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    Home » Chicken » Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks

    Published: Dec 11, 2019 · Modified: Mar 1, 2021 by Kemi · This post may contain affiliate links

    Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks

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    Instant pot chicken drumsticks ! So juicy, tender, delicious with crisp skin. This pressure cooker chicken drumsticks recipe is well seasoned and cooked to perfection. Let me show you how to make the best instant pot chicken drumstick recipe. 

    Instant pot chicken drumsticks served on white plate

    INSTANT POT CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS RECIPE

    This instant pot chicken drumsticks recipe is about to be your favourite. Like my Instant Pot Chicken Wings recipe, It's ready in 30 minutes which makes it quicker than stovetop or oven method. For oven method chicken drumsticks and chicken legs recipe check my orange baked chicken and easy baked chicken legs. 

    I also have the best Air fryer chicken drumsticks recipe on the blog. Do check it out.

    For this chicken drumsticks recipe, you can use fresh or frozen chicken drumsticks, skinless or skin on chicken drumsticks. I have also included variation such as instant pot buffalo chicken drumsticks and barbeque chicken drumsticks in instant pot. You can use just the instant pot for cooking the chicken or finish it off by broiling in the oven for few minutes to get crispy skin. Whichever method you use, i promise you perfect chicken drumsticks.

    One of the beauty of instant pot pressure cooker is that you don't have to wait around while it's doing the cooking, you can go about the house doing other things and when chicken is cooked, the pressure cooker beeps to alert you. Cooking chicken legs in instant pot pressure cooker is easy and simple. It also produce flavourful, moist and tender meat.

    For this recipe, I used my instant pot duo 7 in 1 6 quart. You can make this recipe in any of the instant pot pressure cooker or other electric pressure cookers like Pressure king pro and ninja foodie.

    Let me show you in easy steps how to make Instant pot chicken drumsticks. 

    5 chicken drumsticks on plate

    Instant Pot Chicken drumsticks ingredients 

    The ingredients for this well seasoned easy instant pot chicken drumsticks or pressure cooker chicken drumsticks are simple (Detailed ingredient list, measurement, recipe and video in recipe card at the end of this post). You will need:

    Chicken - You can use fresh or frozen. The cooking time varies but i have noted the cooking times for both in this post.

    Paprika

    Onion powder

    Garlic powder or granules

    Parsley

    Oregano

    Black pepper

    Salt

    Oil - Vegetable, sunflower, coconut or olive oil.

    Barbeque sauce or buffalo sauce - Optional

    ingredients for instant pot chicken drumsticks set out

    HOW TO COOK CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS IN INSTANT POT

    1) Prep, clean and pat chicken dry with kitchen towel.

    2) Make the dry spice rub by mixing paprika, onion powder, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper and salt together. Add spice rub to the chicken and mix well. 

    Leave chicken to marinate for 30 minutes - 12 hours (Optional)

    spice rub added and mixed with chicken

    3) Set instant pot to sautee then add vegetable oil in the inner pot of the instant pot. 

    4) When oil is heated, add marinated chicken drumsticks in single layer and brown the sides. This takes about 2-3 minutes on each side.

    7 pieces of chicken in instant pot to be browned

    5) When the sides are browned, take the drumsticks out of the Instant pot and put them in a plate. Switch off IP saute mode.

    6) Add water or chicken broth to the inner pot and place trivet in the pot. Arrange chicken drumsticks on trivet then close the Instant pot with it's lid. 

    7) Set to manual pressure cook 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, do 5 minutes natural pressure release.

    browned chicken placed on trivet ready to be pressure cooked

    8) Once the instant pot is depressurised, open the lid and take out chicken drumsticks.

    For crispy skin, broil in the oven on each side for 5 minutes each

    9) Serve and enjoy. 

    Instant pot chicken drumsticks served on plate and placed in front of the instant pot

    VARIATION

    INSTANT POT BUFFALO CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

    Add some buffalo sauce to chicken after step 8 then broil. Add some more buffalo sauce after broiling, mix with the chicken and serve. Buffalo sauce recipe in my instant pot chicken wings recipe.

