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Home » Entrées » Chicken Recipes » Kickin’ Grilled Chicken Legs

Kickin’ Grilled Chicken Legs

June 25, 2016 by victor 82 Comments

A close up of a beautifully browned grilled chicken leg.

I find that many modern BBQ recipes place a lot of emphasis on special sauces, special ingredients or ludicrously lengthy lists of spices. Sometimes those recipes reward you handsomely, sometimes not so much. As for me, I like simple recipes and the recipes that provide clean and balanced flavors. I think simple recipes come to perfection the closest, like this recipe for grilled chicken legs that I created in an effort to find a very quick but very tasty grilled chicken leg recipe.

Secrets to making the best grilled chicken legs

This recipe is an improved version of the old one I posted on this page. There were two obvious reasons for the change. One is that the recipe had brown sugar and it made it almost impossible to properly brown the skin without some burning here and there. Not a huge problem but I’d rather avoid it if I could. The other one is aesthetics and visual appeal. Somehow plain dry rub without any oil does not look so appetizing on grilled chicken legs. Here is the picture of the product of the old recipe, see the difference? So, in a nutshell, brown sugar is out and is substituted by dark soy sauce for some sweetness and color. Olive oil is in for better browning and visual appeal.

Super easy, super quick and lip-smacking delicious, kickin' grilled chicken legs. It takes only 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.

A quick rub to flavorize chicken legs

The key phrase here is ‘quick’. I am a big fan of marinating chicken, because it works and helps attain deep, balanced flavor profiles. If you’ve tried my Killer chicken thigh marinade you know what I am talking about. But, despite what some recipes claim, marination needs at least 2-4 hours to be effective, and preferably longer, like overnight and up to 24 hours. That’s not always possible. More often than not I don’t plan ahead and tend to look for a quick recipe that does not require a lot of prep time.

In this recipe all it takes is 5 minutes to prepare the rub and apply it on the chicken, which is immediately ready to go on the grill. This is it! All you have to do is mix together some granulated garlic and onions, black pepper and salt, add some dark soy sauce for sweetness and some cayenne for a little kick, rub the chicken with the spice mix and throw on the grill.

Grilled chicken dry rub.

Chicken legs smothered with dry rub.

Then, magically, the cheapest part of the chicken becomes some of the best ‘que you’ve ever had. I think what makes these grilled chicken legs so special is the balance of sweet and salty, subtle pepper, garlic and onion flavors and a nice kick from the cayenne pepper. There are no overpowering ingredients, and the flavors are clean.

Getting the crispy and caramelized skin

Nicely caramelized and crispy skin is the icing on the cake. It’s the best part. You get it by grilling at a fairly high temperature of about 300F-350F at the grate level. Lower and you won’t get proper skin crispness. Higher and you will burn the chicken skin.

Specifics are important in getting the right result. I don’t like guesswork and like the simplicity of using a good BBQ thermometer. It makes grilling a joy, without any stress. I even use my BBQ thermometer when I roast chicken in the oven.

Chicken legs grilling on a charcoal grill.

Meat temperature

The final important part is the internal meat temperature. USDA recommends cooking chicken to 165F internal temperature. A lot of recipes I’ve seen blindly follow that advice. For example, cooking a chicken breast to 165F makes a perfectly cooked breast. Cooking a wing or a leg to to that temperature makes for a juicy, yet stringy and tough piece of meat, that feels under-cooked when cooked to 165F.

Chicken wings and legs are much more forgiving. I like them ‘overcooked’. For legs, in my opinion, 180F-190F is more appropriate as it gives you tender, fall-off-the-bone meat that is still very juicy.

Deep golden brown chicken legs on a grill rack over red-hot charcoal.

Looking for more great chicken leg quarters recipes? Check these out:

  • Crispy Oven Roasted Chicken Leg Quarters
  • Smoked Chicken Leg Quarters
Super easy, super quick and lip-smacking delicious, kickin' grilled chicken legs. It takes only 5 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.

