How long does it take to grill a chicken leg

Ever wonder how to grill chicken legs? Look no further because these are the BEST grilled chicken legs in all the land.

We’ll teach you how to make the most amazing chicken dry rub and give you a step-by-step tutorial for the best grilled chicken legs recipe ever.

Delicious Chicken Legs on the Grill

Grilling chicken legs is one of our go-to summer meals becuase they’re easy and delicious. Seriously, these scrumptious grilled chicken legs are full of so much flavor all thanks to our homemade chicken dry rub.

We love how inexpensive chicken legs are and how easy they are to flavor up. The bone makes them super moist and flavorful. Plus, a little bit of char from the grill makes these the ultimate Spring/Summer meal that the entire family will love.

Pair your grilled chicken drumsticks with our foil pack grilled potatoes, Caprese quinoa salad, and a homemade honey lavender lemonade for the ultimate summer meal.

What kind of chicken legs should I buy?

We always recommend going organic/all-natural and free-range when possible. Yes, they cost a little bit more, but I promise you the flavor and texture will make up for it! Plus, in general, chicken legs are one of the more inexpensive parts of the chicken (in comparison to the breast), so going organic isn’t actually that bad cost-wise.

Some of our favorite humane chicken brands include…

• Just BARE Chicken
• Gold’n Plump Chicken
• 365 (Whole Foods brand)

This grilled chicken leg recipe calls for 1 lb. of chicken legs and you will likely get around 6 medium/large chicken legs per pound. As always, you can double or even triple this recipe easily by multiplying it by 2 or 3.

Best Homemade Dry Rub for Chicken Legs

We’ve paired our favorite dry rub from Fit Foodie Finds with this recipe to create the ultimate crunchy, flavorful, and delicious grilled chicken leg recipe and we highly suggest following the recipe to a tee! Here’s what you’ll need for the dry rub:

• garlic powder
• onion powder
• coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
• paprika
• chili powder
• chipotle powder
• ground cinnamon
• ground mustard seed
• salt
• pepper

Want to add more heat? Add in a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Why make your own dry rub?

What we love about making our own dry rub at home is that there are no additives. You can also monitor the amount of salt, spice, and sweetness your rub has, which is great for so many reasons. One thing I recommend with this rub is making a double or triple batch of it to have on hands at all times!

If you aren’t feeling a dry rub, you can try our grilled chicken marinade instead.

Check it out!

6 Chicken Breast Marinades

You are going to love these 6 Easy Chicken Marinades. They’ll infuse your chicken breast with flavor and they’re so easy to put together!

Grilled Chcicken Legs FAQ

How long to grill chicken legs?

The number one question we see about chicken legs is: how long should I grill chicken legs on the grill? While it will take around 15-20 minutes, the magic number is actually in the temperature of the chicken.
You know your grilled chicken drumsticks are fully cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF.

What temperature should I grill chicken legs?

Set your grill to around 425ºF. If your grill goes up or down a few degrees, don’t worry! That’s just the nature of grilling. We like to grill our chicken a little hotter than what we’d bake it at so that it gets nice and charred. There really isn’t anything better than grill marks!
Just make sure that you watch your chicken legs and rotate them every 5 minutes so that they don’t burn. You are cooking them on direct flames, after all.

Are chicken drumsticks healthy?

Long story short, yes chicken drumsticks are healthy, especially when you pair them with a homemade dry rub!

Should I use a gas grill or charcoal grill for chicken legs?

Both types of grill will work for chicken legs. A gas grill is easier for managing heat, but a charcoal grill adds great grilling flavor.

How do you grill chicken legs without drying them out?

We found that by grilling your chicken legs over direct heat and a medium/high temperature will get them nice and crispy on the outside and super moist on the inside.

Try it!

Thermoworks Thermapen

We swear by using a meat thermometer when cooking any cut of meat. The Thermapen is our go-to meat thermometer that works every time.

Serving Suggestions

In addition to rubbing your chicken legs with bbq sauce, we’re sharing some more serving suggestions below!

• Olive Oil Grilled Parmesan Corn
• Instant Pot Potato Salad
• Grilled Asparagus in Foil
• Brussels Sprouts on the Grill

TUTORIALS

How to Grill Your Favorite Meat

• Grilled Chicken Breast
• Grilled Salmon
• Grilled Pork Chops
• Grilled Chicken Thighs
• Grilled Flank Steak
• Grilled Whole Chicken
• Grilled Pork Tenderloin
• Grilled Chicken Legs
• Grilled Shrimp
• Grilled Scallops

5 from 4 votes

Grilled Chicken Legs

Make perfectly charred on the outside, moist on the inside grilled chicken legs with this super simple recipe! 

Prep:10 minutes

Cook:20 minutes

Fat 7

Carbs 7

Protein 21

Yield: 4

1x2x3x

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chicken legs ~6 legs
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
• 1 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard seed
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• Optional: 1/2 cup bbq sauce for serving

Instructions 

• Preheat grill to 425ºF.

• Then, prepare chicken dry rub by mixing together all of the spices in a small bowl. You should get around 4.5 tablespoons of dry rub.

• Prep chicken legs (leave the skin on) by fully coating each leg with 1-2 teaspoons of dry rub. Use your hands to pat the spices into each part of the leg and make sure that every part is fully coated. You may have leftover dry rub. This is okay! Store it in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

• Spray your grill grates with nonstick cooking spray (or rub with olive oil) and then grill chicken legs over direct heat at 425ºF (medium-high heat) for around 15-20 minutes or until the legs have reached an internal temp of 160ºF - 165ºF. Rotate the legs every 5 minutes.

  How do you know when chicken legs are done on the grill?

  If you're cooking chicken legs on the grill and want to check for doneness, just pierce to the bone with a knife. The meat is done when its juices run clear.

  How long do I gas grill chicken legs?

  Gas Grill: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F). Add the chicken drumsticks and cook for about five minutes per side, until the skin is browned and crispy on all sides. Lower the heat to about 300°F, and close the grill. Cook for about 25 minutes, turning once halfway through.

  How long do you grill chicken legs for and at what temperature?

  If you keep your grill between 375 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit, and place your chicken legs on the direct heat section of the grill, it should cook within 30 to 35 minutes. Top tip: Flip your chicken legs on the grill every 5 minutes to ensure that they do not burn and to encourage them to cook evenly on all sides.

  How long do drumsticks take to grill at 350?

  Preheat grill to 350 degrees. Place chicken legs on grill and bast with some of the reserved BBQ marinade. Grill for 30 minutes, rotating every 10 minutes and basting or until they reach an internal temperature of 185-190 degrees F.