The secret to the juiciest, most flavorful grilled chicken legs is this next-level harissa marinade: Garlicky, smoky, perfectly spicy and delicious! Warming nutmeg and plenty of fresh citrus juice give these easy grilled chicken drumsticks a decidedly Mediterranean twist.
The humble chicken leg, in my opinion, doesn’t get enough credit. The meat is rich in flavor, and its proximity to bone prevents it from drying as it cooks. You can leave grilled chicken drumsticks on the heat for 5 minutes too long and they’ll still come out juicy and tender. They’re basically fail-proof!
The trick to the BEST grilled chicken legs, though? Two things. First, lock in those juices by cooking them a bit slower than grilled chicken breasts or boneless, skinless grilled chicken thighs. Second, don’t be shy with your marinade. I would say this one is restaurant-level but I’ve yet to find a restaurant near me that does Mediterranean flavors quite this bold and delicious!
I layer spicy, smoky harissa paste with lots of garlic, fresh citrus juice, and warming, aromatic spices. The meat soaks up the marinade–ideally overnight but even 30 minutes while your grill heats up will make a big difference. You’re well set up for a flavor party before you start cooking!
Table of Contents
- Grilled Chicken Drumsticks Ingredients and Substitutions
- Ingredient Spotlight
- How to Grill Chicken Drumsticks
- How Long to Grill Chicken Legs
- What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
- Leftovers and Storage
- More Grilled Chicken Recipes
- Next-Level Grilled Chicken Legs (Best Marinade) Recipe
- Try Our All-Natural Sumac!
Grilled Chicken Drumsticks Ingredients and Substitutions
Anytime you have a chance to marinate your chicken ahead of time for 2 to 4 hours, or even for just 30 minutes, do it! It makes a difference in infusing the chicken with flavor and in gently tenderizing it. Here is what you need to make this chicken drumsticks recipe:
- Garlic: The marinade is not shy on the garlic! You’ll use about 1 whole head of garlic to infuse the meat with a boldly garlicky flavor.
- Red onion adds another layer of sweet and savory flavor to the marinade. Red onion is a bit more subtle, but you can use any color onion you have.
- Harissa paste: Adds smoky, bright, spicy depth (see “Ingredient Spotlight” below for more information.)
- Spices: Nutmeg and thyme add an aromatic, warming quality. Sumac adds a burst of tart, tannic flavor (see more info below, or substitute with citrus zest). Salt and pepper enhance the flavor.
- Citrus: You need a fresh zing to balance the savory, smoky flavors. Lime or lemon juice both work well.
- Olive oil helps the flavor-makers penetrate the meat as it marinates. Use a high quality extra virgin variety for the best flavor. See our shop for my favorites.
- Drumsticks: Skin on, bone in chicken drumsticks cook slowly and stay extra juicy, but you any cut you like. Just adjust the cooking time–boneless, skinless thighs take about 10 minutes, chicken breasts take about 6 minutes.
Ingredient Spotlight
I absolutely love the combination of harissa and sumac, two jars from the Mediterranean pantry that will take the flavor of simple foods to new heights. Harissa, a North African chili paste, brings a deep complexity of smoky, citrusy, warming, and spicy flavor in just a spoonful. Sumac is most often compared to lemon zest, but it’s really so much more: tannic, slightly earthly, and super tart.
Together, they transform food into an experience: the heat of the harissa is balanced by the acidity of sumac, and all the tasting notes come out to play. And I have so many more ways to use with this dynamic duo!
- READ MORE: Learn all about sumac and how to make your own harissa paste with our essential guides.
- TRY IT: Head over to our shop to stock up on all the Mediterranean pantry essentials, including sumac spice and harissa paste.
How to Grill Chicken Drumsticks
The trick to grilling chicken legs is to cook them a bit lower and slower, turning regularly–almost like grilled shawarma on the spit but without the skewer. Here’s how to grill chicken drumsticks in 4 easy steps:
- Make the garlic-harissa marinade. In a food processor, blend 15 chopped garlic cloves, 6 tablespoons harissa paste, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons sumac, 1 teaspoon thyme, the juice of 2 limes (or lemons), and enough olive oil to make a smooth, runny sauce (about 1/4 cup).
- Season the chicken. Pat 20 large chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and pour the marinade over top. Rub the marinade into to the chicken, particularly underneath the skin.