Kickin' Grilled Chicken Legs - Simplicity is Perfection

4.98 from 38 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories:
Author: Victor

Ingredients

  • 4 chicken legs drumsticks with thighs attached
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp granulated onions
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper plus more for a stronger kick - see my notes

Instructions

  • Start preheating the grill to medium high, about 300F-350F at the grate level.
  • Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients except chicken in a medium bowl and mix well.
  • Pat dry the chicken legs with paper towel, then evenly apply the rub all over the chicken legs. The rub should stick to the chicken fairly easily without adding any oil. If not, rub the chicken legs with a small amount of oil then apply the rub. Set aside and let sit at room temperature until the grill is ready.
  • Brush the grill grate with a little bit of oil to prevent chicken legs from sticking. Place the legs on the grill, skin side down, and close the lid. Grill covered for about 30 minutes, flipping every 8-10 minutes and moving around to account for hot spots and ensure even browning. The legs are ready when the chicken legs are nicely browned and the internal temperature is reading about 180F-190F.

Notes

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper will provide mild, pleasant spiciness
1 tsp - medium kick
1 1/2 tsp plus more - a lot of kick.
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    Recipe Rating




     

  1. Aurorua

    November 12, 2022 at 4:42 pm

    Love this recipe. Have made at least a half dozen times this summer since finding it. Tried rub with grilled pork chops as well to make pork fried rice and also enjoyed

    Reply
    • victor

      December 16, 2022 at 1:05 pm

      Glad to hear it. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. KRISTA

    October 29, 2022 at 8:34 pm

    Sir, I’m holding YOU accountable for making me gaining weight with this simple yet delicious recipe. I made it 3 nights ago and everyone inhaled it, so I decided to cook it for dinner again tonight.

    Reply
    • victor

      January 24, 2023 at 12:38 pm

      LOL Happy to hear that you like my recipe. Weight gain, well, hope you can find a way to manage it. I have the same challenge. And every time I say I should stop making tasty food because of that, my daughter says – No, daddy, please don’t, without tasty food life would be so boring. LOL

      Reply
  3. Eugene

    October 15, 2022 at 10:17 pm

    I sub olive oil for sesame oil and added some paprika and only bones were left great recipe

    Reply
    • victor

      January 24, 2023 at 12:40 pm

      Happy to hear it, Eugine. Glad you liked it.

      Reply
  4. Stacey

    October 02, 2022 at 11:32 am

    Definitely the best grilled chicken legs I have ever had. Juicy on the inside, super crispy skin on the outside. Thank you for sharing this perfect recipe!

    Reply
    • victor

      October 06, 2022 at 10:50 am

      You are very welcome. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Alan

    September 18, 2022 at 5:46 pm

    I tried this recipe tonight for dinner along with my four cheese macaroni and cheese and it was very delicious and went great with my macaroni and cheese.

    Reply
    • victor

      February 06, 2023 at 3:48 pm

      Glad you liked my recipe. Enjoy!

      Reply
  6. Kiwi Deb

    August 23, 2022 at 3:48 pm

    This has been my fav go to BBQ chicken recipe this summer. Everyone loves it.

    Reply
    • victor

      August 24, 2022 at 4:23 pm

      Enjoy!

      Reply
  7. Noelle Maine

    August 10, 2022 at 8:00 pm

    Really, really good! The cayenne was a good addition but the second time we subbed smoked chipotle and loved it even more. Thanks for this great rub recipe!

    Reply
    • victor

      August 17, 2022 at 10:25 pm

      You are welcome. Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Cathy Vanburen

    August 01, 2022 at 1:22 pm

    Thanks for the recipe! I followed all directions and my chicken leg quarters turned out beautiful. My family loved them so much that I’m making them again today. Thanks again

    Reply
    • victor

      August 02, 2022 at 9:22 am

      You are welcome. Enjoy!

      Reply
  9. Mark

    July 31, 2022 at 5:37 pm

    Pretty good when used on thick cut Iowa chops to.

    Reply
  10. Kimberley McCutcheon

    July 26, 2022 at 11:20 am

    Nicely done. Followed this recipe to the letter . Very good flavor .

