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Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs are smoky, sticky, and caramelized on the outside while staying juicy and tender inside, thanks to a simple brown sugar spice rub. These are a staple at our house all summer long, and the girls fight over the crispy, saucy ends every time. They are budget-friendly, easy to grill, and perfect with a batch of our homemade BBQ sauce.
These grilled BBQ chicken legs come together with a quick spice rub and your favorite barbecue sauce.
Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 30 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes (plus optional 2 hour marinate)
- 🍽️ Serving: 4 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 348kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Smoky, sweet, and savory with a caramelized BBQ glaze
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, a simple backyard grilling recipe
Quick Answer
To make Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs, toss chicken legs in a brown sugar spice rub and marinate if time allows. Grill over medium heat, turning every few minutes, until they reach 165 degrees, then baste with BBQ sauce and keep grilling until the sauce caramelizes. Serve hot off the grill.
Jump to:
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs FAQs
- Other Recommended Grilling Recipes
- Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- The brown sugar rub does two jobs. It seasons the chicken deeply and helps the skin caramelize into a sweet, savory crust on the grill.
- Medium heat prevents burning. Grilling over medium heat cooks the legs through without charring the sugary rub before they are done.
- Saucing at the end keeps it from burning. Adding the BBQ sauce in the last few minutes lets it caramelize into a sticky glaze instead of scorching.
- Turning often means even cooking. Rotating the legs every minute or so while basting builds layers of caramelized sauce on every side.
- Cooking to temperature guarantees juicy meat. Dark meat is most tender at 175 to 190 degrees, so a thermometer takes the guesswork out of perfect legs.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Chicken legs are budget-friendly, juicy, and almost impossible to overcook.
- A simple spice rub plus BBQ sauce gives big smoky-sweet flavor with little effort.
- They are a backyard cookout staple alongside our grilled shrimp skewers.
Key Ingredients
Here is what you need for these sweet and smoky Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs.
- Chicken Legs: Budget-friendly and full of juicy dark meat that stays tender on the grill.
- Brown Sugar: The base of the rub. It caramelizes into a sweet, crispy crust.
- Spices: Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, ground mustard, salt, and pepper build a savory, smoky rub.
- BBQ Sauce: Use your favorite, thinned with a little water so it brushes on easily.
- Water: Just enough to loosen the sauce so it coats the legs evenly.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs are easy to customize.
- Make them spicy: Add cayenne or chipotle powder to the rub.
- Use any cut: The rub and method work great on thighs, wings, or a mix.
- Try a different sauce: Swap in honey BBQ, Carolina gold, or Alabama white sauce.
- Bake or air fry: No grill? Bake at 400 degrees or air fry, then broil to caramelize the sauce.
- Add smoke: Toss a few wood chips on the grill for extra smoky flavor.
How to Make Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs
- Mix the spice rub. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and ground mustard.
- Season the chicken. Toss the chicken legs with the rub until evenly coated, then refrigerate for up to 2 hours to marinate, or use right away.
- Mix the BBQ sauce. Stir the BBQ sauce with the water until it is thin enough to brush on easily.
- Grill the legs. Preheat the grill to medium, oil the grates, and grill the legs, turning every few minutes, for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Baste with BBQ sauce. Brush the legs on both sides with the sauce and continue grilling, basting and turning often so the sauce caramelizes.
- Grill until done. Cook until the internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees, or up to 190 degrees for fall-off-the-bone meat, then serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use a meat thermometer, dark meat is juiciest between 175 and 190 degrees, well past the 165 degree minimum.
- Grill over medium heat, high heat burns the sugary rub before the legs cook through.
- Sauce at the end, add the BBQ sauce in the last few minutes so it caramelizes instead of scorching.
- Oil the grates well so the skin does not stick and tear.
- Marinate if you can, two hours with the rub deepens the flavor, but it is still great used right away.
- Let them rest a few minutes before serving so the juices redistribute.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Pile these Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs onto a platter and serve them with all the cookout classics. They are perfect next to grilled corn, baked beans, and a tall glass of our large batch mojitos.
Build a backyard barbecue spread with these legs, our grilled shrimp skewers, and steak kabobs so there is something for everyone.
For an easy summer dinner, serve them with potato salad, coleslaw, and corn on the cob. Do not forget extra homemade BBQ sauce on the side for dipping.
Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs FAQs
Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs take about 25 to 30 minutes over medium heat. Grill 15 to 20 minutes to cook through, then baste with sauce and grill another 10 minutes until caramelized and at least 165 degrees.
Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs are safe at 165 degrees, but dark meat is most tender and juicy between 175 and 190 degrees. Use a meat thermometer for the best results.
Add the BBQ sauce to Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs in the last 10 minutes of grilling. Saucing too early causes the sugars to burn before the chicken is cooked through.
Yes, bake Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs at 400 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes, or air fry them, then broil for a couple minutes to caramelize the sauce.
Marinating Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs in the spice rub for up to 2 hours deepens the flavor, but it is optional. You can rub and grill them right away and they still taste great.
Grill over medium heat and wait to add the BBQ sauce until the last few minutes. The sugar in the rub and sauce caramelizes quickly, so lower heat and late saucing prevent burning.
Firing up the grill? Do not miss our smoky grilled shrimp skewers next.
Round out the grill plate with a chilled pearl couscous salad in a lemon dill dressing.
Round out the cookout with our grilled flank steak chimichurri, marinated overnight in an herby garlic paste.
No grill tonight? Our oven-baked chicken foil packets bring juicy lemon-herb chicken inside.
Grilled BBQ Chicken Legs
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 teaspoons light brown sugar packed
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- 2 pounds chicken legs
- 1/2 cup bbq sauce
- 2 tablespoons water if needed
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and ground mustard.
- Place the chicken legs in a large bowl and toss with all of the spices. Cover and place in the fridge for 2 hours to marinate, or use immediately.
- Stir together the bbq sauce and water until combined. (If your bbq sauce is thin already and easy to brush on, then you can skip this step.)
- Preheat the grill to medium heat and oil the grates.
- Place the chicken legs on to the grill and allow them cook, turning every few minutes until an internal temperature reaches 130-140°F. Time will depend on the size of the legs, but this should take 15-20 minutes.
- Baste the legs on both sides with the sauce, and continue to cook until an internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees F about another 10 minutes or until your desired doneness (180-190°F results in fall-off-the-bone meat). I like to rotate the legs every minute or so and baste with the bbq sauce each time so the sauce will caramelize.
- Once they hit your desired temperature, serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a Meat Thermometer: An instant-read thermometer is the best way to ensure your chicken is cooked to the right temperature.
- Pat Dry: Before seasoning, pat the chicken legs dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the skin get crispy.
- Oil the Grill Grates: Prevent sticking by oiling the grates before cooking.
- Marinate Longer: If you have time, marinate the chicken legs for a few hours or overnight for more flavor.
- Rotate and Baste: Rotate the legs and baste with BBQ sauce frequently for a caramelized glaze.
- Let it Rest: Allow the chicken legs to rest for a few minutes after grilling to let the juices redistribute.
Nutrition
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