is preheated to 375°F. If your chicken was brined in the refrigerator, let it sit out for 10 minutes before grilling. Place the chicken thighs onto your preheated grill and grill on one side for 15 minutes.
Now flip them over and grill for a further 15 minutes.
Once the internal temperature reaches 160°F, remove them from the grill and let them rest. The internal temperature should rise to 165°F; if it doesn’t, place them back onto the grill for a few more minutes.
If your grill is big enough, you can cook the thighs and drumsticks at the same time. Cook the drumsticks on one side for 15 minutes.
Flip the drumsticks over and grill for 15 more minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. My larger drumsticks needed an extra 5 minutes on each side, making the total cook time 40 minutes (if the drumsticks and thighs are cooked at the same time on the same grill). Remove them from the grill once they reach the correct internal temperature.
If you have to work in batches, your overall cook time from start to finish will be longer than 40 minutes. I used a small indoor grill, and it took me 1 hour and 10 minutes to cook all the chicken shown here.
Serve: Once all your dry rubbed grilled drumsticks and thighs are cooked, serve and enjoy!
When I last made these dry rub grilled drumsticks and thighs, I served them with my homemade Alabama white sauce and a simple pasta salad. The smoky chicken with the tangy white sauce was the perfect combo. But if you’re more into sweeter sauces, a classic BBQ sauce would be delicious with this chicken, too. And if I were bringing these grilled thighs and drumsticks to a cookout or gathering, I’d also make a big batch of my tomato cracker salad to go with it. It’s the kind of meal that disappears fast!
Once cooled, you can store your leftover dry rubbed grilled drumsticks and thighs in an airtight container in the fridge. They’ll be good for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, place them on a baking sheet and reheat in the oven at 350°F until the internal temp reaches 165°F. You can also freeze these grilled chicken drumsticks and thighs for up to 2-3 months. Let them thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
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