    Reply
  11. Barb

    July 15, 2022 at 6:26 pm

    These were the best BBQ legs I have ever had! Moist and tasty. I will use this recipe over and over again.

    Reply
    • victor

      July 16, 2022 at 11:34 am

      Glad you liked them, Barb. Enjoy!

      Reply
  12. Josephine Dayger

    July 05, 2022 at 9:49 am

    I added fresh Rosemary and they were delicious. Marinated 2 days.

    Reply
  13. Jen

    July 02, 2022 at 8:55 pm

    I’d consider myself an experienced cook but had never heard of dark soy sauce so thank you for that introduction. This marinade is hands down the BEST marinade I’ve come across. We make this once a week. When it’s too cold to grill, we air fry it and it comes out sooooo good.

    Reply
    • victor

      July 04, 2022 at 1:01 pm

      You are welcome. Enjoy!

      Reply
  14. The Wellness Evolution

    June 15, 2022 at 8:43 am

    These were amazing. I didn’t think it seemed like enough of the rub but it was perfect.

    Reply
  15. Donna Connors

    June 12, 2022 at 9:57 pm

    This was so tasty, tender and jucy.. 180 degrees was the magic temp too. I’m definitely making this again.

    Reply
  16. Rhonda

    June 12, 2022 at 10:35 am

    The BEST bbq Chicken we have ever had!! Amazing, tasty crispy chicken. An simple easy to follow recipe. This is definitely our new favorite!! We actually put the chicken a brine the day before. We used whole legs. Going to try it without the brine next time.
    You have to try this recipe 😋

    Reply
  17. AMIE

    May 25, 2022 at 7:34 pm

    This is a great recipe, and easy. Chicken was delicious. Instead of soy sauce, I used coconut amino’s. My family does not eat soy sauce. All other ingredients were the same. My daughter had seconds which is very rare!! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • victor

      June 07, 2022 at 12:55 pm

      You are welcome, enjoy!

      Reply
  18. Mary Johnston

    May 10, 2022 at 8:06 pm

    Made this chicken tonight on the gas grill. It was perfect!! Made it without the onion but was still delicious.

    Reply
  19. Ingrid

    April 24, 2022 at 9:49 am

    This recipe was so easy and fast to make. I had marinated it in this sauce for a few hours before I got to grill. It was delicious. I will definitely make this again.

    Reply
  20. Rebekah

    April 16, 2022 at 12:55 am

    This recipe is awesome! My husband usually does the BBQ but since he went to bed early, I decided to bbq myself for the first time and it turned out perfect. I now have my go to person (you) to help guide me. Thank you….

    Reply
    • victor

      April 21, 2022 at 9:50 am

      You are very welcome. Enjoy!

      Reply
  21. Stefanie

    April 03, 2022 at 2:02 pm

    Can you use teriyaki sauce instead of soy sauce?

    Reply
    • victor

      April 04, 2022 at 10:02 am

      You could, but grilling will be trickier as it’s sweet and burns easily over direct heat.

      Reply
  22. Emily

    March 26, 2022 at 9:16 pm

    I’m not a fan of grilled chicken, but this turned out really good! The skin was crispy, the color was beautiful, it was tender and juicy… I would definitely make this again!

    Reply
  23. Vivienne

    February 17, 2022 at 6:53 am

    How long and what temp in the oven? Can’t wait to make it. Thanks for the comment of tripling the recipe. I have to do that too.

    Reply
    • victor

      February 17, 2022 at 8:54 am

      Check out this chicken leg recipe for cooking them in the oven.

      Reply
  24. Stephanie Butler

    September 27, 2021 at 7:58 pm

    Made this for supper. It was delicious

    Reply
  25. Sarah Mitchell

    September 22, 2021 at 7:38 am

    Easy, quick and delicious as promised! I like moderate heat. Surprisingly, 1/2 tsp Cayenne did not deliver the punch I expected. More next time, which will be soon!