    Instant pot Bbq chicken drumsticks 

    Toss drumsticks in barbeque sauce after step 8 before broiling in the oven. Broil chicken in the oven on each side for 5 minutes each. Add more bbq sauce after broiling. Serve and enjoy.

    How long does it take to cook chicken drumsticks 

    It takes 10 minutes to pressure cook and 5 minutes natural release. It's good to note that the instant pot takes about 10 minutes to come to pressure. If you are new to instant pot check out my post on How to use instant pot.

    Cooking Chicken drumsticks from frozen

    If cooking from frozen, seperate the chicken and season with dry spice rub. You won't be able to saute to brown the sides so start from step 6 and add water or chicken broth to the inner pot and place trivet in the pot. Arrange chicken drumsticks on trivet then close the Instant pot with it's lid. Set instant pot to manual pressure cook for 15 minutes and afterwards do 5 minutes natural pressure release. Broil in the oven for 10 minutes (5 minutes on each side).

    TIPS FOR COOKING CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

    • Pat drumsticks dry with kitchen towel so the spice rub is not watered down.
    • If broiling, line oven tray with baking sheet for easy clean up.
    • Broiling the chicken is not a must. If you’d rather not have crispy drumsticks then omit the broiling process.

    What to serve with chicken drumsticks

    Serve chicken drumsticks with

    Instant Pot Jollof rice

    Coleslaw

    Instant Pot roast potatoes 

    Gravy

    Instant Pot Basmati rice

    Instant pot pressure cooker chicken drumsticks

    How to store chicken drumsticks

    Leave to cool completely then put in freezer bags, label and keep in the fridge for up to 3- 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 4 months.

    More Instant Pot pressure cooker recipes you'll love

    Instant Pot Chicken Curry

    Instant pot Lo mein

    IP Spanish rice

    Instant pot Tomato soup 

    Instant pot pressure cooker chicken drumsticks
    Print Recipe
    5 from 29 votes

    Instant pot Chicken Drumsticks

    Instant pot chicken drumsticks ! So juicy, tender, delicious with crisp skin. This pressure cooker chicken drumsticks recipe is well seasoned and cooked to perfection. Let me show you how to make the best instant pot chicken drumstick recipe.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    natural pressure release5 mins
    Total Time20 mins
    Course: Chicken, Dinner, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Instant pot chicken drumsticks, instant pot chicken drumsticks recipe, pressure cooker chicken drumsticks
    Servings: 7
    Calories: 110kcal
    Author: Kemi
    Cost: $5

    Equipment

    • Instant pot pressure cooker

    Ingredients

    • 7 pieces Chicken drumsticks
    • 1 tablespoon Paprika
    • 1 teaspoon Parsley
    • 1 teaspoon Coriander
    • ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon Onion powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon Oregano
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 cup Water or Broth

    Instructions

    • Prep, clean and pat chicken dry with kitchen towel.
    • Make the dry spice rub by mixing paprika, onion powder, parsley, garlic powder, oregano, black pepper and salt together. Add spice rub to the chicken and mix well. 
    • Set instant pot to sautee then add vegetable oil in the inner pot of the instant pot. 
    • When oil is heated, add marinated chicken drumsticks in single layer and brown the sides. Browning takes about 2-3 minutes for each side.
    • When the sides are browned, take the drumsticks out of the Instant pot and put them in a plate. Switch off IP saute mode.
    • Add water or chicken broth to the inner pot and place trivet in the pot. Arrange chicken drumsticks on trivet then close the Instant pot with it's lid. 
    • Set to manual pressure cook 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, do 5 minutes natural pressure release.
    • Once the instant pot is depressurised, open the lid and take out chicken drumsticks.
      For crispy skin, broil or grill in the oven on each side.
    • Serve and enjoy. 

    Video

    Notes

    *Important notes in the post. If you havent read the post before jumping to recipe, do go back and read so you don’t miss out the details
     
    Cooking Chicken drumsticks from frozen
    If cooking from frozen, seperate the chicken and season with dry spice rub. You won't be able to saute to brown the sides so start from step 6 and add water or chicken broth to the inner pot and place trivet in the pot. Arrange chicken drumsticks on trivet then close the instant pot with it's lid. Set instant pot to manual pressure cook for 15 minutes and afterwards do 5 minutes natural pressure release.
    Instant pot buffalo chicken drumsticks - Check notes in post
    Instant pot bbq chicken - Check notes in post

    Nutrition

    Calories: 110kcal

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    If you try this recipe, rate it and leave comment below. I love reading from you!

