Pineapple Bourbon Glazed Chicken Drumsticks: 5-Ingredient Crockpot Dinner Step-by-step instructions

Before you start

Before you start, make sure you have a 6-quart slow cooker and an instant-read thermometer. Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels (no need to season, as the sauce provides plenty of flavor).

Open the can of pineapple chunks and measure the BBQ glaze and brown sugar. Have a small bowl for mixing the glaze and sugar, and a pair of tongs for handling the hot chicken later. If you plan to thicken the sauce, have a small saucepan ready.

Instructions

Phase 1: Dump and Cook

1. 1Layer the Ingredients
   Place the chicken drumsticks in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker, arranging them in a single layer as much as possible. Pour the undrained pineapple chunks and juice evenly over the chicken. In a small bowl, stir together the bourbon BBQ glaze and dark brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved, then pour the mixture over the top. Do not stir; just let the ingredients settle.
   Look for The drumsticks are nestled in the crockpot with pineapple and sauce covering them.
   Tip For even cooking, choose drumsticks of similar size. Avoid overfilling the slow cooker.
2. 2Cook on Low
   Cover the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 4 hours, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. The sauce will bubble gently and the pineapple will soften and caramelize. Do not lift the lid during the first 3 hours to keep the heat steady.
   Look for The sauce is bubbling around the edges and the chicken looks glossy.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip If a thicker sauce is desired, remove the chicken and simmer the sauce on the stovetop for 10-15 minutes.
3. 3Check for Doneness
   After 4 hours, check that the chicken is cooked through by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of a drumstick without touching bone. The temperature should read at least 165°F (74°C). The meat should be pulling away from the bone and very tender.
   Look for The thermometer reads 165°F (74°C) and the meat is almost falling off the bone.
   Safe temperature 165°F (74°C) internal temperature (poultry)
   Tip If not done, continue cooking in 30-minute increments until the temperature is reached.

At the end of this phase, the slow cooker is filled with raw chicken, pineapple, and a deep amber sauce. The ingredients are not stirred, but the sauce should cover most of the chicken.

The chicken is raw and the sauce is thin. The slow cooker is set to low and will begin to heat up, and after a couple of hours you'll smell the sweet bourbon aroma.

Phase 2: Thicken and Glaze

4. 4Thicken the Sauce (Optional)
   If you prefer a thicker, more lacquered sauce, remove the chicken and pineapple to a plate using tongs. Pour the sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
   Look for The sauce coats the back of a spoon and has reduced by about a third.
   Tip Skim off any excess fat from the surface before simmering if desired.
5. 5Glaze the Chicken
   Return the chicken and pineapple to the slow cooker and pour the thickened sauce over the top, turning the drumsticks to coat them evenly. Let them sit in the warm sauce for 5 minutes so the glaze clings to the meat.
   Look for Each drumstick is coated in a glossy, sticky glaze.
   Tip Use tongs to turn the chicken gently so the skin doesn't tear.

After 4 hours, the chicken is fork-tender and the sauce has darkened and slightly thickened. The pineapple chunks are soft and translucent. The sauce bubbles around the edges, and the chicken is glossy. If you choose to thicken the sauce on the stovetop, it will reduce to a syrupy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.

Phase 3: Serve

6. 6Serve with Mashed Potatoes
   Spoon a bed of creamy garlic mashed potatoes onto each plate. Arrange the glazed drumsticks and caramelized pineapple chunks on top, and drizzle with extra sauce from the slow cooker. Serve hot.
   Look for The chicken is glossy and the pineapple is caramelized.
   Tip For a complete meal, add a green vegetable like green beans on the side.

The chicken is arranged on a plate with mashed potatoes, and the pineapple is caramelized. The glaze is thick and sticky, dripping off the chicken. The dish is steaming hot and ready to eat. The aroma of bourbon, molasses, and pineapple fills the kitchen.

Common mistakes

A common mistake is lifting the lid too often during cooking, which lets heat escape and extends cooking time. Another is using chicken with skin on and not removing it—while it adds flavor, the skin can become rubbery in the slow cooker; you can remove it before serving.

Also, don't skip the brown sugar—it balances the acidity of the BBQ sauce and helps create that sticky glaze. Finally, avoid overfilling the slow cooker; leave some space for the sauce to bubble.

How to tell it’s done

The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a drumstick (without touching bone) reads at least 165°F (74°C). The meat should be very tender and easily pull away from the bone with a fork.

The sauce should be bubbling gently and have slightly thickened, with the pineapple chunks softened and caramelized. If the sauce seems thin, you can remove the chicken and simmer the sauce on the stovetop to reduce it.

• Poultry: 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part