    Reply
  26. Elizabeth

    August 29, 2021 at 7:42 pm

    so Good

    Reply
  27. Garret

    July 25, 2021 at 7:51 pm

    Wonderful recipe. Is my go-to recipe for bbq’d chicken. I might tone done the onion powder since it makes it a slightly too sweet

    Reply
  28. Sean G

    July 22, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    I just made this a few days ago for my wife. She was very skeptical at first, but then she tasted it. Today she asked me to make it again for dinner tonight! This chicken is SOOOO good! It really reminds me of “county fair” or “VFD” chicken. I followed the recipe exactly, except I did put it on the chicken about a hour in advance since I had time. DO NOT TRUST the temperature gauge on your grill. Use a meat thermometer. My chicken took about 45 minutes to reach 190 because (I believe) my grill thermometer is faulty (as most are). Also I doubled the recipe for my 4.6 pounds of chicken. The recipe above would not have been enough for me.

    Reply
  29. Kristen

    June 26, 2021 at 6:34 am

    Can I use chicken quarters?

    Reply
    • victor

      June 26, 2021 at 10:19 am

      Yes, you can.

      Reply
  30. Marvin Fox

    June 25, 2021 at 12:21 pm

    Hey, will using the recipe to marinade over night make it too salty?

    Reply
    • victor

      June 26, 2021 at 10:21 am

      Hi Marvin, there isn’t too much salt to make the chicken salty so you will be fine.

      Reply
  31. Mary Lokcynski

    June 22, 2021 at 6:16 pm

    These are the best chicken legs I have ever eaten. I have passed your recipe to two of my friends. Is there a recipe for chicken breasts or pork chops?

    Reply
    • victor

      June 24, 2021 at 8:14 am

      Hi Mary, I assume you are asking about grilling recipes. Here is my favorite grilled pork chop recipe. As for my favorite grilled chicken breast recipe, I don’t have it posted but I will in the near future.

      Reply
  32. AB

    June 20, 2021 at 3:31 pm

    Are these cooked on direct or indirect heat if I am using a gas grill?

    Reply
    • victor

      June 20, 2021 at 6:18 pm

      Direct heat. Like it much better that way.

      Reply
    • victor

      June 20, 2021 at 6:20 pm

      I sear without oil but adding some won’t hurt if only add a bot of smoke.

      Reply
  33. Eleni Pankowski

    June 02, 2021 at 8:40 pm

    Super easy and super delicious. My family loved it.

    Reply
  34. Patty

    May 30, 2021 at 6:51 pm

    It was so easy and delicious. Everyone hates my cooking boy did I surprise them with this chicken. They want it all the time now. Thank you can’t wait to try more of your recipes.

    Reply
  35. Susan

    May 16, 2021 at 10:13 pm

    Most delicious. I’m wondering about adapting it to a spatchcocked/butterflied chicken or even rotisserie?

    Reply
    • victor

      June 16, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      It Will work great, I tried several times.

      Reply
  36. Mike

    April 18, 2021 at 6:41 pm

    This was amazing! I marinated the chicken for a half-hour before putting on my UDS and my family loved it.

    Reply
  37. Sherry

    February 28, 2021 at 10:41 am

    WOW ! This was amazing! I’m making it again tonight. Such a nice break from a heavy BBQ sauce. Thanks

    Reply
    • victor

      March 05, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      You are welcome.

      Reply
  38. Sharon

    September 14, 2020 at 11:10 am

    This was delicious!! I did double the recipe the 2nd time I made it and did let it marinate for a couple of hours for greater flavor. Will definitely be one of my new go-to recipes. Thanks!

    Reply
  39. Diana Hughes

    September 06, 2020 at 4:18 pm

    The best grilled chicken I have ever made!
    Extremely moist and tender and crisp skin.
    The only way I’ll grill chicken again!

    Reply
  40. Chris R

    August 30, 2020 at 10:26 pm

    Great flavor! Had to triple the recipe for a few more people. Worked great!

    Reply
  41. Bart

    August 27, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    Is this a dry rub or wet. Seems to me the soy would keep this from being a dry rub.
    Recipe doesn’t specify where the soy is comes into play. What I am I missing here
    with how to properly use the soy in this recipe?

