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Crispy, juicy, and perfectly baked (not fried), these easy lollipop drumsticks make for an easy appetizer and impressive party food any time of the year.
Making chicken lollipops isn’t as complicated as it sounds. In fact, with just a handful of ingredients and plenty of fresh herbs and spices, you’ll get these wonderfully juicy and tender lollipop chicken legs. You can serve them as a quick, no-fuss appetizer or enjoy them as a snack. Plus, I’m baking instead of frying it, so the chicken is incredibly tender and delicious without the excess oil, making it a healthier choice.
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Ingredients
- Chicken Drumsticks: Try to get ones that have plenty of meat on them – this will help soak up the delicious marinade and still be plenty juicy when they’re cooked. I’ve used drumsticks for this recipe as they’re easier to work with, but you can also use chicken wings.
- BBQ Sauce: You can use store-bought barbecue sauce or make your own.
- Lemon Juice
- Olive Oil
- Seasonings: Paprika, salt and black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder. You can experiment with other herbs and spices if you prefer, but I find these bring out the best flavor of the chicken.
How to make lollipop chicken drumsticks
French the Chicken Drumsticks: Hold the drumsticks bone-side up on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, kitchen shears, or a pair of scissors, cut around the bone just below the meat. Make sure you cover the entire circumference of the chicken bone.
Remove any tendons, cartilage or little meat pieces from above the cut that was made (at the very end of the bone). Then, push the meat downwards on the bone to create the lollipop shape with the bone acting as the stick. Repeat with all the drumsticks.
Don’t throw away any leftover bits of chicken – even the bones and gristle can be put to use. Put them in a Ziplock bag and set aside in the fridge/freezer to use to make chicken stock/broth later on. It’s a great way of using every part of the chicken and keeping this recipe as low-waste as possible!
Season and Marinate (Optional): Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and onion powder with the lemon juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Pour over the chicken and, using your hands or a large bowl, toss the chicken so it’s coated on all sides.
You can cook this immediately after or marinate the chicken for a few hours in the fridge. I find the marinade gives a deeper flavor to the chicken lollipop recipe, but they taste just as good if you cook straight after seasoning.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200℃. Then cover the tips of the lollipop drumsticks with foil and stand them upright on a baking tray.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken drumsticks have reached an internal temperature of 175°F/79°C on a meat thermometer. This means the dark meat of the chicken drumstick will be at its best – juicy, tender, and packed with flavor.
Broil with Sauce: For a more intense flavor and a beautiful charred exterior, brush the baked lollipop drumsticks with your favorite sauce (I used BBQ) to make a glaze and broil for a further 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on them in the oven to make sure they don’t burn!
Garnish and Serve: Once your chicken drumstick lollipops have been broiled, serve them immediately while they’re still warm. Garnish with roughly chopped fresh parsley or scallions and serve together on a large platter.
This is the perfect finger food, so there are no knives or forks needed to enjoy these.
More chicken recipes
If you try this drumstick lollipops recipe, let me know how it goes in the comments below. I’d appreciate a recipe card rating and would love to see your recipe recreations – tag me on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
The Best Chicken Lollipops
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken drumsticks 12 drumsticks
- 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 large lemon
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
Sauce
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce or your favorite sauce; optional
Instructions
French the drumsticks
- Hold the drumsticks bone-side up. Using a sharp knife or a pair of scissors, cut around the bone just below the meat. Make sure you cover the entire circumference of the chicken bone.
- Remove any tendons, cartilage, or little meat pieces from above the cut that was made (at the very end of the bone). Then, push the meat downwards on the bone to create the lollipop shape with the bone acting as the stick. Repeat with all the drumsticks.
Season
- Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic, and onion powder with the lemon juice and olive oil. Pour over the chicken and, using your hands or a large bowl, toss the chicken so it’s coated on all sides.
- You can cook this immediately after or marinate the chicken for a few hours in the fridge. I find the marinade gives a deeper flavor, but they taste just as good if you cook straight after seasoning.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200℃. Cover the tips of the lollipop drumsticks with foil and stand them upright on a baking tray.
- Bake in the oven at 400ºF/200℃ for 30 minutes or until the chicken drumsticks have reached an internal temperature of 175°F/79°C.
- You can serve these straight away but for an extra crispy, flavorful exterior, brush the baked lollipop drumsticks with your favorite sauce (I used BBQ) and broil for a further 3-4 minutes. Keep an eye on them in the oven to make sure they don’t burn!
- Once your drumstick lollipops have been broiled, serve them immediately while they're still warm. Garnish with roughly chopped fresh parsley or scallions and serve together on a large platter.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
