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close up of a few instant pot chicken legs cooked from frozen and broiled in the oven.
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5 from 1 vote

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Legs or Drumsticks

Learn how to cook frozen chicken legs in your instant pot. No thawing needed! This is a quick and easy way to make a delicious meal in minutes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Natural release5 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Poultry
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 315kcal
Author: Adina

Equipment

  • Instant pot
  • Baking sheet
  • Aluminum foil

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken legs drumsticks, large, Note 1
  • 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 teaspoons seasoning Note 2
  • 1 cup chicken broth chicken stock or water, 250 ml, Note 3
  • 2-3 tablespoons BBQ sauce optional, Note 4

Instructions

  • Season: Rub the drumsticks with the oil and then with the seasoning, ensuring they are coated all over.
    6 chicken legs + 1-2 tablespoon oil + 3 teaspoon seasoning
  • Arrange: Pour the stock into the pot. Place the trivet inside the pressure cooker and arrange the drumsticks on top. It’s OK if the drumsticks don’t lie in a single layer (Note 1).
    1 cup/ 250 ml broth
  • Cook: Close the lid and ensure the steam valve is in the closed position. Set the pot to high pressure and select a cooking time of 12 minutes.
  • Allow natural release for 5 minutes. Quickly release any remaining steam by carefully moving the steam valve to the venting position.
  • Broil: In the meantime, preheat the broiler. Place the chicken drumsticks on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Glaze them with sauce. Broil for 4-6 minutes, flipping halfway. Keep an eye on the legs to prevent them from burning.
    2-3 tablespoon sauce
  • Rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. Chicken legs: You can cook 2-3 ½ lbs/ 1-1 ½ kg drumsticks in one batch. It’s ok if you stack them a little. Check out the blog post for detailed instructions on stacking chicken legs in the instant pot.
  2. Seasoning: Feel free to go with your preferred store-bought chicken seasoning or dry rub. Alternatively, you can choose a simple blend of salt and pepper, all-purpose seasoning, our homemade chicken wing dry rub, or any other spices you like. When preparing a larger batch of drumsticks, adjust the seasoning quantity as needed to ensure all pieces are well-seasoned.
  3. Chicken broth: Homemade or store-bought.
  4. Sauce: Brush the legs with your favorite sauce before broiling to increase the flavor. You can use your favorite BBQ sauce, teriyaki, hot or sweet chili sauce, or another sauce you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1drumstick | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 175IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 2mg