The Best Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Legs recipe – easy chicken legs covered in BBQ sauce – from frozen recipe included too!

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Pressure Cooker BBQ Chicken Legs

Crispy, crunchy, juicy chicken legs covered in BBQ sauce are one of my favorite easy meals – they are full of flavor, can be made keto, and are everyone’s favorite finger food meals. Just like Instant Pot BBQ Shredded Chicken, its so easy in the Instant Pot!

My Crunchy Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe and air fried chicken drumsticks recipes have been viral at Sweet C’s for years – but I am constantly asked if the chicken drumsticks can be made from frozen.

If you’re planning a chicken leg dinner, but don’t have time to defrost, this Instant Pot Chicken Leg recipe is for you – because you can make it with chicken legs right out of the freezer, no thawing required!

How To Cook BBQ Chicken Drumsticks in the Instant Pot

Frozen chicken legs take 12 minutes to cook, but if they are in a solid block when putting them in, they may need additional time so make sure to check the temperature of the chicken.

Partially thawed chicken legs take 11 minutes in the instant pot.

Thawed chicken legs take 10 minutes to cook in the instant pot.

Chicken legs are fully cooked at 165 degrees.

Use a good quality digital thermometer, inserted into the fattest part of the chicken leg, to read the temperature.

Be sure to not hit the chicken bone for the best reading.

Keto Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Legs

Chicken drumsticks are one of the best easy keto dinners – they are filling, easy to make, and fit into macros perfectly.

BBQ chicken legs can absolutely fit into a keto diet – but you do need to be sure to use a keto approved sauce.

BBQ sauce can be loaded with sugar and carbs – but there are plenty of BBQ sauces that fit into a low carb diet.

One of the top questions on my viral BBQ Baked Chicken Drumsticks recipe is how to make it with frozen chicken legs.

This easy instant pot recipe is the solution – if you don’t have time to defrost chicken legs and want dinner fast, you can use chicken legs right from the freezer!

This instant pot recipe is designed to use frozen chicken legs, with no defrosting, for those times you just don’t have enough time and need dinner, fast!

Place frozen chicken legs on the trivet inside of the instant pot, add 1 cup of water.

Place the lid on top, make sure to close the seal.

Cook on high for 12 minutes with a quick release, check the temperature.

If the chicken doesn’t reach 165°F, leave them in the pot.

Take out the legs that are to temp.

With the undercooked chicken still in the pot, place the lid back on and cook on high for an additional 2 minutes with a quick release.

While these chicken legs cook to tender, juicy perfection in the Instant Pot, they will have soft skin when done in the instant pot – which is why we will either crisp them under a broiler, or using the Instant Pot Crisping lid.

Preheat the broiler on high.

Place the chicken legs on a sheet tray, season with the optional garlic powder and onion powder.

Brush the bbq sauce on one side, broil until the bbq sauce is sticky and baked on, about 2 minutes.

Turn them over and brush the other side with the remaining bbq sauce, broil for an additional 2 minutes. 

Remove pressure cooker lid from Instant Pot, and place crisping lid on.

Remove any liquid from bottom of Instant Pot.

Turn Instant Pot broiler function on high and preheat 5-10 minutes.

Place the chicken legs on a sheet tray, season with the optional garlic powder and onion powder.

Brush the bbq sauce on all sides of the chicken legs.

Place back in Instant pot on wire rack, making sure they are laid out and not placed on top of each other, so they can crisp evenly.

Broil until the bbq sauce is sticky and baked on, about 5 minutes.

Turn them over and brush once more with sauce, broil for an additional 5 minutes.

If more crunch is desired, repeat until satisfied.

These chicken legs make an easy and quick dinner – and pair perfectly with a ton of delicious, easy side dishes!

I am sharing some of my favorites – including low carb hits like cauliflower rice, pan fried broccolini, and bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers – but also quick favorites like the best rice pilaf, fogo de chao cheese bread, and jalapeno cheese bread.

I am often asked how to freeze and reheat my recipes – and reheating crunchy baked chicken is one of my most popular questions!

These methods work with these baked chicken drumsticks – but also my air fryer chicken drumsticks, BBQ baked chicken drumsticks, baked chicken wings, air fried chicken wings, and fried or grilled chicken drumsticks!

If you can’t make your way through all of the chicken legs and would like to save more for later, you can store leftovers in an airtight container or plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to five days or up to four months in the freezer.

Make sure to cook to piping hot when reheating.

If freezing, thaw overnight in the refrigerator until baking.

To bake chicken legs again after refrigerating, preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Coat chicken leg with BBQ sauce – just enough to coat entire leg, about 1 tbsp.

Place chicken leg on cooling rack over baking sheet and bake about 10 minutes, until piping hot.

Broil for extra 1-2 minutes to crisp.

The Best Instant Pot BBQ Chicken Legs Recipe

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