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!
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Easy Recipe for Dry Rub Grilled Drumsticks and Thighs
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!
Budget-Saving Tip
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. 😋
Dry Rubbed Grilled Drumsticks and Thighs
Servings 7 servings (1 thigh or 2 drumsticks per serving, see notes)Ingredients
Brine Ingredients
- ¼ cup kosher salt ($0.10)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar ($0.10)
- 2 quarts water ($0.00)
Rub Ingredients
- 2 lb. chicken drumsticks (bone-in, skin on (about 5) $2.92*)
- 2 lb. chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on (about 5) $3.57*)
- 1 Tbsp paprika ($0.25)
- 2 tsp ground cumin ($0.07)
- 2 tsp dried oregano ($0.10)
- 1 tsp brown sugar ($0.01)
- 1 tsp chili powder ($0.04)
- 1 tsp garlic powder ($0.04)
- 1 tsp onion powder ($0.03)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.04)
- 1 tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.16)
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil ($0.08)
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to 375°F. Gather and prepare all ingredients.
- Place the drumsticks and thighs in separate ziplock bags. Divide the brine ingredients evenly between the two bags. Close the bags and gently massage to help dissolve the salt and sugar. Brine the chicken for 30 minutes at room temperature or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
- Make the seasoning blend by combining the paprika, cumin, dried oregano, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the brine, rinse, and pat dry on both sides with paper towels.
- Brush both sides of the chicken with vegetable oil and rub all over with the seasoning blend.
- Make sure your grill is preheated to 375°F. If your chicken has been in the refrigerator, allow it to come to room temperature for 10 minutes before starting the grilling process.
- Grill the chicken thighs for about 15 minutes per side, until they reach 160°F. Let them rest; the temperature should rise to 165°F. If not, return them to the grill for a few more minutes.**
- For the drumsticks, cook them for 15 minutes on each side, until they reach 165°F, then remove them from the grill. The larger ones needed an extra 5 minutes on each untouched side, totaling 40 minutes.
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Equipment
- Small Bowl
- 2 Ziplock Bags
- Grill
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!how to make Dry Rubbed Grilled Drumsticks and Thighs step-by-step photos
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!
Recipe Success Tips & Suggestions
- After brining, rinse and dry the chicken well to avoid overly salty flavors. This will also help your dry rub stick better to the chicken.
- Cook your grilled thighs and drumsticks in batches if your grill is small. Grill the thighs first so they can benefit from a little extra time to rest while the drumsticks finish cooking. I was using a small grill and had to cook in batches when taking the photos here. The total cook time was one hour and ten minutes for me. If you’re able to cook everything on the same grill, it’ll be closer to 40 minutes of cook time.
- Chicken is done once the internal temperature reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer, but avoid hitting the bone as it may give a false reading!
- If you brine the chicken in the fridge, let the chicken sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes to take the chill off before grilling.
- Customize your dry rub for these grilled drumsticks and thighs by adding cayenne for heat or adjusting spices to your taste! You can also use your favorite store-bought rub if you don’t have a super well-stocked pantry.
- Want to use your oven instead? Follow the recipe as written, but skip the grill and preheat your oven to 425ºF. Bake the drumsticks and thighs for about 40 minutes, or until they reach at least 165ºF on an instant-read thermometer. For more tips and details, check out our oven-baked chicken drumsticks recipe!
Serving Suggestions
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!
Storage & Reheating
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.
