Instant Pot Chicken Legs from Fresh or Frozen

Instant Pot Chicken Legs from fresh or frozen are ridiculously easy, juicy, and never dry. Make chicken drumsticks in the Instant Pot with only two ingredients!

Instant Pot Chicken Drumstick legs are a quick and easy weeknight meal. Grill them up on the grill, or broil for a simple, healthy dinner.

I like serving Instant Pot chicken legs with a variety of sauces, and with a green or pasta salad (like my Cobb Salad with Homemade Croutons and Herby Ranch), Instant Pot Baked Potatoes, and watermelon (WATCH the easiest way to cut a watermelon!)

These chicken legs also go well with Air Fryer Asparagus, Air Fried Green Beans, Twice Baked Potato Casserole, and Cantana Salad with Sugar-Free Orange Vinaigrette.

How to make Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks in the Instant Pot

• Add 1 cup water and the trivet to the Instant Pot.
• Stack fresh or frozen chicken drumsticks/legs on top of trivet.
• Lock the lid, turn the knob to sealing, and cook on Manual High pressure for 10-12 minutes.
• Turn the broiler or grill on high.
• Do a quick release, then remove the chicken legs to a broiler pan, cookie sheet with rack, cookie sheet with foil, or grill.

• Baste the Instant Pot chicken legs with your favorite teriyaki sauce. I love Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce or from Mo Bettah’s if you’re local to Utah.
• Broil for 3-5 minutes, then remove from the oven. Flip them over, repeat. Baste with extra sauce after the second broil (same with the grill).

I have made these chicken legs with buffalo sauce, teriyaki sauce, bbq sauce, salt and pepper, mango ginger chutney, and sweet chili sauce.

You can baste them with whatever sauce you like! If you’re looking for a delicious Instant Pot chicken thigh recipe, check out my Brown Butter Garlic Instant Pot Chicken Thighs!

HEALTHY CHICKEN DRUMSTICK INSTANT POT RECIPE

Instant Pot chicken drumsticks are as healthy as the sauce you choose. If you’re looking for a no-carb, low carb, or keto friendly recipe, simply baste drumsticks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Plain, healthy chicken drumsticks in the Instant Pot can taste delicious! I recommend broiling or grilling, according to the recipe, to get the right texture.

Can you cook chicken drumsticks from frozen?

It’s so simple to cook frozen drumsticks and frozen chicken in the Instant Pot. Frozen (or semi-frozen) chicken legs cook even better than large chicken breasts because they are smaller, thus they cook more evenly.

Stack the frozen chicken legs in the Instant Pot on top of the trivet.

Tip: Try to put the meat part on top of the drumstick bone next to it for maximum airflow.

INSTANT POT CAST 

I had the hosts of the Instant Pot Cast Podcast over at my house to make this recipe together. They were so wonderful and fun to cook with! Listen to all the tips and tricks for Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks and more!

What to serve with Instant Pot Chicken Drumsticks

• Black Bean and Corn Salad
• Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
• Instant Pot Rice + FAQ
• Instant Pot Broccoli + FAQ
• Instant Pot Salt Potatoes

WHAT IS THE TRIVET IN THE INSTANT POT?

The Instant Pot trivet (tri-vet) is the circular metal grate/rack that comes with every Instant Pot. It is the most important “accessory,” which is why it comes with it!

This is the Instant Pot trivet. Yours might look slightly different, depending on the year and model of your Instant Pot.

The trivet is important because it keeps food off the bottom of the Instant Pot, which cooks food evenly and avoids any burns.

Check out my full guide on Everything You Need to Know About the Instant Pot Trivet! Read my post on the BEST Instant Pot Accessories to Buy (and Avoid!) I share my weird advice for new Instant Pot owners.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COOK DRUMSTICKS IN THE INSTANT POT?

Chicken drumsticks cook in the Instant Pot for 10 minutes on High pressure with a quick release for fresh chicken legs.

HOW LONG TO COOK FROZEN CHICKEN LEGS IN INSTANT POT?

Cook for 12 minutes with a quick release for frozen chicken drumsticks in the Instant Pot.

I made some yesterday that I had thawed out for about a day and were still semi-frozen. I did them for 11 minutes and they turned out perfectly. In my experience, a quick release doesn’t dry these out.

Due to wide variation in meat thickness and temperature, always check the temperature of cooked chicken with an instant read thermometer to check for doneness. Pierce the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken leg (do not touch the bone). Chicken is cooked at a minimum of 165º F.

CAN YOU STACK CHICKEN IN INSTANT POT?

Absolutely, you can stack chicken in the Instant Pot. Just make sure to avoid stacking large pieces together, especially frozen. This creates something like an iceberg that is thicker and will take longer to cook.

You might end up with some pieces that are undercooked or raw if they are touching or clumped with the large part of the chicken leg together.

I like to stack the chicken legs to allow as much air flow as possible around each individual piece (I do this by placing the chicken legs in a circular pattern where the meat of the drumstick lays on the bone of the last piece).

