Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks {Fresh or Frozen}

Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks are ready in less than 30 minutes, these Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks are so tender and flavorful and they are made with simple ingredients! Make Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks from frozen or fresh.

Originally published on February 21, 2020. Last updated on January 17, 2023.

Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks

Drumsticks and wings are something I used to order out, I didn’t commit to making them at home often but these Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks are too easy not to put in my regular rotation! They are the perfect game day food, appetizer or as part of your dinner spread and perfect with the BEST ranch dressing recipe ever!

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Ingredients to make Paleo Chicken Wings

• chicken drumettes or drumsticks also called party wings – I get mine from ButcherBox
• unrefined sea salt
• freshly cracked black pepper
• hot sauce
• ghee
• honey or coconut aminos for whole30
• garlic powder

How to make Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks Frozen or Fresh

The Instant Pot makes cooking chicken drumsticks so quick and easy! They perfectly cooked in under 30 minutes! *Full ingredients list and instructions listed below in the recipe card.

1. Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the drumsticks so all sides are seasoned.
2. Pour water into the bottom of the Instant Pot then place the metal trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
3. Place the drumsticks on the trivet, stacking as many as needed.
4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, lock and set the valve to sealing.
5. For Fresh Drumsticks: Select pressure cook / manual on high for 10 minutes.
   For Frozen Drumsticks: Select pressure cook / manual on high for 15 minutes.
6. While the drumsticks cook make the buffalo sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Mix the hot sauce, ghee, honey and garlic powder until smooth and combined then set aside.
7. Once the cooking has finished, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release all remaining pressure.
8. Remove the drumsticks from the Instant Pot using tongs and place them in a large mixing bowl.
9. Pour half of the buffalo sauce over top the chicken and gently toss until fully coated.
10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper place an oven safe wire rack on top of the parchment paper. Arrange the wings on the wire rack evenly spaced. (If you don’t have an oven safe wire rack you can place the wings right on the parchment paper but they won’t get as crisp.)
11. Broil the drumsticks under high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until the skin is crisp.
12. Once the drumsticks are crispy remove them from the oven and brush each with the remaining buffalo sauce.
13. Serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks and my amazing ranch dressing.

Instant Pot Fresh Chicken Drumsticks

For Fresh Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks, cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.

Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Legs

To make Instant Pot Frozen Chicken Legs, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Cooking frozen food may take up to 20 minutes for pressure to be reached in the Instant Pot.

Whole30 Chicken Drumsticks

To turn these paleo chicken drumsticks into Whole30 Chicken Drumsticks be sure to use Frank’s Red Hot Original as your hot sauce or another whole30 compliant hot sauce for making the buffalo sauce and omit the honey. You can omit the honey completely and stick with the same recipe or substitute 2 Tablespoons coconut aminos for the 1 Tablespoon of honey called for to keep a bit of the sweetness in this recipe in a whole30 compliant way.

What I love about chicken drumsticks

They are affordable! Looking for Instant Pot Chicken Drumstick Recipes? It’s easy to use this affordable cut of meat to make a tasty meal with minimal ingredients.

They stay moist! Because of the bone to meat ratio on a chicken drumstick they stay moist and tender AND you can keep the leftover bones to use in bone broth. I simply keep the bones in a freezer bag until I have enough to make a batch of bone broth with.

They are fun! In my experience, everyone loves a good chicken wing/drumstick. Kids and adults alike eat them up and there is no limit to the ways you can serve them. Include them in your game day spread, movie night snack line up or as a part of an “appetizer dinner” for a fun dinner idea.

More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes:

• Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
• Instant Pot White Chicken Chili
• Healthy Chicken Potato Soup
• Healthy Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Flavorful Instant Pot Shredded Chicken

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Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks (Fresh or Frozen)

★★★★★ 5 from 3 reviews

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 1.5 pounds of chicken wings 1x
• Category: Appetizers & Snacks
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks are ready in less than 30 minutes, these Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks are so tender and flavorful and they are made with simple ingredients! Make Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks from frozen or fresh.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Instant Pot:

• 1.5 lbs chicken drumsticks/drumettes also called party wings
• 1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1.5 cups of water

Buffalo Sauce:

• 1/2 cup hot sauce
• 2 Tablespoons ghee
• 1 Tablespoon *raw honey (see note below to make whole30 compliant)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Serve with:

• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• The BEST Ranch Dressing

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Instructions

1. Sprinkle the salt and pepper evenly over the drumsticks so all sides are seasoned.
2. Pour water into the bottom of the Instant Pot then place the metal trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
3. Place the drumsticks on the trivet, stacking as many as needed.
4. Place the lid on the Instant Pot, lock and set the valve to sealing.
5. For Fresh Drumsticks: Select pressure cook / manual on high for 10 minutes.
   For Frozen Drumsticks: Select pressure cook / manual on high for 15 minutes.
6. While the drumsticks cook make the buffalo sauce in a small saucepan over low heat. Mix the hot sauce, ghee, honey and garlic powder until smooth and combined then set aside.
7. Once the cooking has finished, allow the pressure to naturally release for 5 minutes, then quick release all remaining pressure.
8. Remove the drumsticks from the Instant Pot using tongs and place them in a large mixing bowl.
9. Pour half of the buffalo sauce over top the chicken and gently toss until fully coated.
10. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper place an oven safe wire rack on top of the parchment paper. Arrange the wings on the wire rack evenly spaced. (If you don’t have an oven safe wire rack you can place the wings right on the parchment paper but they won’t get as crisp.)
11. Broil the drumsticks under high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until the skin is crisp.
12. Once the drumsticks are crispy remove them from the oven and brush each with the remaining buffalo sauce.
13. Serve with carrot sticks, celery sticks and my amazing ranch dressing.

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Notes

*To make this recipe whole30 compliant you can substitute 2 Tablespoons of coconut aminos for the 1 Tablespoon honey in this recipe or just omit the honey completely.

Keywords: instant pot chicken drumsticks, drumsticks, chicken legs, instant pot, leg quarters,

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