Just enough time to make a couple of quick sides and you’ve got an entire tasty meal for everyone to enjoy! This Instant Pot chicken drumsticks recipe has been a lifesaver on many occasions. Once the chicken is done browning it’s a hands-off recipe which means succulent and tender pieces of chicken can be enjoyed without much effort at all! It’s the best on days when I’ve got lots going on and I need to get dinner on the table quickly but also on days where I’ve forgotten to defrost the chicken! Yes, you can use frozen chicken for this recipe. Game. Changer. Looking for something different? Try my Instant Pot Bruschetta Chicken Pasta, or Instant Pot Chicken Pad Thai.
Why You’ll Love Making Instant Pot Chicken Legs
Ingredients Used
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
For the dry rub: Paprika, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.Chicken drumsticks – You’ll need about 10 pieces for this Instant Pot chicken recipe. I typically account for 2 pieces per adult. Olive oil & butter – These two fats work together for the initial browning of the outside of the chicken legs. You get a ton of flavor from the butter and less saturated fat from the oil. It also allows a good sear without burning. Chicken stock or water – This will be used to create steam while pressure cooking. Although it never really makes direct contact with the chicken, it helps to give it moisture and flavor. You can strain and thicken this liquid later to make a delicious gravy.
How to Make this Recipe
Tips & Tricks
Nicely browned. Don’t skimp on using both butter and oil for the initial browning. The butter, as you can imagine, gives it a ton of extra flavor, but if you were to use it on its own, it may burn. The oil allows it to cook a little longer.For crispy skin. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet and place under the broiler for a few minutes at the end. Or use your Air Fryer instead.Brown sugar. Adding a little sweetness to your dry rub is an excellent added touch. The balance of flavors between sweet and savory or even sweet and spicy is always special!Different pieces. This recipe is based on my Instant Pot chicken thighs recipe, so if you’d rather use a different piece of chicken, feel free! Chicken thighs, drumsticks, and even bone-in skin-on chicken breasts will work. Breasts are bigger and meatier so you’ll need to adjust the cooking time to a few extra minutes.Pressure cooker size. The recipe works for either a 6 quart or an 8 quart Instant Pot. The number of drumsticks. For fewer drumsticks, you can cut the recipe in half. You can also make more and the cooking time remains the same.
Seasoning Variations
Switch up the dry rub each time you make this delicious recipe. It’s like an entirely different dish every time! Below is some inspiration.
Stone house seasnoning, simple but delicious!Homemade fajita seasoningItalian seasoningHomemade taco seasoning
Or skip the dry rub. Season with a bit of salt and pepper to begin and then brush with BBQ sauce before broiling in the oven at the end just as I did in this baked bbq chicken drumsticks recipe. Delicious bbq chicken in no time!
Ways to Serve Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks
Drumsticks are naturally kid-friendly even just because they’re fun to pick up and eat with your hands. They’ll love having a variety of different sauces to dip their chicken into, so think about serving them with a side of buffalo sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or yum yum sauce! Complete your meal with side dishes like twice baked potatoes, saucy and smoky baked beans, creamy lemon pasta, or these air fryer roasted potatoes. Keep it light with a side caesar salad or a carrot raisin salad. If you decide to use brown sugar as part of your dry rub, the latter would pair nicely with it! This easy Instant Pot recipe for chicken drumsticks is going to become a fast favorite. Don’t forget to share it so other people can also get dinner on the table quickly and easily! © Little Sunny Kitchen
