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    You are here: Home » Food » Poultry » Grilled Chicken Lollipops with Spicy BBQ Glaze

    Grilled Chicken Lollipops with Spicy BBQ Glaze

    October 7, 2020 By Mary 1 Comment

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    Chicken Lollipops Pin
    Chicken Lollipops Pin

    This Grilled Chicken Lollipops Recipe is about flavor and texture. We’re grilling the chicken and then glazing with a Kansas City style BBQ based sauce with honey and Sriracha. The presentation is elegant and makes a great appetizer course.

    Grilled Chicken Lollipops on a white plate
    This is a great way to present as an appetizer. Learn more about grilled chicken.
    Jump to:
    • The Cut – Chicken Drumsticks
    • How to French a Chicken Drumstick
    • Seasoning Chicken Lollipops
    • Grilling Chicken Lollipops
    • Chicken Lollipops Glaze
    • Other Grilled Chicken Recipes
    • Other Grilled Appetizer Ideas
    • Grilled Chicken Lollipop Recipe

    Chicken Lollipops are essentially a frenched chicken leg or drumette. Frenching is the term when bones are cleaned off (prior to cooking) and presented in a dish. Most commonly you’ll find this presentation in a rack of lamb. The dish originally was inspired by Indo-Chinese flavors and deep fried. But in our case, it’s grilled and then finished with a sweet and spicy BBQ style sauce.

    The Cut – Chicken Drumsticks

    We are using a chicken drumstick, or leg. It provides more size and is much easier to cook to the proper temperature than a drumette (which is the smaller part of the wing). But this recipe can also be modified with a drumette or even a thigh. The key is frenching the meat so the bone is exposed using a very sharp boning knife.

    How to French a Chicken Drumstick

    Using a sharp boning knife, we break down the chicken so we can french it exposing the bone, and then we slice a small piece of the cartilage away so we can stand up the chicken while it grills.

    1. Start by making a cut around the end of the chicken drumstick in a full circle around the bone. It’s important to cut all the way down and get through cartilage.
    2. Using a paper towel pull back on the meat and skin on the end of the bone. Pull hard to remove all the skin so only the bone is exposed. Make sure you have plenty of paper towels on hand.
    3. There is likely cartilage that remains from the joint on the meat end of the drumstick, remove that at an angle so it can stand up.
    4. Using a boning knife, cut the strings of tendon that are showing from the frenching. And then push the meat down the drumstick and form a rough ball or the lollipop shape.
    5. The last step is to pull the skin back down and stand up the chicken lollipops.
    Steps for Frenching drumsticks for chicken lollipops.
    Steps to frenching chicken drumsticks for chicken lollipops.

    Seasoning Chicken Lollipops

    After frenching and trimming, coat the chicken lollipops with extra virgin olive oil and seasoning.

    Use our poultry seasoning or your favorite rub.

    Raw Seasoned Chicken on a Platter
    Coat with olive oil and then the rub.

    Grilling Chicken Lollipops

    We are grilling using two-zone cooking, so try to avoid too much sugar in your dry rub to avoid burning the chicken. Grilling is a great way to get crispy skin and still maintain a tender flavor.

    1. Prepare the grill for two-zone cooking, using lump charcoal targeting 375 degrees Fahrenheit (F) over the direct heat.
    2. Place the chicken over the direct heat with the meat side down and bone facing up. Grill over the direct heat until the internal temperature reaches 150 – 155 degrees F.
    3. At this point, dunk the chicken into the glaze and then move to indirect heat to finish cooking. Continue grilling on indirect heat until the internal temperature of the chicken lollipops reaches 170 degrees F. This is a great article from Thermoworks all about chicken and chicken temperature.Glazing Chicken Lollipops
    4. Remove from the grill and glaze one more time. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.

    *On our MAK Two-Star general we remove one of the Flamezone plates for direct heat and then we move it to the indirect side with one of the plates still covering the Flamezone. A perfect way to manage the two-zone method.

    Chicken Drumsticks cooking on the grill
    About to move these glazed lollipops to the indirect side.

    Should I put foil on the bone? Foil on the bone is meant to prevent scorching. Since we’re grilling with the bone up, there is no need. But if you want a perfectly white or pearly bone (with no char marks), then yes feel free. Remove the foil prior to eating.

    Chicken Lollipops Glaze

    This glaze is very easy to make by combining and simmering a few ingredients. We are using our Kansas City inspired BBQ sauce and then adding Sriracha and honey. A squeeze of lime at the end adds a nice bite. You can also substitute by using your favorite BBQ sauce, then adding some hot sauce and honey (or brown sugar).

    1. Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan.
    2. Turn up the heat to a small simmer to combine the ingredients for 10 minutes.
    3. Turn off the heat and then use to glaze the chicken.
    Grilled Chicken Lollipops with BBQ Sauce on a white platter
    The glaze will set and tack up as the chicken rests.

    Other Grilled Chicken Recipes

    • Perfect Grilled Chicken
    • Grilled Chicken Thighs
    • Citrus Marinated Grilled Chicken Kabobs
    • Apricot Glazed Grilled Chicken

    Other Grilled Appetizer Ideas

    • Grilled Brie
    • Smoked Salmon Dip
    • Buffalo Chicken Dip
    • Grilled Shrimp Cocktail
    chicken lollipops

    Grilled Chicken Lollipop Recipe

    Frenched chicken drumsticks that are grilled and then finished with a barbecue sauce, honey, and Sriracha glaze. Chicken Lollipops make for a perfect appetizer.
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes
    Resting Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour
    Servings: 12 drumsticks
    Calories: 120kcal
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $20.00

    Equipment

    • Sharp Boning Knife

    Ingredients

    Grilled Chicken Lollipops

    • 12 whole chicken drumsticks (skin on)
    • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • ¼ cup poultry rub

    Glaze

    • 1 ¾ cups Kansas City BBQ Sauce
    • ¼ cup Sriracha (or your favorite hot sauce)
    • 2 tablespoons honey
    • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime (½ a lime)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Glaze

    • Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat.
    • Simmer for 10 minutes stirring to incorporate.

    Prepare Chicken Lollipops

    • Make a cut around the end of the chicken drumstick in a full circle around the bone. It’s important to cut all the way down and get through cartilage.
    • Using a paper towel pull back on the meat and skin on the end of the bone. Pull hard to remove all the skin so only the bone is exposed. Make sure you have plenty of paper towels on hand.
    • There is likely cartilage that remains from the joint on the meat end of the drumstick, remove that at an angle so it can stand up.
    • Using a boning knife, cut the strings of tendon that are showing from the frenching. And then push the meat down the drumstick and form a rough ball or the lollipop shape.
    • The last step is to pull the skin back down and cover the lollipop.

    Grilling

    • Prepare grill for Two-Zone cooking using lump charcoal. Target 375 degrees over the direct heat.
    • Apply olive oil to the chicken and then liberally season them with the poultry rub.
    • Place the chicken over the direct heat with the meat side down and bone facing up. Grill over the direct heat until the internal temperature reaches 150 – 155 degrees F.
    • At this point, dunk the chicken into the glaze and move to indirect heat. Continue grilling on indirect heat until the internal temperature of the chicken lollipops reaches 170 degrees F.
    • Remove from the grill and glaze one more time. Let rest for 10 minutes and serve.

    Notes

    This is a great article from Thermoworks all about chicken and chicken temperature.
    Find the perfect wine pairing at the Vindulge Wine Shop

    Nutrition

    Calories: 120kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 623mg | Potassium: 128mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 153IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge

    This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you click on the link, we may receive a small commission if you purchase through the link. We partner with brands we know and love and use and it helps keep the blog going!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Gert Kok says

      December 05, 2020 at 12:47 am

      5 stars
      This was excellent. We plan to brine, smoke and then lightly grill a turkey and in process dip it in your great BBQ sauce.

      Reply

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    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

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