    Related posts:

    Best Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
    Sauteed Vegetables Recipe
    Boiled Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
    Instant Pot Scrambled eggs
    « Instant Pot Italian Sausage
    Instant Pot Jasmine Rice »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. amy j rynearson says

      January 07, 2020 at 11:55 pm

      How much water or chicken broth? It never says how much. Kind of important!!!

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        January 08, 2020 at 1:25 am

        Hi Amy,
        Apologies for the omission. It's I cup Water or Broth. Recipe card has now been updated to include the information.

        Reply
      • Kylie says

        March 24, 2021 at 10:38 pm

        The very last ingredient it lists is 1 cup of broth/water! That’s what it’s referring to. I usually just put enough broth to cover the trivet bc so much juice will come out of the chicken and I’m not trying to boil it! I think a cup is a little much, I personally would use a half cup of broth. But the receipt does say 1 full cup.

        Reply
    2. Funmilayo says

      January 20, 2020 at 7:20 pm

      5 stars
      Splendid.
      This recipe is easy to follow, I’ll give it a try.

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        January 21, 2020 at 3:04 am

        Thank you! Do let me know how it goes.

        Reply
    3. Wl says

      April 19, 2020 at 10:35 pm

      What’s the purpose of water or chicken broth on bottom? It is supposed to be used for making source after?

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        April 20, 2020 at 3:35 pm

        Hello Wl. The instant pot makes use of water to come to pressure so it's important. You can use the water or broth to make gravy afterwards.

        Reply
        • Sarah says

          November 21, 2022 at 6:36 pm

          How do you make the gravy with it?

          Reply
    4. Autumn Kinnison says

      June 25, 2020 at 3:51 pm

      Question: What do i do with the oil after i brown the chicken? Do i leave it in the pot or discard it?

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        July 04, 2020 at 10:43 pm

        Hi Autumn, You leave it in the pot then add water or chicken broth, scrape off any brown bits off the bottom of the pot, place in the trivet and arrange the chicken on the trivet.

        Reply
    5. Lisa says

      July 02, 2020 at 8:32 pm

      5 stars
      My picky one year old enjoyed it. His twin brother couldn’t appreciate but I loved it and put the broth over rice.
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        July 04, 2020 at 10:48 pm

        Hi Lisa, I appreciate the feedback, thank you! I'm glad you and your one year old loved and enjoyed it. I hope the twin brother enjoys it when next you make it 🙂

        Reply
      • Susan Daugherty says

        July 20, 2022 at 7:05 pm

        5 stars
        Hi Lisa, I added some pineapple and brown sugar to my chicken broth and my granddaughter loved it served over rice.

        Reply
    6. Douglas says

      July 07, 2020 at 1:02 am

      5 stars
      Did this tonight...worked very well!

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        July 09, 2020 at 3:22 pm

        I'm glad to read this. Many thanks for the feedback.

        Reply
    7. Amber G says

      July 26, 2020 at 9:56 pm

      I have a different instapot. I dont a trivet. What should I use to keep the legs out of the water?

      Reply
    8. Jenn says

      August 17, 2020 at 9:14 pm

      Thank you for Including the directions from frozen as well. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        August 19, 2020 at 6:16 pm

        My pleasure. I'm glad you like it.

        Reply
    9. Linda says

      August 23, 2020 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      I have made this delicious recipe many times. I like that it is easy, fast and tasty after a long day at work. I have even made the dry rub ahead of time and ziplock it to use within the week. Still tastes magnificent!!!

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        August 27, 2020 at 8:09 pm

        I'm so glad to read this. Thanks so much for the feedback Linda.

        Reply
    10. Plishy says

      October 01, 2020 at 10:12 pm

      Can I cook more than 7 drumsticks at a time?

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        October 02, 2020 at 1:21 am

        Yes, you can if they fit in your instant pot.