    Reply
    • victor

      September 08, 2020 at 10:46 pm

      Wet since it has soy sauce and oil in it. Just mix all of the ingredients except the chicken in a bowl (see picture in the post above), then apply on the chicken and grill.

      Reply
  42. Paul

    August 16, 2020 at 11:10 pm

    Follow the directions closely and you’ll have an amazing chicken dinner. The flavor is great, the chicken is moist, and the skin is perfectly crispy.

    Reply
  43. Luchiano

    June 13, 2020 at 8:02 pm

    This is bar-non the best & quickest way to prepare great tasting drums and thighs-Thanks! We use this on both que & in oven. One suggestion is to pierce the skins on the chicken prior to brushing on marinade this allows oils to drain crisping the skin more. We also had to play around while using oven between bake & convection roast to obtain correct crisp. Also 190 F internal gives the best pull of the bone doneness.
    #flavour #simplicity #cravingtasty
    L. Corrigan
    Burlington Ontario

    Reply
    • victor

      June 18, 2020 at 12:16 pm

      Happy to hear that you liked my recipe, Luchiano.

      Reply
  44. Christopher Lupold

    May 16, 2020 at 2:23 pm

    I’m confused…does the tbsp oil go in the rub? Or.just for grates?

    Reply
    • victor

      May 16, 2020 at 5:06 pm

      Chris, it’s for the grates only.

      Reply
      • CARY JOHNSON

        May 15, 2021 at 3:33 pm

        Hi Victor. This needs to be clarified….just made the “rub” with the ingredients listed as the recipe states – including Olive oil in the rub. Hope it is ok…lol

        Reply
        • victor

          June 21, 2021 at 7:57 am

          Hi Cary, sorry for the delayed response. Yes, this is fine.

  45. MikeMJP

    January 07, 2020 at 4:40 pm

    I used this recipe and adopted it to my Breville air fryer toaster oven. 10-12 minutes at 390 degrees air fryer setting. flip over and 10-14 minutes at 390 degrees. I’ve also Cooke on my gas grill. The air fryer was as good or better.

    Reply
    • victor

      January 07, 2020 at 7:53 pm

      I use my air fryer a lot lately, I actually bought a second one so I can cook more at the same time. Love the taste of the food that comes out of it.

      Reply
    • Mike Pallone

      July 11, 2020 at 8:17 pm

      This is now my favorite go-to recipe for chicken leg quarters, thighs or drumsticks. I have a big easy SRG Grill and this recipe come out fantastic on it.

      Reply
  46. Nicole

    July 01, 2019 at 10:03 pm

    Ha! Just realized I didn’t start from the beginning when I “reread” so I get it now. I had actually read it all before making the recipe. Unfortunately I totally forgot by the time I was done.

    Reply
    • victor

      July 02, 2019 at 10:16 am

      No worries. Enjoy!

      Reply
  47. Nicole

    July 01, 2019 at 9:58 pm

    Hi, you say add some sugar but I’m not sure how much to add. I made the recipe with the ingredients in the list which didn’t list sugar and didn’t catch the sugar part until after I finished cooking and reread your intro. I liked this recipe and would like to try again with the sugar next time.

    Reply
  48. Richard Lynch

    January 13, 2019 at 10:27 pm

    Thanks for the recipe…perfect!!

    Reply
    • victor

      January 14, 2019 at 12:25 am

      You are very welcome!

      Reply
  49. Jo

    December 19, 2018 at 3:00 am

    Hey there, these look great! Could you smoke these at a lower temp and then just put them in the oven/broil to get the skin browned? New to smoking.

    Reply
    • victor

      December 19, 2018 at 6:29 am

      Yes, you can. You can finish by broiling, pan searing or grilling over high direct heat.

      Reply
      • Jo

        December 19, 2018 at 3:45 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
  50. Marek

    March 10, 2018 at 10:15 pm

    Tried these grilled chicken legs today and was quite impressed. Simple recipe yet the taste was anything but simple. The crispy skin perfectly contrasted the juicy, fall-off-the-bone meat. I did mine on the egg as well, I think that makes a difference.

    Reply

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