Small portions will help to reduce food cost when throwing a party for Labor Day, Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. If you are expecting people to eat without sitting down it is a good idea to provide entrées that do not require utensils. Grilling steak is great for small get-togethers, but if you are expect a large crowd grilled chicken legs are a great alternative. The cost of chicken is also less than beef, so you can provide more food for the same price. The following will provide the basics of grilling chicken legs.

Grilling Chicken Legs

Many stores such as Meijer, Sam’s Club, and Walmart provide frozen drumettes as a choice of chicken. Many companies glaze them with a sauce or flavoring before flash freezing them. When purchasing chicken to grill, look for the plain drumettes. Drumettes are smaller than typical chicken legs and can be eaten easily with one hand. You can flavor your chicken while grilling it with BBQ sauce, oil and spices, or hot sauce. You can also leave them plain and provide dipping sauce for your guest to choose from.

What You Will Need

• Bag of Frozen Chicken Drumettes (5 to 10 lb depending on party size)
• BBQ Sauce (or your favorite seasonings)
• Grill
• Tongs

How to Grill Chicken Leg Drumettes

Step 1: Thaw and wash chicken according to package directions.

NOTE: Use a safe method for thawing your chicken such as leaving it in your refrigerator overnight (not more than 24 hours, thawing it in your microwave, or placing the meat in cold water (never use hot water to thaw meat).

Step 2: Heat your grill to about 350° F.

Step 3: Place the drumettes on the grill.

NOTE: Since the pieces are small you will need to monitor and turn the drumettes several times during the cooking process to avoid chard wings.

Step 4: Coat the tips of the bone with BBQ sauce to keep them from burning.

NOTE: Heat the sauce on the grill using a cast iron dish or heat it in the microwave before applying it to the chicken for better results. The sauce will thicken as it is heated and stick to the chicken more easily.

Step 5: Allow the chicken to cook until almost done then coat entire drumette with sauce.

Step 6: Allow the sauce to thicken on the drumette and turn over to coat the other side.

Step 7: Continue cooking for a few more minutes with the grill lid closed. The internal temperature of your chicken should reach 165° F to prevent food borne illnesses.

Step 8: Once your chicken is finished grilling, remove it and serve with celery and blue cheese or ranch dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Taking the time to enjoy the holidays with friends and family can help people to relax and enjoy life. Grilling out is a favorite past-time for many people and making good food can make a great party.

Do you have any tips on grilling out? What is your favorite wing sauce? Feel free to leave suggestions or comments below.