Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep and Season
- Using a sharp knife, butterfly each drumstick by cutting along the thickest part of the meat and opening it up slightly. Expose some of the bone and flatten the meat as much as possible for more seasoning coverage and crispy edges.
- Lightly coat the drumsticks with oil and season generously with chili lime seasoning.
Grill
- Preheat your grill to 350°F. Place the drumsticks on the grill and cook, flipping every 8 to 10 minutes, until they develop a nice char and reach an internal temperature of 185°F, about 35 to 45 minutes.
Sauce and Serve
- While the chicken cooks, combine the melted butter, lime zest, garlic, hot sauce, cilantro, and chili lime seasoning in a bowl. Mix until fully combined.
- Once the drumsticks reach 185°F, remove them from the grill and immediately toss them in the butter chili lime sauce until evenly coated.
- Let the sauced drumsticks rest for 2 to 3 minutes so the butter sauce soaks in, then serve hot with extra lime wedges and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
Notes
Butterfly for Crispy Edges: Cutting along the thickest part of the drumstick and flattening it exposes more surface for seasoning, more contact with the grates for char, and evens out the thickness for a more consistent cook.
Pull at 185°F, Not 165°F: Drumsticks are dark meat full of collagen that only breaks down into tender, juicy meat in the 175 to 195°F range. 165°F is safe but leaves them chewy. Measure in the thickest remaining part of the meat.
Flip Every 8 to 10 Minutes: Regular flipping cooks both sides of the butterflied meat evenly and prevents burning over direct heat. Butterflied drumsticks cook faster than whole ones, so start checking temperature early.
Oil Helps the Seasoning Stick: The light oil coat helps the chili lime seasoning adhere to all the newly exposed surface and promotes browning on the grill.
Toss Hot, Rest Briefly: Toss the drumsticks in the sauce while they're hot off the grill so it clings, then rest 2 to 3 minutes so the butter sauce soaks into the crispy edges instead of just sitting on top.
Adjust the Heat: The 1/2 cup of Frank's makes this assertively spicy. For milder, cut to 1/4 cup and add an extra tablespoon of butter. The butter tempers the heat, so the finished toss is milder than the raw amount suggests.