Spicy Butterflied Chicken Legs

5 from 1 vote

Making butterflied chicken legs is a fun and quick way of serving chicken drumsticks. They are crispy and tender, flavorful, and they cook faster.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Course: Poultry

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 370kcal

Author: Adina

Caution: The meat is slippery, so ensure it is dry and the cutting board is stable. Be careful when cutting so that the knife won’t slip.
Butterfly drumsticks: Pat them dry with paper towels. Place them on a cutting board. Cut the meat on the side with less skin to expose the bone. Carefully cut around the bone a little to expose it a bit more but ensure that the meat remains attached to the bone at the top so that it would not fall off the bone.
Seasoning: Mix all the spices in a small bowl.
Season: Place the drumsticks in a large bowl and rub them well with the oil. Add the spices and rub to coat the chicken all over.
Marinate the chicken legs for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking (it will take 20-30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 200°C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Bake: Place the marinated chicken on the prepared tray and bake for 30 minutes until cooked and crispy.
Glaze: If you decide to glaze the drumsticks, remove them from the oven after 20 minutes, brush them with the glaze on both sides and bake them until cooked through.

Preheat the air fryer to 390°F/ 200 °C. Spray it with oil. Arrange the drumsticks in the basket in a single layer.
Air fry for about 18 minutes, flipping halfway through. Check that the legs are cooked through using an instant-read thermometer.
Glaze: If you decide to glaze them, brush them with the sauce during the last 5 minutes of the cooking time.

Preheat the grill to medium-high (400°F/200°C) for direct grilling.
Grill drumsticks: Place the drumsticks on the grill with the skin side up. Place the lid on top. Grill for 20-25 minutes, flipping every 3-5 minutes or so until almost cooked through.
Brush with the glaze and cook to the end without the lid, flipping often and brushing again when flipping.
Check the internal temperature (165°F/74°C); the drumsticks should be slightly charred and glossy.

The legs I had weighed between 3.5 oz – 4.2 oz/ 100 - 120 g.
This spice mixture is just a suggestion. Use other spices if you like. Your favorite store-bought chicken rub is always a good idea, but if all you have are salt and pepper, that will be fine too.
The glaze is great but optional.
Use your favorite brand of BBQ sauce.
To make the drumsticks hot add some Sriracha or another hot sauce to taste.