Skinnytaste > Main Ingredient > Chicken Recipes > Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks is an EASY slow cooker chicken dish made with only 6 ingredients, including the salt and pepper! Kid-friendly and delicious – the chicken literally falls off the bone!

This is an EASY slow cooker chicken dish made with only 6 ingredients, including the salt and pepper! Kid-friendly and delicious – the chicken literally falls off the bone!
Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks

It’s great having friends who love to cook. I get the best ideas from them, and this recipe is the perfect example. My girlfriend Nalini is an excellent cook, and she was telling me about this chicken recipe she made in the oven for her family. Me of course changed the recipe (I just can’t help myself) I removed the skin from the drumsticks, modified the ingredients and adapted the recipe for my slow cooker. Results – AMAZING! Kids, husband, everyone loved it!! I served this with Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Proscuitto from The Skinnytaste Cookbook (which my 4 year old loves) and everyone was happy.

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks – EASY, made with 6 ingredients!

And since so many are asking, although I have and love my Instant Pot, I still love my slow cooker! I have the 6 Quart Hamilton Beach Set ‘n Forget Programmable Slow Cooker (affil link). I love it because you can adjust the time you want it to cook, and it automatically turns to warm when it’s done. It also has a probe for meat that automatically shuts off when done. I hated my old crock pot, it burnt everything and my food had a weird taste. This slow cooker is so great, I actually own several!

More Easy Crock Pot Chicken Recipes:

Skinnytaste High Protein cookbook protein

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks

4.80 from 64 votes
2
Cals:355
Protein:47.5
Carbs:17.5
Fat:9
Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks is an EASY slow cooker chicken dish made with only 6 ingredients, including the salt and pepper! Kid-friendly and delicious – the chicken literally falls off the bone!
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks is an EASY slow cooker chicken dish made with only 6 ingredients, including the salt and pepper! Kid-friendly and delicious – the chicken literally falls off the bone!
Total: 4 hours
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 2 drumsticks

Ingredients

  • 8 skinless drumsticks
  • 1/4 cup pure Maple syrup
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
  • 3/4 tsp garlic salt
  • Fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

  • Season chicken with garlic salt and pepper and place in slow cooker. Combine maple, balsamic, and Dijon in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour over the legs, making sure the chicken is covered. Set a 6-quart slow cooker to HIGH and cook 4 hours, or until cooked through and tender.

Last Step:

Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 drumsticks, Calories: 355 kcal, Carbohydrates: 17.5 g, Protein: 47.5 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 218 mg, Sodium: 965 mg, Sugar: 12 g

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks – EASY, made with 6 ingredients!

Pin It To Save For Later!

Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks – An EASY 6-ingredient chicken dish the whole family will LOVE!

Categories:

Rate and review this recipe!

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Rate this Recipe:




402 comments on “Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumsticks”

  1. I have made this a few times now, it is so easy and makes the most tender fall off the bone chicken. Amazing flavour, even better warmed up the next day!

  2. I made this with chicken thighs and loved it. I added a little bit of broth as suggested. I will be making it with two bone in chicken breasts and would appreciate insight as to length of time and heat as to cooking. I love cooking again and so do my friends and family. Thanks Gina

  3. Wow – this chicken is delicious! This recipe is so easy to prepare in the slow-cooker and it tastes great!!

  4. I have followed you for almost 15 years now and I love all of your recipes! I love how easy they are to follow and they are all so delicious but this recipe is by far the most delicious recipe I have tried so far, I was even licking my fingers! Thank you so much for always sharing your delicious food recipes! I look forward to trying them all one day!

  5. this is our favorite Gina recipe so on this freezing cold day a nice hot dinner seems appropriate. Question – can I throw in some frozen veg with these & if so at what point in cooking

  6. Avatar photo
    Courtney Granata

    I made this with chicken thighs. I would do it again but use bone in thighs, add some chicken broth and cook on low. When the cooking time was done there was no sauce left and parts of the chicken and sauce were crystalized and burned. I scraped out the burned parts, added chicken broth and fresh sage. I will make it again but with the above changes. I think my slow cooker runs hot, especially on high.

  7. In order to cover the chicken with the sauce or marinate you have to doble the ingredients.
    I turned the legs half way and came out good but next time I would doble everything but the legs

    1. Avatar photo
      Nancy oplinger

      I haven’t made this yet, but the recipe seems very scant. So thank you for the idea to double the sauce.

  8. These are awesome! I’ve made them many times, the whole family loves them, the meat just falls off the bone.

  9. Avatar photo
    Kathy Dalrymple

    This recipe is a winner! Five star taste , whole family favorite, sooo easy to prepare..what’s not to love?!!
    I’ll make this often.

  10. This was really good a super easy.
    I only used 6 drumsticks but made the same amount of sauce.
    Will definitely make again.

  11. This was great and so simple! Very few ingredients. I substituted, by mistake chicken thighs for drumsticks and they were great!

  12. This was absolutely fantastic! I used bone-in chicken thighs, minced up a little garlic and sliced up a little onion and put them on top, doubled the sauce, and when I was done the chicken was falling off the bone. I shredded it a little bit, put that over seasoned rice, then with the gravy I thickened it with some cornstarch and put that over it and the flavors are outstanding! I will definitely be making this again and again!

  13. Can you make this using boneless, skinless chicken thighs? How does that change the quantity and cooking time?

  14. This is sooooo good. I know maple syrup seems to be super expensive lately but breaking it down it’s still an inexpensive meal for four (or like me, two dinner, two lunch the next day).
    I pull the fat off my drums, put the garlic and pepper on. Put them in the crockpot with the sauce on top. I put the heavy meat side down. I add a veggie on top, usually baby carrots. I cook them on low for 4 to 4 1/2 hours and let them sit an hour or so on warm because that really browns the drums. YES, it works for browning them! They will look like the pic. At least mine do. I also put a paper towel between the crockpot glass cover and pot so the condensation doesn’t fall into the food – keeps it way less wet.
    My crockpot runs very hot so low temp times are actually recommended hot temp times for me.
    I make this often and I want to try it with different meats and veggies now too!

