Barbecue sauce isn’t just for the barbecue! This recipe is for all of us Midwesterners who aren’t planning on grilling in several feet of snow mid-winter, but still want some delish barbecue chicken on game day (or any day!).

---

Prep time: 40 minutes (including marinating)

Cook time: 45 minutes

Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

• 6-8 chicken legs
• 1-1/2 cups barbecue sauce (I like Stubbs or Organic Original Good & Gather)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper, or use a rack on your baking sheet for crisper chicken).
• In a bowl, combine barbecue sauce, garlic powder, ground black pepper, paprika, cayenne powder, and onion powder. Mix until well combined.
• Pat the chicken legs dry with a paper towel.
• Place them in the bowl and coat them evenly with the barbecue sauce mixture.
• Place bowl with chicken legs in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.
• Place chicken in a single layer on the baking sheet. Brush a little extra of the barbecue sauce mixture onto each one and bake for 40-45 minutes, flipping the legs about halfway through baking. Internal temperature should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit for safe eating.
• Let cool slightly and serve.

• This recipe can easily be doubled if you’re feeding a crowd, or create some yummy leftovers if you’re feeding yourself or your family. I’ve comfortably made 12 drumsticks on a baking sheet before, so it can easily be doubled without using extra dishes.
• If you are making a meal instead of just chicken legs for game day and need a side dish, I highly recommend the homemade coleslaw to go alongside it. The sweet with the tangy is an incredible match.

Anyone else feel like tiny chicken wings just don’t cut it sometimes? They’re small and a pain to eat around the tiny bones…and boneless just feels like fancy chicken nuggets to me.

I was at a restaurant recently and curiosity got the best of me so I asked the server why they only offer 4 pieces of chicken drummies as an appetizer, because it seemed like a tiny amount for the price. She informed me they were actual chicken drumsticks–not the small ones that normally come with wings!

What a genius idea. Easier to eat, same rubs with dipping sauce, but a much better size. Also? A pack of chicken drumsticks is typically much cheaper than wings at the grocery store.

This football season, we’re doing drumsticks instead of wings.

Until next time,