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 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.
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
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)
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.
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.
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.
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
Coleslaw
Gravy
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 Drumsticks
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
Nutrition
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If you try this recipe, rate it and leave comment below. I love reading from you!
How much water or chicken broth? It never says how much. Kind of important!!!
Hi Amy,
Apologies for the omission. It's I cup Water or Broth. Recipe card has now been updated to include the information.
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.
Splendid.
This recipe is easy to follow, I’ll give it a try.
Thank you! Do let me know how it goes.
What’s the purpose of water or chicken broth on bottom? It is supposed to be used for making source after?
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.
Question: What do i do with the oil after i brown the chicken? Do i leave it in the pot or discard it?
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.
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!
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 🙂
Hi Lisa, I added some pineapple and brown sugar to my chicken broth and my granddaughter loved it served over rice.
Did this tonight...worked very well!
I'm glad to read this. Many thanks for the feedback.
I have a different instapot. I dont a trivet. What should I use to keep the legs out of the water?
Thank you for Including the directions from frozen as well. Delicious!
My pleasure. I'm glad you like it.
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!!!
I'm so glad to read this. Thanks so much for the feedback Linda.
Can I cook more than 7 drumsticks at a time?
Yes, you can if they fit in your instant pot.
Delicious!!!
Thank you!
Very tender, easy recipe, and bland enough to leave room for your favorite sauce.
How much 0il do you use it doesn't say
It's 2 tablespoons. Thanks for pointing that out.
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!
Hi Lynzee, It's good to know your child loved it. Thank you for the feedback.
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?
I use the pressure cook settings.
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 😆
Planning on making tonight. Does anything change if you take the skin off first? Do you still saute it?
Yes, it's good to still saute first before pressure cooking.
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…
Hi Rosa, Many thanks for your feedback and suggestions. I will act on it.
Thank you. My family loved the chicken. It just fell off the bones.
I appreciate the feedback. Thank you.
Coriander is listed in the ingredients, but not in the directions. Is is ground coriander or coriander seeds? Thanks
It's dried coriander leaf and it's optional.
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.
Thank you for the feedback:)
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.
I'm happy reading this comment. Thank you very much for the feedback:)
This was amazing. I just made it tonight and it was perfect. Thank you for sharing your re ipe.
That's good to know. Thank you for the feedback:)
Hi! What setting do I put the pressure cook on? I’m doing it as we speak. It already smells delicious!