Crock Pot Cherry Coke Drumsticks
Crock Pot Cherry Coke Drumsticks are tender, flavorful, and coated in a sweet and savory glaze. An easy family dinner that everyone will love!
A Juicy Drumstick Recipe
I am always looking for ways to make dinner a bit more affordable. The cost of groceries these days has gotten astronomical so I try to think of meals that will be a bit more cost effective. And chicken legs are definitely in that category (of course, some of those prices have gone up too!) Just like with other slow cooker recipes, the crock pot does most of the heavy lifting. It’s a simple recipe that turns budget-friendly chicken into a meal everyone will want on a regular rotation.
Frequently Asked Questions:
The Cherry Coke adds sweetness and a unique flavor all while helping create the sticky glaze that coats the chicken. It also acts as a meat tenderizer. In addition, the sugars in the soda cook down during the slow cooking process, helping the sauce thicken and develop flavor.
You can cook them on high for about 3 hours if necessary, but cooking on low for 5 to 6 hours is recommended for the most tender results.
Yes. Cajun seasoning, a salt-free seasoning blend like Mrs. Dash, or your favorite all-purpose seasoning can be substituted for the simple seasoning mixture.
Yes. For extra caramelization, place the cooked drumsticks on a baking sheet and broil them for a few minutes before serving. This makes the sauce even stickier and gives it a nice color (just don’t walk away while broiling because it can burn very fast because of the sugars in the soda and bbq sauce.
These drumsticks pair well with mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, baked beans, cole slaw, corn on the cob, potato salad, roasted vegetables, rice, or dinner rolls. Don’t forget to serve with a big, green salad for a well rounded meal.
Yes. Once cooked, the meat can be pulled off the bone and shredded and tossed with the sauce for sandwiches, wraps, baked potatoes, or rice bowls.
I know, I know, it can be tempting to check on that chicken and see how it doing. I will admit, it does smell good, but, trust me when I say, let the slow cooker do it’s dang job! Every time the lid is removed, heat and steam escape. This can significantly increase cooking time and may affect how tender the chicken turns out in the end. For best results, keep your hands off and leave the lid on. Just trust me and let the slow cooker do the work. The only time I say you can take the lid off is when you want to thicken the glaze– that’s when you can take it off, check the internal temp of the chicken (make sure it reaches 165F with a meat thermometer).
I recommend keeping it as it locks in flavor, adds color, and helps keep the chicken nice and juicy. But you can skip it if time just doesn’t allow you to do it.
Store leftover drumsticks in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat gently in the microwave, oven, or on the stovetop, spooning extra sauce over the chicken to help keep it moist.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- chicken drumsticks– I like to use chicken drumsticks as they are an affordable cut of meat. We all know how much we need help in the grocery budget department right now. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs work very well in this recipe and are another budget-friendly option. Boneless thighs can also be used, though they may cook a bit faster.
- black pepper– if you want more heat, not just flavor from the pepper, add some crushed red pepper flakes.
- smoked paprika– you can use regular paprika instead
- cherry cola– Regular cherry coke provides the fullest flavor and helps create a thicker glaze, but diet versions can be used if preferred. Or you can use another flavor of soda like regular coke, dr pepper or even root beer. You want a darker soda though, not a light colored one like Sprite.
- barbecue sauce– use whatever brand you have in the pantry, or use some Homemade BBQ Sauce.
- garlic – freshly minced or the jarred stuff works fine here.
- light brown sugar– you can replace this with honey if desired.
- Worcestershire sauce – if you don’t like Worcestershire sauce, just leave it out. It does add great depth of flavor.
- garlic powder
- cornstarch – this will be used to help thicken the sauce. Don’t substitute with flour or it will be clumpy.
How To Make Crock Pot Cherry Coke Drumsticks
Season and brown the chicken
In a small bowl combine salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Season all sides of the drumsticks with the seasoning. Heat oil in a large skillet. Once hot, sear both sides of the drumsticks until lightly browned. Note: You are not cooking all the way through, just giving them some color.Place drumsticks in a 5-6 quart slow cooker (an oval slow cooker works best for even cooking.)
Make the sauce
In a medium bowl, whisk together cherry cola, barbecue sauce, garlic, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and cornstarch. Note: Whisk gently as they cola will get very fizzy if you whisk too hard. Pour sauce over chicken.
Cook the chicken in the slow cooker
Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours, until the chicken is very tender. It is not recommended to cook on high. NOTE: Do not remove the lid while cooking. Let the slow cooker do its job. Every time you remove the lid to check the meat, you increase the amount of time it takes to cook and the meat may not come out as tender. Just set it and forget it. Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
Then serve the chicken with a little of the sauce spooned on top.
Craving More Recipes?
Crock Pot Cherry Coke Drumsticks
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds chicken drumsticks (chicken legs)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika (can use regular)
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 1 cup cherry cola
- ¾ cup barbecue sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- In a small bowl combine 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper and ½ teaspoon smoked paprika.
- Season all sides of the 2½ pounds chicken drumsticks with the seasoning.
- Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet. Once hot, sear both sides of the drumsticks until lightly browned. Note: You are not cooking all the way through, just giving them some color.
- Place drumsticks in a 5-6 quart slow cooker (an oval slow cooker works best for even cooking.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup cherry cola, ¾ cup barbecue sauce, 2 cloves garlic, minced, ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed, 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Note: Whisk gently as they cola will get very fizzy if you whisk too hard.
- Pour sauce over chicken.
- Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours, until the chicken is very tender. It is not recommended to cook on high if you want the most tender meat.NOTE: Do not remove the lid while cooking. Let the slow cooker do its job. Every time you remove the lid to check the meat, you increase the amount of time it takes to cook and the meat may not come out as tender. Just set it and forget it.
- Remove the lid during the last 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
- Then serve the chicken with a little of the sauce spooned on top.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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