Doing so will allow each drumstick to cook as evenly as possible.

HOW MANY DRUMSTICKS CAN I PUT IN INSTANT POT? 

The amount of chicken drumsticks you can fit in the Instant Pot depends on the size of the chicken legs. I have found that I can usually fit 14-16 drumsticks in my 6 quart Instant Pot.

I layer my chicken legs by staggering the bone and meat. This allows me to fit more drumsticks and ensures even cooking throughout.

INSTANT POT CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS AND VEGETABLES? 

I have many Instant Pot chicken recipes that also include vegetables, like Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowls or Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas. You may use drumsticks in place of the chicken breasts, thighs, or tenderloins in these recipes. 

You may need to increase the cook time of the chicken to allow for any variation in thickness and temperature.

If you’d like to add vegetables into the Instant Pot while your chicken drumsticks are cooking, some good options would be corn on the cob or whole/cubed potatoes. Anything that is too soft or delicate will overcook with the cook time.

CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS FOR BABIES

Surprisingly, chicken drumsticks are an excellent first food for babies! They are iron rich and help to advance oral-motor skills. Babies love to gnaw on a drumstick.

If you practice baby led weaning and have a little one starting solid foods, Instant Pot chicken legs are an easy, perfect first food to prepare at home! Be sure to remove any loose bones, cartilage, or tendons before serving your baby.

CAN YOU PUT FROZEN MEAT IN INSTANT POT?

I love making frozen meat in the Instant Pot! It usually only takes about the same amount of time as cooking from fresh! 

In fact, I almost never have fresh chicken at home anymore. I use it all frozen because it cooks so quickly in the Instant Pot. This way I don’t ever have to worry about it going bad.

Watch my video on 50+ foods I Freeze ALL the Time!

INSTANT POT FROZEN CHICKEN RECIPES

• Lemon Garlic Parmesan Chicken Drumsticks
• Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks
• My famous Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe with homemade noodles
• Chicken Thighs with Lemon Garlic Rice Pilaf – easy weeknight dump meal favorite!
• Olive Garden One Pot Meal Copycat: Chicken Con Broccoli
• Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
• Creamy Buffalo Chicken Dip
• Strawberry BBQ Chicken Salad
• Instant Pot Shredded Chicken from Frozen

Check out all my Instant Pot Chicken Recipes!

Air Fryer Chicken Wings from Fresh or Frozen

If you like this recipe, you’ll love my post on the best and easiest air fryer chicken wings from fresh or frozen or my Instant Pot Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowl recipe. I also have recipes for Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Air Fryer Chicken Breasts.

Best Instant Pot To buy

Read my recommendation on the Best Instant Pot to Buy. I have (and LOVE) four Instant Pot Duo 6 Quart Pressure Cookers! Don’t forget to find me on Youtube where I teach inspiration and confidence in the kitchen!

Instant Pot Chicken Legs (Fresh or Frozen)

Instant Pot Chicken Legs are ridiculously easy, juicy, and never dry. I only use 2 ingredients to make chicken drumsticks in my Instant Pot from FROZEN!

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 2 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes minutes

Servings: 14 -16 chicken drumstick legs

Calories: 606kcal

Author: Lisa Childs

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup water
• 14-16 chicken drumsticks or however many will fit in your Instant Pot
• your favorite sauce I like buffalo or teriyaki sauce. If you’re local to Utah, try Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce or Mo Bettah’s!

INSTRUCTIONS

• Add 1 cup water and the trivet to the Instant Pot.
• Stack fresh or frozen chicken drumsticks/legs on top of trivet.
• Lock the lid, turn the knob to sealing, and cook on Manual High pressure for 10 minute for fresh, 11 minutes for semi-frozen, and 12 minutes for frozen.
• Move your top oven rack to the top position (ensure that your broiler pan will fit with the chicken on top.)
• Turn the broiler or grill on high.
• Do a quick release, then remove the chicken legs to a broiler pan, cookie sheet with rack, cookie sheet with foil, or grill. Make sure not to let the chicken naturally release pressure too long, or the meat will be completely off the bones when you open it! The max NPR I would allow is 8-10 minutes.
• Sprinkle the chicken legs with salt and pepper, if desired. You could also baste simply with butter or olive oil for plain chicken legs that are no-carb/low carb/Keto friendly.
• Baste the Instant Pot chicken legs with your favorite teriyaki sauce. I usually make my own, but I also love Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce or Mo Bettah's, if you're local to Utah.
• Broil for 3-5 minutes, then remove from the oven after they get lots of broiled parts. That is all flavor! Flip them over, repeat. Baste with extra sauce after the second broil (same instructions for a grill or air fryer).

VIDEO

NUTRITION

Serving: 3drumsticks | Calories: 606kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 75g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 385mg | Sodium: 829mg | Sugar: 4g

Tried this recipe?Mention @triedtestedandtrue!