Crock Pot Cherry Coke Drumsticks

Tender slow-cooked chicken drumsticks simmered in a sweet and savory cherry cola barbecue sauce that thickens into a flavorful glaze.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 6

Total Time 6 20

Servings

Calories 342kcal

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.

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.