Easy Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks

This is the slow cooker I was using a few years back. (It’s been in the garage. It’s kind of beat up…)

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Yes, I was using this old slow cooker. My sister found it at a thrift shop several years ago, and knowing how much I like vintage things, she got it for me. I had another one, but it didn’t cook evenly, so I kept going back to this old thing. I used it a lot, actually (even though it’s hard to clean, because the crock isn’t removable.)

Then, I just quit using a slow cooker. WHY?  I have no idea.

I recently bought a new one.  Pretty boring news, right?  Except that it isn’t boring news to me, because I’m glad to finally have a slow cooker that is pretty enough to leave out on my counter, cooks evenly, and isn’t tiny.

After reading many reviews, I  bought a manual Crock Pot, similar to this one, except mine is red. There are many to choose from, and the prices change, so shop around.

It has the simple, old school dial I like – High, Low, and Warm. I didn’t want a digital display or timer. (The less parts to break, the better I like it.)  It’s a nice size.  

The first thing I made in my new Crock Pot was barbecue chicken drumsticks.  

You Will Need:

6-10 chicken drumsticks  The recipes I’ve seen mostly say to remove the skin, but I usually forget to, and it’s still good. More fatty though.)

1 bottle barbecue sauce (I used Maull’s 18  oz.)*

1 regular can diced tomatoes

Here’s How to Make Barbecue Chicken Drumsticks in a Crockpot

Place the drumsticks in the slow cooker, in a single layer, and pour the barbecue sauce and diced tomatoes on top. Cook on high for about 3-4 hours. (I’ve learned though, that slow cookers vary a lot in temperature. Some cook very hot, and some don’t. You will probably want to check these before the 3-4 hour suggested cooking time. With chicken, it’s always a good idea to use a meat thermometer, too, as chicken should always be cooked to a safe temperature of 165 degrees F.)

That’s it. Really.

*(Here’s a confession.  The original recipe really only calls for barbecue sauce and no tomatoes, but I hadn’t made it in a few years, and I was worried that one bottle of barbecue sauce didn’t look like enough. I had some canned diced tomatoes, so I threw those on top, and it was good!  If you want more traditional barbecue drumsticks, omit the tomatoes and just use some more barbecue sauce, maybe another bottle.)

It smells so good while it’s cooking.

I like to serve this with gluten free macaroni and cheese. Add a salad, and you have a meal that even little kids will like. ( I could never get my kids to eat salad when they were little, but maybe you are more successful at that!)

If you try this, please tell me what you think!

Try it Yourself!

Linking to:

Treasure Hunt Thursday, The SITS Girls DIY and Recipe Linkup, Create with Joy, Try It Like It , French Ethereal