        Reply
    11. Susanne Harrison says

      October 23, 2020 at 1:01 am

      5 stars
      Delicious!!!

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        October 26, 2020 at 2:10 am

        Thank you!

        Reply
    12. Patricia Kaspi says

      October 31, 2020 at 10:59 pm

      5 stars
      Very tender, easy recipe, and bland enough to leave room for your favorite sauce.

      Reply
    13. Sherry A Robin says

      February 26, 2021 at 9:56 pm

      How much 0il do you use it doesn't say

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        March 01, 2021 at 4:19 am

        It's 2 tablespoons. Thanks for pointing that out.

        Reply
    14. Lynzee says

      March 10, 2021 at 2:22 am

      5 stars
      I cooked my chicken from frozen. My picky child ate it and loved it! I cannot believe how tender and flavorful it turned out! Thank you!

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        March 10, 2021 at 11:28 pm

        Hi Lynzee, It's good to know your child loved it. Thank you for the feedback.

        Reply
    15. Kim says

      August 10, 2021 at 12:09 am

      I just received my instant pot as a gift and found this recipe. I plan on trying it tomorrow as I am marinating my chicken tonight. My question is do I use the poultry setting or the pressure cook setting?

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        September 06, 2021 at 9:56 pm

        I use the pressure cook settings.

        Reply
    16. Noreen says

      August 23, 2021 at 11:42 am

      A recipe I definitely want to try, thank you. I haven't removed the protective blue plastic from the front of my Instant Pot, just like you! For some reason I can't bring myswlf to do it 😆

      Reply
    17. Ginger says

      October 25, 2021 at 7:14 pm

      Planning on making tonight. Does anything change if you take the skin off first? Do you still saute it?

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        October 26, 2021 at 12:30 pm

        Yes, it's good to still saute first before pressure cooking.

        Reply
    18. Rosa says

      December 13, 2021 at 11:29 pm

      5 stars
      The recipe is great! Just a few suggestions: settings on my instant pot for Sauté and Pressure cook require a temperature low/med/high. Also please include the amount of oil for sautéing the chicken. Had to read through all the blogs to find out…

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        December 14, 2021 at 9:29 pm

        Hi Rosa, Many thanks for your feedback and suggestions. I will act on it.

        Reply
    19. Maria says

      February 22, 2022 at 5:11 am

      Thank you. My family loved the chicken. It just fell off the bones.

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        February 22, 2022 at 5:37 am

        I appreciate the feedback. Thank you.

        Reply
    20. Barbara says

      March 10, 2022 at 9:52 pm

      Coriander is listed in the ingredients, but not in the directions. Is is ground coriander or coriander seeds? Thanks

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        March 17, 2022 at 3:59 am

        It's dried coriander leaf and it's optional.

        Reply
    21. Valerie says

      March 30, 2022 at 9:09 pm

      5 stars
      Simple, easy, and tasty! I made it a second time with just salt pepper and olive oil for my young son who prefers less seasoning. Put it in the broiler with a little garlic and honey after the instant pot. He loved it! Thank you.

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        April 02, 2022 at 3:41 pm

        Thank you for the feedback:)

        Reply
    22. Christine says

      April 22, 2022 at 6:16 am

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe tonight and it’s an instant success on the very first try 😍. The drumsticks came out looking like the photos and tasted very juicy tender and delicious. My whole family loved it.
      Thanks so much for the wonderful recipe.

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        April 28, 2022 at 12:42 am

        I'm happy reading this comment. Thank you very much for the feedback:)

        Reply
    23. Tina Burgard says

      June 19, 2022 at 1:42 am

      5 stars
      This was amazing. I just made it tonight and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing your re ipe.

      Reply
      • Kemi says

        June 25, 2022 at 5:02 pm

        That's good to know. Thank you for the feedback:)

        Reply
    24. Laura says

      August 30, 2022 at 8:45 pm

      5 stars
      Hi! What setting do I put the pressure cook on? I’m doing it as we speak. It already smells delicious!

      Reply
    25. Mallowey says

      January 12, 2023 at 8:11 pm

      I like how you've kept the blue plastic on your instant pot key pad ;p

      Going to try this recipe tonight!

      Reply

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