  15. Made this recipe tonight. It was fantastic! I used boneless skinless thighs that I had on hand and added onion and a couple garlic cloves. Cooked on low for 6 hours and it was perfect. Will definitely be making this again.

  16. I made this recipe last week. It was delicious. My husband is still talking about how good it was. I’m going to have to make it again soon.

  17. Avatar photo
    Jessica McGill

    I make this several times a month! My kids love it. I usually use boneless skinless thighs so we don’t have to deal with a bone. Same cooking time as the recipe lists.

  18. I have made this several times and my family absolutely loves it. It’s so so simple too. The only change I make is sometimes we double the sauce and then take the chicken out of the crockpot and thicken the sauce with some cornstarch to spoon over the chicken! 

  19. I made this using 2 good size thighs since there are just two of us. I cooked it with the skin on for 5 hours since I would be out of the house that long and was afraid to dry it out. It was perfectly cooked and delicious. I removed the skin when I was eating it. Thanks for an EASY DELICIOUS recipe. Would be a nice meal for company too.

  20. I made this recipe today (7/10/22), It was DELICIOUS!! I was pleasantly surprised by the flavor, I tripled the sauce because I was cooking 14 chicken legs. I read some of the reviews, one reviewer said she removed the chicken legs and put them in the oven on broil to make the skin crispy. I did that and I returned them to the crockpot. I will DEFINITELY make this recipe again. I took a nap while they were cooking and I woke up to the smell of the sauce filling the kitchen.

    Thank you Gina

  21. Made this last night as stated in the recipe. Absolutely delish. Will be making this pretty often !
    Thank you Gina

  22. My family and I absolutely ADORE this recipe. I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs and add more than it calls for. There is always plenty of ‘gravy’ and everyone wants some leftovers for their lunch the next day! It’s so easy to throw together before work and sooooooo delicious. Thank you for a great recipe!!

  23. I have made this Several Times and it is an absolute favorite. Unfortunately I am out of Dijon Mustard & am not doing a shop. I have regular yellow mustard and deli mustard. Can I use either of these? 

  24. This is one of my favourite recipes in the cook books! However, my slow cooker broke recently. So, I had to use my instant pot and it didn’t turn out as flavourful. Any tips on how to convert this recipe for an instant pot?

  25. This looks delicious, do you think it would be OK to add potatoes or carrots to the crockpot while cooking? Does that mean I need to double the sauce? Will that affect the chicken cook time? 

  26. Hello.. thank you for the incredible recipe – it meets all of my “fav” ingredients without the way-too-much sugar. This recipe made some fine delicious chicken legs. I added a little something …after the crockpot time was done – low for 6 hours; , I placed the legs in an oven casserole dish; poured the liquid over the legs and baked on 375 degrees F for 20 minutes, this enabled the skin to get a little crispier and the sauce thicker – sooooo good! This recipe is recommended for the Keto life-style as well as it uses maple syrup – two tablespoons for the entire recipe! Thank you! Kitty

  27. This was super easy and quick to put together in the slow cooker. The meat totally fell off the bone! I love drumsticks Itasty and cheap!) so I am always trying to find an easy way to preprare them. This recipe is absolutely delicious and I will definitly be repeating!

  28. Love this recipe but how can this be 8 blue points? Isn’t maple syrup the only thing that is counted? It’s 1 point per teaspoon. Thanks!

  29. How would I go about freezing this? Should I cook it first and then freeze? Or should I put the chicken and the sauce in a freezer bag and cook it when ready?

  30. I made these for company the first time. Everyone – kids and adults – loved it. I make it with chicken thighs most of the time and I make it often. So easy! So YUM!

    1. I made it tonight in the Instant Pot. Used poultry setting for 20 minutes, and everything else was the same. The chicken turned out AMAZING. Very easy and delicious.

    1. I made this tonight and it was DELICIOUS. My husband and I both loved it. I followed everything exactly as stated and my chicken turned out browned too. In fact, the ends were very dark, so yes, it is very possible that the chicken gets browned. BTW I cooked the chicken on high for 4 hours like she said.

  31. Definitely going to try this one but the SALAD in the pic looks delicious too!  Where can I find the recipe for it???  Thanks so much!

  32. This recipe is on your recent weekly meal plan but I think the carb count is way off. I calculated about 17 grams per serving. A 1/4 cup of maple syrup has 54 carbs so I don’t see how each serving has 96.

  33. Avatar photo
    Tracy Lynn Smiles

    Made with 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, Changed recipe to 3 Smart Points per serving. Yes!

    1. Thanks for posting this. We only eat white meat so I’m excited to try this recipe now that I know I won’t be wasting time and money.

  34. I wanted to add to the community that I froze the leftovers from this recipe and it turned out okay. Not as yummy as fresh, but the flavors were still there!

  35. Avatar photo
    Sarah Wegske

    Very good! I removed the chicken drumsticks from the crockpot after they were done and put them in the oven at 400F for 10 minutes or so, just to get them a little crispy. I also added 2 tbsp of flour to the left over sauce to thicken it. After the chicken was done in the oven, I drizzled some sauce over it.

  36. WOW!!!! This is so delicious!!!! I had 14 drumsticks so I tripled the sauce and I cooked it on low for 5 1/2 hours. Served over couscous…….absolutely fabulous!!! And SO simple to make!!!!

  37. I think you already addressed this, but it says 96 Carbs per serving. That cannot be correct, right? Is that for the entire 8 drumsticks?

      1. It’s off if the calories are 239 for 2 drumsticks. 96carbs would equal 384 calories alone!

  38. Avatar photo
    Hilary Siegler

    This dish is delicious, so easy and definitely my go to, kids love it. I do not care for drumsticks generally, but the fall off the bone chicken is so wonderfully tender, I enjoy the dish immensely! Thanks for a tasty easy dish for weeknights!

  39. Hi Gina,

    My wife and I made the baking tray version of this dish from your cookbook.   It was OUTSTANDING!  The flavors were perfect and the dish is so appealing to the eye.  Thank you for helping us to have a perfect Sunday meal.  

    We served it with a lovely Riesling that had just a slight amount of residual sweetness.  It couldn’t have been better.

    You made two happily retired folks even happier!

    Thank you!

    Ron and Jeanne

  40. I’m cooking this right now with boneless thighs. I’ve made something similar in the oven with similar ingredients and grainy mustard. I prefer the crockpot because you know it’s thoroughly cooked.  For those who haven’t used a crockpot before I would suggest looking up crockpot basics. There are some do’s and don’ts with crockpot cooking that are recommended. Not everyone abides by them but I think it is helpful. I couldn’t tell you how my oven will cook different dishes but I know my crockpot inside out. I can’t wait to try this tonight!

  41. Watching sugar intake – any suggestions instead of maple syrup? Or maybe just get a reduced sugar one? Looking obviously for a more natural substitution 

  42. Avatar photo
    Samantha Schumann

    Easy, delicious, and guilt-free. What could be better?
    I have a 6 quart instant pot which is my new favorite thing in the kitchen. I made this chicken two times in two different ways. The first I followed the recipe and used the slow cooker function. The only thing that was different was I used chicken legs instead (the store I like to buy my meats from didn’t have drum sticks). It was amazing when it was slow cooked! Fell off the bone and so tender and juicy. The second time I used a pressure cooker. I was a little nervous to do it by pressure cooking because I never done it before and I am attached to the slow cook method. I didn’t brown it before hand like many people do when they pressure cook. What I did is that i added some water, put in the legs with the mixture, and cooked it for 16 mins. After, I broiled it for 5 minutes so the skin could be very crispy. To my surprise, it was also very amazing. It was different in the slow cooker where as the slow cooker had the maple dijon flavor throughout the chicken while the pressure cooker it was the outside that had most of the flavor. Both ways the meat was moist which was nice. I think for next time if I pressure cook this recipe I would marinate it first in the maple dijon sauce. I did like the sow cooker a little more however I was impressed that both methods felt like I was eating chicken at a nice restaurant.

  43. I made this recipe last night- I ended up making 12 drumsticks in my crockpot. While we were very happy with how tender the chicken was… we thought that it was overly sweet. I will be cutting back on the maple syrup next time! 

  44. I have this on our menu rotation. It’s absolutely delicious. I end up making it in the oven but love the flavor!!! 

  45. I have a smaller crockpot but would like to cook 10 or 12 drumsticks.  Is it ok to have 2 layers of drumsticks ( I would double the sauce)?

  46. made this tonight, used regular french’s mustard in place of dijon, was absolutely delicious with a side of home fries and feta salad!

  47. HOLY SMOKES these were delicious!!!! We will be putting this recipe into rotation in this household!!! I can’t wait to make these for friends as well!!!!
    THANK YOU so much for sharing all your amazing recipes with us!!!
    Anne

  48. Very good recipe… a keeper. I had chicken thighs and it was excellent. A bit sweet so next time I might add a few drops of hot sauce. Thanks for sharing!!

  49. Avatar photo
    Kelli Mahoney

    I knew my boys wouldn’t like the working parts of the drumsticks so I followed the recipe exactly, except I used boneless skinless chicken thighs. My slow cooker seems to run high so I cooked them all day on “keep warm” which is the equivalent of low on my old crock pot. So good I added the recipe to my very selective keep binder..

  50. This was really good. Everyone enjoyed it and I will definitely be making it again. It has such good flavor. I made it with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and shredded them in the crock pot after they were done which was real easy. We put it over rice with all the juice.

  51. Made this with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Cooked on high for 3 1/2 hrs. Was really good, served over brown rice. May add mushrooms next time.

  52. Avatar photo
    JoAnn Goodwin

    Made this today and enjoyed a delicious dinner that was so quick and easy! Since I used 10 skinless drums I doubled the sauce recipe, I wanted more sauce in my 6qt crockpot. I also made roasted asparagus and drizzled the sauce on the top. The chicken was so flavorful, this will be a repeat!!

  53. Can you make these in the instant pot by using another drumstick recipe as a guide? Would additional liquid be needed? Thank you!

  54. I just bought a 1.5-quart crock pot since I only cook for myself. Would it work to use smaller portions for recipes like this one? Is there an easy way to convert recipes into one to two servings? Thanks much!

    Also, I work 12 hours/day–is that too long to leave a small crock pot on low? Thanks again.

    My sister loves your SkinnyTaste Fast and Slow book, and I’m thinking of buying it myself.

  55. Can I mix some boneless skinless chicken breast with the drumsticks? Would the time stay the same? LOVE this recipe and make it all the time. 

  56. This has been a staple in our house ince I tried it a year or so ago.  I always use 10 drumsticks, because thay’s how they’re sold here, and don’t change anything else about the recipe.  It’s always delicious!

  57. I was wondering – has anyone tried this with chicken breast?

    I know it’s kind of a strange request but I can be a picky eater and I would prefer to do it that way and make it into a kind of shredded chicken recipe. If no one responds, I’ll let you guys know how it turned out. 😛

  58. Do you think it would be possible to replicate the recipe using chicken breasts? I’m not particularly fond of drumsticks so that would be a better choice for me. I’m gonna try doing it that way either way, but it would be nice to know if anyone else has done it successfully!

  59. this is probably a silly question – but if i wanted to serve this to a group and basically triple the recipe so have around 24 drumsticks in total – can i layer them in my crockpot? will it work out ok? or should i be doing it on a pan instead?

  60. Avatar photo
    Tracy Grondin

    I don’t have a slow cooker, so I did these in my pressure cooker. I seasoned the drumsticks and cooked them in the PC for 5 minutes, then combined them with the sauce and a half cup of water in a saucepan. I let them simmer for a bit in the sauce, and kept spooning the sauce over them. I then pulled the drumsticks out and reduced the sauce briefly, until it was a bit thicker, and spooned it over the chicken when I served it. My husband and I loved it!

  61. Hello Gina–Have you prepared this in the oven and if so , at what temperature and for how long ??? any other tips for making this in the oven appreciated ..thanks !!

  62. I put 6 drumsticks (the number in the package) in my crockpot on high. After 3 hours, they appear to be done inside. I think my crockpot gets hotter than some others, because I’ve managed to overcook chicken before.

    Haven’t tried it yet (it’s on warm until dinner time), but it was SO easy!

  63. Gina, you’ve done it again… my boys in my family raved 
    About this recipe. The meat was so tender it falls off the
    Bone. It’s soooo easy to make in the crockpot too. Thank 
    You for all your hard work! 

  64. I made it once. Very good. However, I tweaked the recipe a bit for the next time. It definitely needed some spice. I added quite a bit of crushed red pepper flakes to give the flavor some lift. Added some turmeric and curry to give an earthier flavor (just for the adventure). Very good recipe overall.

  65. Would 6 chicken thighs with skin work as well? If so, would it be the same cooking time on high?

    Thanks!

  66. Good morning,

    I have 12 drumsticks, too many for my small crock pot.  I have a very large ceramic-coated cast iron Cuisinart pot.  What adjustments should I make to the recipe in order to do the drumsticks in the Cuisinart pot? Thank you.

    1. Was not crazy about this recipe. Came out too sweet and I made sure to follow directions exactly as is. Very bummed out! Flavor would’ve been great if it was less on the sweet side.

  67. I have made this several times, it is awesome!  What temperature, and how long if you do it in the oven?

  68. These were great! Cooking in a slow cooker never gives you a thick sauce/glaze so after they were done I put remaining juice/sauce in a stovetop pan and added a bit of cornstarch. I reduced it almost by 1/2 and it turned into a thick sauce/glaze. It was great over the drumsticks!

    1. Yes! I drizzled the sauce over quinoa and veggies on the side. So tasty and pleased the whole family.

  69. This is one of my favorites,  I’ve always made it just as the recipe calls, but I almost feel like my chicken is TOO tender.  The drumsticks are literally falling apart themselves.  Am I cooking it for too long? I have always done 4 hours on high as directed. 

  70. I made this tonight and it was delicious !  I used boneless skinless thighs and it worked really well.  I did double the sauce recipe and I’m so glad because it was so yummy!     Thank you Gina  for all your healthy and so tasty recipies.  It’s always my first go to.

      1. Thank you Gina!!!
        I just want to say your recipe are fantastic and making it a lot easier to eat healthy will actually enjoying the foods you eat!!! Thanks for what you do!!!! Happy new year!

      2. Hi Gina 
        I made your shredded Brussels sprout side dish it was amazing! I am trying to find it on your site to make it again and I can’t…can you direct me where to get the recipe please?
        Thanks 

      3. Since I have a few different recipes (and I am not sure which one you are referring to) I would to go the search bar and put in Brussels Sprouts. It will bring up all the recipes and you can find the one you’re searching for. 🙂 The one referenced in this recipe though is Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Proscuitto from the Skinnytaste Cookbook.

  71. I made this last night with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was so yummy. I also added in a sliced onion for extra flavor. Without sauteing the chicken first, there was some browning on the side of the crock pot and chicken, but the brown color from the meat was due from coloring of the balsamic and maple. Highly recommend this recipe!

    1. Did you change the cooking time when using boneless skinless chicken breasts?  That’s what I will be using and am not sure if 4 hours on high might be too long and dry the chicken out. 

  72. I am making this for a larger group. Will this still cook correctly in the crock pot with 12 drumsticks + more marinade/sauce to account for extra meat?

    Thank you!

  73. It looks delicious.  I want to try now but i only have chicken breasts…can chicken breast be fine with this recipe?  

  74. Avatar photo
    Harry marshall

    What a
    delicious dinner though I’ll admit I deviated a tiny bit by using a mustard I came across at Walmart called Inglhoff a world award winning mustard out of Oregon.. It’s a course ground mustard a touch of sweetness. Next time < try the Dijon, thanks so much, very good.

  75. Hi, I had this dish at a friend’s house and it was amazing!! My question is this, my husband has a sensitivity to garlic salt and powder so I tried with fresh garlic but the flavor was lacking. Any recommendations to still get that “full” flavortex without the garlic salt?

  76. What other sides would you recommend to go with this chicken? I will most likely use chicken breasts since that is all I have at the moment but my husband and I are not fans of brussel sprouts so just wondering what other sides would be good with this. 

  77. Can I cook this on low? And if so for how long you think? And I was thinking about adding small red potatos…thoughts? 

  78. Hi

    can this be made in the crock pot casserole slow cooker?
    Would I need to make any modifications?

    1. I agree- I think she meant to make sure you pour the sauce over the chicken so that it does not get dry… not that the chicken has to be completely submerged. 

  79. tried this tonight. not a favorite but not bad! went well with a baked potato, carrots and French bread. leftovers should last me half of this week, helpful since school begins Monday. a sidenote – half of the Dijon I used was coarse-ground which added a bit of texture that might not normally be there. still tasty.

    p.s. I appreciate how you have BOTH Weight Watchers point systems on all your recipes. I’m one of those PointsPlus rebels who has no intention of going to SP because PP works well for me.

  80. I lightly browned the drumsticks with skins on. Used applecider vinegar as it was all i had. Sliced some carrots very thin and a medium onion very thin. Put the legs on top the veggies and druzzled the sauce. Cooked for 3 hrs on high. Put over rice and oh my sooo delicious! Whole family raved over it. Thanks for sharing!

  81. Is it necessary to take skin off chicken? Will it still “work” with skin on? Can you use frozen chicken or do you definitely recommend thawed? Thanks! Looking forward to trying it!

  82. I have made this with chicken thighs in the oven before.  I add fresh Rosemary when it’s done and it’s so good! I’m trying it with legs in my crock pot for lunch today. Can’t wait! 

  83. Can. I use chicken breasts?  Have made it with thighs, drumsticks, all delicious.  Want to use breasts just not sure about cooking time, shorter?  

  84. i was skeptical but after reading all the positive comments i decided to try. this was really good and so easy. i never cook things on “high” in the slow cooker as it tends to overcook everything but i followed the instructions exactly and the chicken came out great

  85. This recipe is great! I could not have imagined that so few ingredients could create such a fantastic meal! I made the recipe exactly as listed. Once I turned off the crockpot I left the chicken in there overnight causing it to cook for a little more since the pot was still hot. I loved the turn out as it darkened the meat a bit. I also added cayenne for a bit more kick. Will definitely make again!
    Also, I didn’t have garlic salt so I used seasoning salt and garlic powder instead.

  86. I made this tonight and it is delicious! So simple to make with just a few ingredients. Definitely will be making this again.

  87. I made this today. I used lite pancake syrup instead of pure maple as that is what I had. Cooked on low for 6 hrs and left on warm for another 45 min. I had to work and it would have been done too early if I did 4 hrs on high. It was very good. My husband doesn’t like dark meat and he liked it, too.

  88. I have this in my crock pot at the moment. My drumsticks have the skin in do I need to adjust the cooking time? Tia

    1. Typically it takes double the time for low. But the longer you keep it in the better. Thats the beauty about chicken 🙂

    1. Unknown, you probably haven’t used a crockpot a lot, but all recipes in a crockpot use the lid-that’s the crockpots purpose to keep the heat in and slowly cook the meal..in fact they recommend usually that you don’t lift the lid unless necessary while it’s cooking the food. Hope this helps.

  89. I cut the skin off my drumsticks, measured everything exactly……even though I wanted to double the sauce but didn't. I cooked on high for four hours and OMG the chicken was so tender it was literally falling off the bones. I saved the sauce (there was about 1" left in bottom of pan. I will use when rewarming as a drizzle over the chicken. It was DELICIOUS. I will indeed be making this again. It is not too sweet, just enough to make you crave seconds. I honestly have no recommendations on adding anything else for it's perfect as is! I almost changed my mind for the pure male syrup was super expensive but I bought it and it made the difference.

  90. I made this recipe on Sunday and I just have to say it was so easy and my husband raved about it and even asked when I was going to make it again. Thank you for all your great recipes.

  91. Does anyone know how I could convert this recipe to work in an electric pressure cooker (Instant Pot)?

    1. I would just brown the chicken and set the manual pressure to 15 mins or use the poultry function if you have the 7 in 1 instant pot.

  92. Avatar photo
    Aimee Caldwell

    Hi Can you tell me what you have this pictured with? Is that a cabbage salad? It looks great if you could share with me what that is.

    1. It is pictured with her brussel sprouts with prosciutto and shallots.  The recipe is in her cookbook.  They are fabulous!

  93. I just made this and it's absolutely amazing. I added some dried minced onion to the sauce mixture and it was delicious. Thanks for the great recipe!

  94. Avatar photo
    Jennifer Kroll

    I'm new to drumsticks and am venturing out a bit. 🙂 Posters have made comments about keeping an eye on it as sometimes they get done a little sooner than 4 hrs. How do you know when they're done? Just check the temp? Eyeball it? What am I looking for? They are in the crock pot now and I am excited

    1. Exactly my question too ! This chicken on the pic must have bean browned before it went in to the slow cooker or after it was done.

      So many recipes out there just like this , they “forget” to mentions the brow , saute , roast ect part.

      1. The slow cooker was on warm a few hours after it cooked and that’s how the color turned brown.

      2. I’ve made the 5 times, followed the recipe exactly, and my chicken turned out nice and browned like pictured.

  95. I just made this last night. Delicious! So simple and I had all the ingredients on hand. I used 10 drumsticks instead of 8 in my crock pot and there was still enough sauce for everything. We'll be making this one again for sure!

  96. I made these today for dinner. My crockpot is super small, but I went ahead anyways with 12 drumsticks and adjusted measurements. They were done in about 3 1/2 hours. The flavor is on point. the sauce it creates is flavorful and it will pair well with a number of sides. Not bad at all. Kids and husband all approved, and they can all be picky. Will make again.

  97. I love that you put the serving size in the "attention getter" or main photo. This looks so good. I was thinking there is NO way this picture is 1 serving (with the two drumsticks) but sure enough… it is! I'm not sure if it's intentional but it's really helpful and kind by not getting our hopes up thinking we can eat lots of good food but when we read the serving size (I call it fine print – lol) it's like 1/2 of what is shown. Gotta try this!

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      If I plate it and shoot it I always shoot the exact serving 🙂 I also eat the exact serving to be sure it fills me up.

  98. Trying out this goodie today 🙂 I had everything in my pantry except balsamic 🙁 So i used lemon juice instead… Fingers crossed it turns out just as good!!!! 🙂

  99. Absolutely delicious. My crockpot died so I did them in the oven and it worked perfectly. There was so much juice, I made a second meal with the leftover meat from the drumsticks by adding rice, carrots and mushrooms. This one is going in the winter meal rotation. I may even serve it to company next month.

  100. I agree. I calculated on my own as well and I got 4 points per drumstick. I would be curious of Gina's response.

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      It's really depends on the size of the legs. If they are 4 big legs there will be more ounces of chicken, the smaller ones yield about 2 1/2 ounces cooked meat each.

  101. How is this 5 points? When I put it in to the WW recipe tracker, it's 8 points/serving. That's a big difference… Can you please clarify how you calculated this?

  102. Avatar photo
    Jordan Stivers

    Can't wait to try these! I'll probably use thighs (I have a ton of skinless ones in the freezer). Knowing my always-running-hot crock pot, my guess is mine will be done in like half the time. Thanks Gina!

  103. This was amazing! I also put in chicken breasts and thighs. It was a big hit with my 4 boys! Thank you Gina! I just love all your recipes!

  104. If I wanted to sub chicken breasts for the drumsticks (since I already have some frozen), how many should I use?

  105. Avatar photo
    Perla Valencia

    My crockpot is small so I made this in the oven the other day and it was delicious but I'm wondering if it's possible to sear the chicken first (to give it some color and texture), would that change the flavor too much? will it prevent the chicken from absorbing the maple/dijon flavors? Hope someone can help me with this question, I plan to serve this dish at a dinner party this weekend. Thanks so much for all your wonderful recipes Gina, you always make me look like I actually know how to cook!

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      I think it would be fine! I noticed when I leave it on warm a few hours it browns as you see in the photo.

  106. Made these for the fiancé last week and they were great, both of us really enjoyed them! Thank you for the great recipes and including the weight watcher points! Also, I had to use organic honey mustard because we were out of Dijon mustard, and they still turned out perfect!

  107. Just made this with 2 chicken breasts, left on low overnight. I shredded it and used it for a twist on tacos!! Perfect flavoring!

  108. I made this using my Actifry (with drumsticks and thighs -skin on). Hubby said it was the best chicken I've ever made! Love your recipes – Keep them coming!

  109. I made this using my Actifry (with drumsticks and thighs -skin on). Hubby said it was the best chicken I've ever made! Love your recipes – Keep them coming!

  110. I doubled the recipe and it turned out perfect! My family loved this. I cooked it on low for five hours. Perfect. I will definitely make this again.

  111. I made this, and I used a little bit of corn startch to thicken the sauce and served it over the chicken. It was amazing!

  112. I made this last night in the slow cooker. Since I was making it overnight I set the slow cooker to low for 8 hours, but after 8 hours the chicken was overcooked. I also only used 6 drumsticks, so that probably contributed to the meat being a little dry. I think 6 hours on low is probably the right amount of time. In my opinion, it tasted better after refrigerating and reheating. Since the sauce was very thin, I took the meat off the bone, and by took it off I mean it fell off. Then I shredded it so the sauce was able to cover more surface area. I think it's definitely worth trying again, and next time I'll make it in a skillet and will let the sauce thicken a bit.

  113. Avatar photo
    secretyarnings

    I don't normally like meat flavored with anything sweet and I certainly do NOT like mustard .. BUT, I ate myself crazy on these! lol My goodness, the house smelled amazing and the taste was fantastic! I followed the recipe exactly as written, but next time I may cut my cook time down a bit just because my crockpot is a Beast. lol. I have gladly added this recipe to my rotation!

  114. Avatar photo
    elizabeth.speck

    Delicious and very easy recipe. I cooked mine on low for 5 hours and they turned out perfectly. I also had a smaller crockpot and it turned out fine. My boyfriend thought this was delicious!

  115. Great recipe. Very easy, cooked within 2-2.5 hours on high and very delicious!!! Very good with the side salad of fresh veggies!!!

  116. This turned out fall off the bone deeeeelish!! I did mine for 8 hours on low since I was at work all day. My daughter gobbled 2 up with a side spinach salad. Easy and simple, this is definitely going in my permanent recipe box. Thank you!!! 🙂

  117. Avatar photo
    Caitlin Hughes

    I was wondering the exact same thing…
    Could you slow cook and the put in to broil for a bit?

  118. I really like the sound & look of these – but I have a question…do they brown in the slow cooker?

  119. I diced up chicken breast and sauteed it until it was cooked through. Then poured in the sauce and simmered until it reduced to my desired thickness. It was AMAZING! Served it with steamed kale and oven roasted potatoes. It could be great over pasta if you don't reduce the sauce down too much. Thanks, as always, Gina!

  120. Avatar photo
    Bernadette Vines

    I've used wings with this recipe several times now and it's a big hit. I use honey instead of maple syrup and use the brown rice setting on my rice cooker. I usually forget the vinegar but it doesn't seem to be missing from the taste. It only takes about 30 minutes to have juicy, mouth watering wings flying out of the pot.
    Thank you so much for this recipe! The real test is making for the office lunch this week. yikes!

    1. I wanted to try this with wings, i don't have a rice cooker. How long do you think it would take in a slow cooker??

  121. This one is a huge hit with my family; my two-year-old in particular! I also wanted to say that I have tried two other crock pot recipes and they have finally convinved me that I like crock pot food! I've tried so many recipes over the past 10+ years and everything always tastes the same. I don't know how you do it, but keep them coming! I also love that many of your recipes are great for weeknights and parents that work outside the home. It's hard to find those kinds of recipes without compromising quality.

  122. Thank you for this delicious recipe! I am a long time reader but first time commenter. This recipe will be a new go-to for my Sundays when I make and portion all of my meals for the week. It tastes just as good the next day and went perfectly with roasted broccoli and green beans. I also purchased your cookbook and plan to use some of the recipes for our non-traditional Thanksgiving and introducing my mom to your recipes. Thank you for making such yummy meals and congratulations on your success!

  123. Made this tonight in my Hamilton Beach stay or go and thought the sauce was great. The chicken did begin to fall off the bone but was a tad dry at the 4 hours on high so I guess should have heeded "or until done". Thanks for the quick and tasty recipe!

  124. I made this the other night for dinner and my whole family loved it! I love so many of your recipes that I have created a board on Pinterest just for your recipes. Keep them coming!

  125. I cooked these on low while I was at work for over 10 hours and they fell off the bone! They were delicious and the recipe is super simple. Thanks Gina!

  126. Is there a way to substitute for the balsamic vinegar? It's not something I use often so if there's a way around it so I don't have to buy it that would be great. I think I have a little red wine vinegar in the pantry…

  127. My sauce did not coat the drumsticks well. It never thickened up in the crock pot, and was very watered down. Any recommendations? I used 12 drumsticks so doubled the recipe.

  128. These were amazing! These with a veggie were super filling! I baked them this time because I couldn't wait and they were still great! Next time the crock pot for sure.

  129. This was so good. I don't like drumsticks but your recipe just changed that. I am soo going to make this again. I loved it!

  130. I had six organic chicken legs in the freezer. I took them out Friday and made this today, and they were still pretty frozen so I couldn't get the skin off but threw them in as is and followed the recipe and removed the skin after. Delicious!!!!!! It only took about three hours on high, so you do need to watch it. I will make this often, and most certainly for company.

