Description
These Dr Pepper Chipotle Grilled Chicken legs are the ultimate summer crowd-pleaser—sweet, smoky, and perfectly spicy with every juicy bite. Glazed in a homemade barbecue sauce made with Dr Pepper, chipotle peppers, and maple syrup, they’re an unforgettable twist on classic grilled chicken.
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
12 chicken legs
1/4 cup vegetable oil (for brushing or spraying)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup Dr Pepper
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup
1–2 chipotle peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons adobo sauce (adjust for spice level)
Instructions
Preheat the grill to high, direct heat.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together ketchup, Dijon mustard, Dr Pepper, cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, maple syrup, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce. Set aside.
Prep the chicken: Brush or spray chicken legs with vegetable oil. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
Grill the chicken skin-side down over high heat for about 15 minutes to sear and develop grill marks.
Lower heat to medium-low. Cover the grill and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes.
Flip and baste: Turn the chicken, baste generously with sauce, cover, and grill for 10 more minutes.
Final baste and grill: Flip once more, baste again, and cook for 5 additional minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Serve hot with extra sauce if desired.
Notes
Start with one chipotle pepper if you’re spice-sensitive, and add more if you love heat.
No grill? Bake at 400°F for about 40 minutes, basting halfway through.
Leftover sauce? Use it on ribs, burgers, or even roasted veggies!
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Main course
- Method: Grilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 26 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg