Summer is right around the corner, and as our weather officially starts to feel like summer, this also means my mind has officially entered grilling season. We are lucky to be able to grill year-round if we desire, too. I know I can’t be alone in that there is just something about the summer heat that has me grilling most meals instead of turning on my oven. I like to grill a wide variety of entrées so that no one is burned out on hamburgers and hotdogs. Grilled Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks are the perfect, easy summertime grilled lunch or dinner. They are packed with protein, marinated in spicy buffalo sauce, and topped with blue cheese crumbles – all the flavors you usually love in small chicken wings but in a larger drumstick form. 

On occasion, Publix will run drumsticks on BOGO (buy one get one free). So when they do, you definitely want to stock up so you can have them on hand. Even better, you can prep the drumsticks the minute you get home from the store by placing them into a Ziploc freezer bag and tossing with buffalo sauce. Make sure you label the bag prior to freezing. Then, simply lay flat and freeze. Once you are ready to make the meal, you can thaw out the drumsticks the night before. The perfect part about thawing in the marinade is that it’s doing double duty – thawing and also marinating at the same time. If I find the drumsticks on sale, I typically prep both packs. I use the first pack for us to eat that evening or next day and then put the second pack to freeze. I like to call this my “batch prep” method. If you already have the ingredients out, you might as well spend a few extra minutes to work on a future meal. 

These drumsticks pair well with coleslaw, potato salad, french fries, potato chips … you get my point; the sky is honestly the limit. So if you are looking to simplify meals going into the summer months, I invite you to try these drumsticks and head on over to my food blog, KatiesCucina.com, for more delicious summer-inspired recipes. 

Grilled Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Marinating Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour & 35 minutes

Servings: 14

Ingredients

• 5.5-lb (14) chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce, divided
• Nonstick cooking spray
• ¼-cup blue cheese crumbles
• Blue cheese dressing for serving
• Celery and carrot sticks optional

Instructions

1. Place chicken drumsticks in a gallon-sized bag or large container. Pour a ¾-cup buffalo sauce on the drumsticks. Close the bag or container and shake it until all the sauce has covered all the drumsticks. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour and no longer than 24 hours.
2. Once you’re ready to grill, heat the grill on high heat. Once the grill reaches 500 degrees Fahrenheit, reduce the heat to low. Clean the grill grates and spray nonstick cooking spray on the grates. Place the drumsticks on the grill. Grill for 10 minutes and then carefully turn and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Turn once more and cook for at least 5-10 minutes longer until the internal temperature is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Remove from the grill and pour on the additional ¼-cup of buffalo sauce. Then, sprinkle on a ¼-cup blue cheese. Serve with blue cheese dressing, celery, and carrot sticks if desired.