  131. Has anyone tried a substitution for the maple syrup? I was thinking half honey and half sugar free syrup. Any suggestions?

  132. I made this tonight with boneless, skinless chicken breasts and it was delicious. This will be a regular meal now, as my entire family loved it. Thanks, Gina!

    1. I'm also interested in how much boneless, skinless chicken breasts you used, & also how long & at what temp did you cook them?

  133. Avatar photo
    Jamie Strickland

    I made this last night and it was awesome! So much flavor…my boyfriend devoured it which made me happy 🙂

  134. I made these yesterday, they were so good! The meat fell off the bone (I'm not usually a drumstick person). I did these on low for 6 hours and warm for another hour until I was ready to eat, worked perfectly.

  135. I made these last night. I thought they were good, but my family thought they were ok and lacked flavor. I did use white balsamic so I'm not sure if that was the issue. Everyone thought they'd have been better with a bit more spice of some sort. More garlic? hmmm

  136. YUM!!! I will be trying this out for my 5 year old who happens to love CHICKEN! Thank you!

    www.mylifewithaaron.blogspot.com

  137. I made this last week using boneless, skinless chicken thighs and cooked it on low for 6 hours. They came out perfect and so yummy! I served it alongside cauliflower rice and brussel sprouts with bacon. So easy and Paleo-friendly! Thanks Gina! I'm making this again tonight.

    1. I was wondering if boneless skinless chicken thighs would be just as good in this.Thanks Kamilia for posting you used the thighs.

  138. Avatar photo
    Thalia @ butter and brioche

    I cannot remember the last time that I had chicken drumsticks! Definitely need to recreate this recipe, love the maple flavour! Pinned!

  139. I made this using skinless bone-in chicken thighs. I ended up with an overly sweet mushy mess. Perhaps some liquid in the recipe would have helped.

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      I didn't test it with thighs, worked perfect with drumsticks. Perhaps that was the problem?

  140. I made this exact meal for dinner tonight. It was awesome! The chicken fell off the bone, and received rave reviews from The Hubs. The Brussel sprouts were amazing, and complimented the chicken well. They were SUPER easy to make, since I bought them pre-shredded. Totally patting myself on the back about that one! Thanks, Gina, for another great tasting, healthy meal. ☺

  141. Awesome! Family loved it. Goes well with Skinnytaste Autumn Pear/Gorgonzola salad….any ideas for leftovers?

  142. Made this for dinner tonight and it is a keeper! I baked mine in the oven since I was only cooking 6 drumsticks. I followed Gina's comment above and baked it, covered in foil, in a 350 degree oven. Took about 40 minutes in my case (be very careful opening the foil top since there is a lot of hot steam underneath!) and then I broiled it for a few minutes to brown. My 9-year old kept saying "delicious!" and we loved the sauce and all. Thank you for sharing this, Gina! I need your cookbook. : )

  143. Avatar photo
    Emily Kelley McCann

    Had this for dinner tonight. I added a 1/3 cup dijon and a 1/3 cup maple syrup because I put 10 drum sticks in. It was really tasty. The meat fell off the bone, so I didn't try eating it on the bone. Took it off and enjoyed. Served it with rice and glazed carrots and sugar snap peas.

  144. Just made this for dinner–but I doubled the sauce recipie & swapped the chicken for pork tenderloin (Costo 2pack) Sooooooooo easy & delicious

  145. I made this for supper tonight, side was rice for the kids and I had a salad as none of us are fans of Brussell sprouts (have the cookbook and love it, just not brussell sprouts hah). Definitely check it, as my chicken was tender and ready well before the 4 hour mark. If I'd let it go for the full 4hrs, it would have gotten dry. Not sure I'd trust this as a 'pop it in for 6-7hrs on low' JIC it dried it out. Regardless, it was really good. 🙂

  146. Can this be modified for a pressure cooker? So excited to try this and the brussel sprouts… My cookbook came on Friday!!!

  147. I have a similar oven baked dish. Looking forward to trying this one. I add fresh rosemary at the end on the other dish and it makes it for me. Just an idea for extra flavor

  148. This looks perfect for our family and I am thinking my family would love the side as well. Thanks so much!

  149. HI There;
    What is the side dish that you have prepared with the drumsticks? It looks delicious!!! Is there a recipe?

    1. It's her brussel sprouts recipe from her cookbook. She mentions it just before the recipe:

      "I served this with Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Proscuitto from The Skinnytaste Cookbook (which my 4 year old loves) and everyone was happy. "

  150. Avatar photo
    Rachel Leonardi

    Did you take the skin off the chicken before or after putting it in the crock pot? I can't tell by the picture.

    1. My guess is she always removes the skin "before" so as not to have the fat from the skin in her dish. 🙂

    2. Gina posted a video on her "Sweet 'n Spicy Asian Glazed Grilled Drumsticks" recipe page.

      The youtube link is below.
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_y9_nPJSiaA

  151. This may be a silly question, but the directions say make sure the chicken is covered, but the pictures don't make it look like it's covered and it doesn't seem like there would be enough liquid to completely cover them. Do you just mean to make sure the bottoms of the chicken/crock pot is covered? I just got organic chicken legs on sale yesterday for less than $3.00 and this will be the perfect recipe to use them on!! Thanks!

  152. This may be a dumb question, but what are the size of these drumsticks? Regular large ones or the smaller ones you'll eat when you have "wings"?

    1. Not dumb!! It's the regular large ones. If it helps, the little small "wing" ones are called "drummettes" to help distinguish the two.

  153. Made this last night, the kids and husband loved it! And no precooking, this will be a regular in my house. Thank you!

  154. Avatar photo
    JulesTheNorweegie

    Mmm this looks fantastic 😀 Love the sauce ingredients, I haven't used my slow cooker in aaaages, maybe time to get it out of the kitchen cupboard, it's getting cold outside now, brr! x

  155. Avatar photo
    Krista Rollins

    Ok, perfection! Slow Cooker + awesome lick your spoon flavors = this meal is happening at my house soon!

