Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

These juicy Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Drumsticks satisfy your entire flavor palate. Made with a flavorful combination of soy sauce, BBQ sauce and pineapple, they’re an easy weeknight dinner idea everyone loves.

If you’re ready for a tasty chicken recipe, you absolutely must try these Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Drumsticks. This easy dinner idea is packed with flavor and also easy to prep as a freezer meal! Double it to keep an extra dinner ready to be dumped into the slow cooker any night of the week.

While there are many recipes for Hawaiian chicken out there, my secret is to include actual BBQ sauce in the glaze. This adds a savory, smoky aroma to the pineapple-soy sauce combination and easily sets this dinner one step ahead of the rest.

Hawaiian BBQ Chicken Drumsticks are a family favorite of mine and I know it will quickly become one of yours too!

What You’ll Need

• Soy sauce – Opt for low sodium. You can add more salt later if necessary.
• Pineapple juice – Adds sweetness and flavor to the sauce.
• Brown sugar – Omit for a less sweet sauce or substitute maple syrup.
• Ketchup – A little sweetness, a little flavor.
• Worcestershire sauce – Just a splash!
• Ground black pepper & salt – To taste.
• BBQ Sauce – Use any of your favorite bbq sauces.
• Cornstarch – You can substitute arrowroot powder.
• Water – It’s important to mix cornstarch with water before adding to the sauce, so it doesn’t clump together.
• Chicken drumsticks – You can also substitute chicken thighs or other cuts of chicken. I prefer bone-in, dark skin chicken for the juiciest, most flavorful pineapple chicken.
• Cilantro – The finishing touch!

How To Make Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken Drumsticks

1. Add soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire, pepper, salt, and bbq sauce in a mixing bowl,. In a ramekin or small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water, then add to the bowl with the bbq sauce. Whisk together well. Set aside ¼ cup.
2. Place the chicken drumsticks into the slow cooker. Pour bbq mix over the drumsticks. Cover, and set the slow cooker to low for 6 hours, or high for 3.5 hours.
3. Once finished cooking, set drumsticks onto a baking sheet and brush with remaining sauce. Place under the broiler in the oven for 5 minutes
4. Garnish with cilantro and serve with pineapple slices. Enjoy!

Easy Variation Ideas

Although I love this chicken drumsticks recipe as it is, there are some yummy variation ideas you can try too. Here are a few of them:

• You can substitute chicken thighs, other cuts of chicken, or even swap chicken for pork, beef, or another protein.
• Add in some veggies, such as bell pepper or broccoli.
• Kick up the spice a notch by adding jalapenos or cayenne pepper flakes.
• For a less sweet sauce, you can omit the brown sugar.
• If you have time, you can marinate the chicken for up to 30 minutes prior to cooking.
• Add in chunks of fresh pineapple for extra flavor.

Serving Suggestions

I like to serve these chicken drumsticks over rice with a side of broccoli or other vegetables. White rice, brown rice, fried rice and cauliflower rice are all good options.

How to Store and Reheat

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, pop in the microwave for a few minutes until the chicken is heated thoroughly.

Can I Freeze These?

Yes! This bbq chicken drumsticks recipe makes a great freezer meal. To freeze, just prepare the sauce according to the instructions and pour it into a ziplock freezer bag over the chicken legs. Squeeze the air out and seal.

When you are ready cook, thaw the chicken in the refrigerator overnight, then pop in the slow cooker and cook.

Other Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes

• Slow Cooker Chicken Marsala
• Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup
• Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos
• Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip