Chicken lollipops are a tasty fun treat perfect for your next BBQ or party! This chicken lollipop recipe will have you making these again and again!
Chicken lollipops became such a trend a while ago and I’ve always been interested in trying them. Let me tell you, I can’t believe I waited so long!
This chicken recipe makes for such a delicious, tender, and juicy dish! You can bake, fry, smoke, or bbq them!
What you need:
Chicken- You can use drumsticks or wings and drumettes
Olive Oil
Seasoning- Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Smoked Paprika- If you have a favorite rub, you can use that instead!
Sauce- any type that is your favorite! I used BBQ and and Sweet and Spicy Asian Sauce.
Garnish- Green Onions, Parsley, or Red Chile Flakes
For these chicken lollipops, I will show you how to prep wings, drumettes, and smoked drumsticks because you can make lollipops out of all three!
How to make chicken lollipop?
The simple answer is to use a sharp knife or kitchen scissors to separate the skin from the bone on one side of the chicken wing or the thin side of the drum, then push all the meat down to the opposite side to form the lollipop.
How to lollipop chicken wings?
For the wing, cut the tip off one end.
Separate where the two bones join then remove the thinner bone.
Push the meat down to one end to create a lollipop.
How to make chicken lollipops with drumettes?
Cut along the circumference of the thinner part of the bone.
Remove any skin and little piece of meat from above the cut you made.
Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors cut the tendons that attach the meat to bone and remove them.
Push the meat down along the bone to create a lollipop.
How to make lollipop chicken drumsticks?
These are going to be the same as drumettes but will be bigger in size.
Cut along the circumference of the thinner part of the bone.
Remove any skin and little pieces of meat from above the cut you made.
Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors cut the tendons that attach the meat to the bone and remove them.
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Push the meat down along the bone to create a lollipop.
Chicken lollipop alternative?
If you don’t want the hassle of making your own lollipops then I highly recommend trying Good Ranchers lollipop drumsticks! They come pretrimmed and ready to cook!
I was sent a box of their Whole Chicken variety to try and I loved it so much! Their meat is something I’ve been eating for a while now and I’ve never been disappointed.
If you want to try their chicken or steak, get yours here and use code JOY at checkout for an extra $30 off!
You can check out the other recipes that I’ve used their meat in: grilled chicken nuggets, smoked chicken, buffalo chicken dip, steak pasta, wagyu burgers, and steak quesadillas!
How to cook chicken lollipops?
For this recipe I bake them and they are so delicious!
- Prep your chicken by making them into lollipops then pat them dry.
- Brush chicken with oil.
- Stir together seasoning and sprinkle over chicken. Coating all sides.
- Cover tips of exposed bone with foil then bake until an internal temperature of 175°F is reached.
- Remove from oven and submerge each lollipop in warmed BBQ sauce.
Other Cooking Options:
Frying: If you want to fry these, I would just adapt my crispy chicken tenders recipe (with the marinating, seasoning, cornstarch, and flour) to these lollipops.
Smoker: If you want to smoke these, I would follow all the steps up until baking and then throw them on the smoker following my smoked chicken thigh recipe. You can even smoke them in an aluminum pan to help them stand up.
BBQ: Just heat up your grill to medium/high and cook until an internal temperature of 175F° is reached.
Why do drumsticks get cooked to 175°F?
Drumsticks and any smoked chicken dark meat, are best when brought to an internal temperature of 170-175°F because this helps break down the tendons for a very delicious and tender cut of chicken.
Some people even bring the temperature up to 195°F for maximum collagen break down. Don’t go above 210°F though, as it causes the meat to get stringy.
Why cover the bone with foil?
Covering the bone with foil is to help keep the bone from drying out and helps to keep the meat moist.
If you like this recipe, check out my herb butter chicken, smoked spatchcock chicken, shake and bake chicken, and this tasty beer can chicken!
Video
Chicken Lollipop
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Chicken Drumsticks or wings and drumettes
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Sauce: BBQ Sauce or Sweet and Spicy Asian Sauce*
- Garnish: Cilantro, Scallions, Sesame Seeds, Red Pepper Flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a small bowl combine the spices.1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Prep the chicken:
For drumsticks: *
- Cut along the circumference of the thinner part of the bone.2 lbs Chicken Drumsticks or wings and drumettes
- Remove any skin and little piece of meat from above the cut you made.
- Using a sharp knife or kitchen scissors cut the tendons that attach the meat to bone and remove them.
- Push the meat down along the bone to create a lollipop.
For wings and drum:
- Slice wing into wing tip, wing, and drumette. Get rid of the wing tip (or freeze for broth).2 lbs Chicken Drumsticks or wings and drumettes
- Cut the drumette along the circumference of the smaller/thin end making sure the meat is separated from the bone.
- Push down the meat, pushing from the cut thin end to the opposite end creating a lollipop.
- For the wing, cut the tip off one end.
- Separate where the two bones join then remove the thinner bone.
- Push the meat down to one end to create a lollipop.
How to cook lollipop chicken:
- After chicken is trimmed and cut, pat dry.
- Cover exposed bone with foil, brush with oil and sprinkle with seasoning mixture.2 tbs olive oil
- Place chicken standing up with foil/bone side up and bake until an internal temperature of 175°F* is reached.
- While chicken is almost done baking warm BBQ sauce or sweet and spicy Asian sauce, in a small sauce pan on the stove top.Sauce: BBQ Sauce or Sweet and Spicy Asian Sauce*
- Remove lollipops from oven, remove foil, then dunk in warm sauce.
- Garnish with diced green onions, parsley, or red pepper flakes and enjoy!Garnish: Cilantro, Scallions, Sesame Seeds, Red Pepper Flakes
Notes
- The chicken is safe to eat at 165°F but when cooking dark meat like drumsticks or anything with more tendons or chewiness bringing the chicken to 175°F will help break that down for a more delicious experience.
- You can also buy lollipops already made from places like Good Ranchers! Highly recommend!
- You can smoke, fry, or bbq these chicken lollipops too! Just make sure the internal temperature reached 175°F.
- Nutrition info is an estimate and does not include sauce in calculations.
Karen says
Hil Are your pictures of wings or drumsticks? I can only get lollipop drumsticks and I am worried that they will be too big. Thoughts? Thank you.
Lisa says
I've use both and the Good Rancher's lollipops are drumsticks. They are bigger than a typically wing and drumette but still as tasty! Just make sure to cook to an internal temperature for doneness 🙂
Karen says
Thanks for your prompt reply. Take care, Karen
John Rhoe says
I have already shipped recipe to friend Melinda with the V.A.! I hope she will like it ! Should I clue her in to the 175 f temp tip?
Lisa says
Sure that's a good tip!
Lisa says
Great instructions! These turn out so tasty!