    Krista @ Joyful Healthy Eats

  156. I'm looking ahead to a group dinner and want to make this in "bulk" as much as possible.

    Do you think I could marinate it overnight instead, and then bake in the oven at something like 350 degrees? If so, for how long would you suggest? Do you think they'd come out tasty this way? Just a thought!

    Or else, if I do this in the crockpot, how many drumsticks can you fit inside and cook well?

    1. I haven't used a broiler in over a decade. So bake in the oven and then put in the broiler? Or just switch the setting from bake to broil?

    2. When using the broiler after baking, you will turn the oven off, move the oven shelf to the topmost position, then turn it on to broil. I usually leave my oven door cracked open and watch the progress as broiling can turn something golden to burnt in seconds! Especially with all the sugar in this dish, be careful and watch it carefully.

    1. Avatar photo
      Susan Turner

      That's my question too! I only use sugar substitutes as I'm trying to lose weight and am also diabetic.

    2. Susan, if I may be so bold, if you are trying to lose weight AND you're diabetic, sugar substitutes are likely the worst substance you can put in your body! Man-made anything is bad enough (think process foods) but then to add the chemicals in substitute sugar plus all the chemicals and weird preservatives and ingredients to make sugar free food taste better, it's all a recipe for disaster. Doctors and people who stand to make profit will always highlight that substitute sugars are a great way to quell sugar cravings. But your body cannot naturally process these foreign substitutes. often times – many many times – these chemicals or a catalyst for cancer cells that everyone has within them to become active and wreak havoc.A balanced healthy diet of proteins and vegetables with small amounts of fats is the best medicine. You would be surprised at how many people would not be diabetic were it not for processed foods and over indulgence in sodas, pies, etc. by no means I don't mean to offend you or assume that you don't live a healthy lifestyle, but for those who may read your question and think that substitute sugars or a key for battling weight in diabetics, I have to highly disagree. In fact, it actually makes you gain weight! It's a tricky system, but the people who stand to make money know exactly what they're doing! I hope that you do more research into the healthy benefits of eating right and living a healthy lifestyle. Remember that doctors go to medical schools that are founded and paid for largely in part by pharmaceutical companies. So, in turn, doctors learn to push pharmaceuticals and anything that they may get a kick back on. Not everyone is ethically immoral, but many are. I hope the best for you. Please do the research!

    3. djrj70 is right on here. If you are trying to both of those I would try raw, organic honey as a substitute. I don't eat sugar any longer and I have found the best substitute is honey as long as it is raw organic honey. This way your body can more easily process the sugars but you still get the amazing flavor. If you don't want to try that I would steer clear of this recipe and find something without sweeteners in it.

      Another note about medical physicians, they are not taught anything having to do with dietary needs. They are there to assign medications when you need them and (in my opinion) they do that way too often and only treat the symptoms, not the causes.

      I wish you all the best of luck in your road to better health. My life has turned around 100% since I cut out sugar, processed foods, and have gone to at least 50% raw diet. It isn't for everyone but once you get all the "crap" out of your system you will find it hard to want to eat anything else. 🙂

    4. this is pretty odd, I went to a diabetes education class and she was promoting using artificial sweeteners. I guess you can't win these days. I know I should capitalize but it won't let me go back and edit what I wrote.

    5. Can djrj70 please expand on how most medical schools are funded by pharmaceutical companies? I've never heard this and would like to understand it more clearly.

  157. Avatar photo
    Jaime Girl Loves Gloss

    Do you think you could use fresh garlic and then some salt instead of garlic salt? We never use it and it would save me having to buy something that will just take up room in the spice cabinet 🙂

    1. Do you have garlic powder in the pantry? That might work well with salt. I think fresh garlic would taste great.

  158. Avatar photo
    Anabelle Bertrand

    Looks awesome! Do you think I could double the recipe in the crock pot?
    Thanks so much! (:

    1. Great idea! I always have good, local honey on hand (a friend at work is a beekeeper!) but I rarely, if ever, use maple syrup. I'm going to make this recipe this weekend!

  159. Avatar photo
    divetravelspecialist

    Can I set this to "low" for 8 hours instead? I'd like to do it overnight, and have it ready for morning tailgating. Please reply

    1. I cook my dark meat chicken in the crockpot on low for 4 hours and then turn it to warm for the duration of the time. It cooks so quick actually.

    2. Yes, I'm very sure you can. One hour on low = 2 hours on high. It would be better using dark meat as chicken breasts would dry out if cooked that long. I always cook on low if it's early enough in the day

    3. Avatar photo
      divetravelspecialist

      I did cook this overnight on low and it was definitely overcooked. There was a lot of liquid, and the meat did fall off the bone, but way overcooked. I think four hours on low would have been enough. The sauce does taste good, but this is a recipe that needs to be watched, as drumsticks do not have a lot of meat on them and may cook faster than expected. (My drumsticks are exact to the photo, so I did have the right size). All is not lost – I served this to family (so they have to be forgiving). I will try this recipe again.

    4. I cooked this last night for 3 hours on high and it was great. (And I doubled the sauce recipe and used 12 drumsticks instead of 8. Delicious.)

  160. Looks delicious! Do you think its possible to swap out the drumsticks for chicken breasts without modifying the recipe too much?

    1. I might cook for a little less time (others can weigh in here, I don't usually use chicken breasts in the crock pot). I think chicken thighs would be great here, though!

    2. Avatar photo
      TOP - 99999 Wonderful Quotes

      Wow! This is an amazing list!!! I just wrote a post on setting up a six-week meal rotation and as I was looking at it, I was thinking I need to change up some meals for the Spring. This is just what I needed. Thanks!

    3. Don't do the breast, I tried it and it dried out. I think it would be much better with the drumstick. Excited to try it this way. Loved the flavor last time, just didn't have luck with the breasts.

    4. Avatar photo
      Thomas Briggs

      We use thighs, and they work great! We rarely use breast because it tends to dry out more than legs or thighs.