- Marinate the chicken. Mix in 1 sliced red onion and cover the bowl with plastic (or transfer everything to a large zip-top bag). Refrigerate for four hours, or overnight (if you’re short on time, let the chicken sit at room temperature in the marinade for 30 minutes).
- Get ready to grill. Heat an outdoor grill to medium. When the grill is hot, add the drumsticks in one layer, shaking off the excess marinade, and cover. Grill, turning every 8 minutes or so, until they’re well done, 35-40 minutes in total.
How Long to Grill Chicken Legs
The short answer: 40 minutes on a hot grill with the lid on (rotate so they cook evenly). Longer than you might think! If you’re worried about overcooking your drumsticks when you’re wondering how long to cook chicken legs I have good news for you: you can stress less.
Chicken drumsticks are dark meat, meaning they have a lot of connective tissue and muscle. This breaks down at higher temperatures, so the drumsticks actually tenderize as they grill, rather than grilled chicken breasts which quickly becomes dry.
And, because most all of the meat is in contact with the bone which absorbs and retains heat as you grill, grilling drumsticks is essentially failproof! Cook chicken legs to an internal temperature of 165°F at a minimum, but they can even go up 10-15 degrees before drying out.
What to Serve with Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
I like to serve this chicken drumsticks recipe with a summery salad. You can’t go wrong with classics like Tomato Cucumber Salad or Mustard Potato Salad, but the sweetness of this Watermelon Salad would really hit all the sweet, spicy, smoky, citrusy, and fresh flavor notes on one plate. For dipping, something creamy-tangy and cooling goes best, like Tahini or Tzatziki.
Leftovers and Storage
Store leftover grilled chicken drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat them in a skillet over medium heat (perhaps with a little olive oil) until warmed through. You can also give the meat a second life by shredding it and mixing into salads for a healthy power lunch, like this Easy Mediterranean Bean Salad.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes
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Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Thighs with Dill Yogurt Sauce
Appetizer and Mezze
Mediterranean-Style Grilled Chicken Wings
Meat and Poultry
Juicy Grilled Whole Chicken, Mediterranean-Style
Middle Eastern
Grilled Chicken Kabobs with Zesty Garlic Marinade
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Next-Level Grilled Chicken Legs (Best Marinade)
Ingredients
- 15 garlic cloves, chopped
- 6 tablespoons harissa paste
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sumac
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 large limes or lemons, juiced
- Extra virgin olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
- 20 large chicken drumsticks (about 5 pounds)
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 large red onion, sliced
Instructions
- Make the garlic-harissa marinade. In a food processor, blend the garlic, harissa paste, nutmeg, sumac, thyme, lime or lemon juice and enough olive oil to make a smooth, runny sauce (about 1/4 cup).
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and pour the marinade over top. Rub the marinade into to the chicken drumsticks, particularly underneath the skin.
- Marinate the chicken. Mix in the onions and cover the bowl with plastic (or transfer everything to a large zip-top bag). Refrigerate for four hours, or overnight (if you’re short on time, let the chicken sit at room temperature in the marinade for 30 minutes).
- Get ready to grill. Heat an outdoor grill to medium. When the grill is hot, add the drumsticks in one layer, shaking off the excess marinade, and cover. Grill, turning every 8 minutes or so, until they’re well done, 35-40 minutes in total.
- Serve. Discard the marinade and onions, and serve the grilled chicken legs with your sides and sauces of choice, and lots of napkins!
Video
Notes
- Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including the olive oil, sumac, and harissa used in this recipe.
- If you choose to substitute harissa with a different chili paste, select one that does not have sweet undertones. You want to go spicy-tangy for this recipe. And of course, if you prefer a less spicy drumstick, reduce the amount of harissa or chili paste to your taste.
- How to store leftovers: Leftover chicken legs will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat (maybe with a little olive oil) until warmed through.
Nutrition
Try Our All-Natural Sumac!
This tangy, smokey, slightly sour spice is just what you need to give your grilled chicken thighs some extra zing.
*This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in 2015 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers’ benefit.
Does this also work well as a baked dish?
Sure! Hi Sharon. I would recommend first using a cast iron skillet or a griddle of sorts, to brown the drumsticks stove-top. Then, when the skin is nice and browned, move them to the oven, maybe with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Bake in a 400 degrees F heated oven until the internal temp of the chicken registers 165 degrees F. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
If you don’t have a food processor, would a blender work okay to make the marinade?
Sure, Alicia. A blender should be fine for this.
Hi Suzy!! This looks absolutely amazing!! I would like to substitute the drumsticks for thighs though. For the recipe you have here, would 8 thighs be a good number?
You can totally make this substitution. I think 8 to 10 thighs would work depending on the size of the thighs.
I made this exactly as the recipe reads using drums and thighs. I baked in the oven at 350 until meat thermometer read 165…absolutely delicious!!! The marinade is so good and flavorful! I bought the harissa paste on amazon (one in the yellow tube)…I did broil for a few minutes to caramelize the skin and this is oh-so-good! I’m thinking that marinade would make a fantastic dressing in a pasta salad…fantastic recipe!!
Jean, so glad to hear your feedback! I haven’t made this one in a while, and now I want to! So glad you enjoyed it. And thanks for sharing the baking instructions!
this is MAKIN IT!! pinterest owner
Thank, you Janet! Appreciate it.
I don’t have an outdoor grill. What is your recommendation for cooking in oven or stove-top?
Hi Sharon. If you have a cast iron skillet or a griddle of sorts, you can brown the drumsticks stove-top, then when the skin is nice and browned, move them to the oven, maybe with a generous drizzle of olive oil. Bake in a 400 degrees F heated oven until the internal temp of the chicken registers 165 degrees F. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Hello Suzy, when do you plan to share harissa recipe, i wish to prepare it myself. Plz update, thanks 🙂
Hi Shahid…Are you asking for a homemade harissa paste recipe? I am so glad you reminded me!! I will try and work on it in near future. Thanks so much!
Yes, a home made harissa paste recipe. Thank you. I m waiting for it 🙂
Hey Suzy, have you shared the recipe for a homemade harissa paste on the site. ? If yes, plz share the link. Thank you.
Hi! Sorry, I haven’t been able to get to that one yet. But it’s still on my list.
Crazy delicious! I used half lemon juice, half lime, and had the happy accident of grilling them a bit too low for :40, then raised the heat for :10, and they were perfect. I got such glowing reviews at a Mediterranean-themed potluck last night, that I currently have a new batch marinating for dinner tomorrow! Thank you!
Amber, that is so great to hear! I’m glad you enjoyed the grilled chicken drumsticks. Isn’t that marinade so good?!!! Thanks so much for taking the time to share!
I’m always looking for new, healthy ways to cook chicken breasts. Have you ever used subbed breasts for drumsticks and, instead of the grill, have you ever prepared this recipe in the oven?
Hey Misty. Great questions. This particular recipe, I have only tried with drumsticks. But I am sure it would be great with chicken breasts as well. I would marinate the chicken breasts (bone-in, skin on) overnight (be sure to work some of the marinade underneath the skin). To roast, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and roast for 40-45 mins (if you are doing 4 or so chicken breasts, for example). Adjust the amount of the marinade according to how much chicken you decide to make. Here is another roasted chicken breast recipe that you might like https://www.themediterraneandish.com/zaatar-roasted-chicken-breast-recipe/
Wow! Chicken has never looked this appetizing before. Great pictures and recipe, Suzy!
Thank you, Mary! They taste as good as they look. Promise
What a gorgeous dish! My family loves grilled chicken and I know they would love this!
Thanks so much, Sarah! If you ever try it, let me know.
Wow, looking at that chicken marinating in the harissa marinade, I just want to reach in and put it on my grill. The finished dish is gorgeous!
Maureen, great to see you here, friend! Thanks for the sweet comment.
You make dinner look soo easy and delicious! Another recipe I plan to pass!
Kristen, you are too kind. This is for sure an easy recipe, the key is in the marinade!
These would be great for this holiday weekend. I love spicy food! Thanks for the recipe.
Debi, thank you! This is an easy go-to recipe for the grill.
Harissa is one of my favourite things to cook with. I just love how it adds a delicious spiciness to everything. These drumsticks look crazy good!
Kristen, thanks for stopping in! I am a big fan of harissa, such a versatile ingredient.
What a lovely recipe, I do like a bit if zing and heat to BBQ chicken. They look so good served with all those herbs.
This chicken has some good zing for sure, Helen! So glad to see you here.