Have you ever had BBQ chicken lollipops? They're made from chicken drumsticks, but with an extra layer of flavor, and some of the juiciest chicken meat you've ever sunk your teeth into. The best part? They take less than an hour to make!
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How to "French" Chicken Drumsticks
Prepping the bbq chicken lollipops is a simple process. You need a sharp knife, and some kitchen shears to get the job done. Your goal is to trim away the meat on the thin end of the drumstick, leaving you with a clean presentation, and a thick juicy bite of meat.
Make a cut with your knife all the way around the lower part of the leg with your knife. Then, using your shears cut through the meat and tendons that you've exposed. Push the meat down, and then trim away the cartilage and skin around the knuckle.
Everything You Need for a Great Fourth of July BBQ
In addition to the chicken drumsticks, you'll need a good bbq rub, bbq sauce, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and cherry wood pellets (or charcoal and wood chunks).
How to Cook BBQ Chicken Lollipops On Your Smoker
After you French all of the chicken drumsticks wrap the exposed bone with a small strip of aluminum foil. You don't have to do this, but the bones will get black and gummy during the cooking process if you don't.
Prepare your smoker or barbecue grill to cook at 365 degrees. Clean your grill grates, and then lightly oil them. This will help keep the chicken from sticking to the grates.
Season each of the chicken lollipops with a liberal dusting of your favorite barbecue rub, and then place them directly on the grill rack. For my rub I used a 1:1:1:1 ratio of paprika, kosher salt, brown sugar, and black pepper, but you can use a premade rub here - found at Albertsons on Broadway or Albertsons Market Street of course - and have great results.
BBQ Chicken Lollipop Sauce
While the chicken lollipops are cooking mix together the following ingredients in a bowl:
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp of the BBQ Rub you used to season the Chicken Lollipops
After 10 minutes flip each of the drumsticks over and continue cooking. After 20 minutes spot check the internal temperature of a few of the drumsticks. When the internal temp hits 165 degrees it is time to dip each of the drumsticks in the sauce you made, and then place them back on the grill.
Let the bbq chicken lollipops continue to cook until their internal temperature hits 175 degrees. This should take approximately 10-15 more minutes. Serve immediately!
Love this recipe? Here are a few others you should check out: Flank Steak Roll-Ups, Smoked Beef Ribs, Smoked Huckleberry Cobbler.
BBQ Chicken Lollipops
Ingredients
- 2 pounds of frenched chicken drumsticks
Sauce
- ½ cup barbecue sauce
- ½ cup ketchup
- ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ Cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp of the BBQ Rub you used to season the Chicken Lollipops
Instructions
- Wrap the bone end of each drumstick with foil, and then season the meat with bbq rub.
- Setup your smoker to cook at 365 degrees.
- Place the drumsticks directly on the grill grate and let them cook for ten minutes, and then flip.
- Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- After 20 minutes spot check the internal temperature of the drumsticks. When the internal temperature hits 165 dip each of the drumsticks in the sauce, and then place them back on the grill grates.
- Continue to cook the chicken drumsticks until the internal temperature hits 175 degrees.
I did the bbq chicken lollipops . they will diffently be one of our go to meals. thanks ,for your recipes.
Man recipe is great I added 1 part applewood dry rub to your rub recipe absolutely awesome.
165/175 F, I guess, not C?
These were delicious! Definitely do again, everyone loved the drumsticks!! I'm going to make with skin on thighs tonight and see if they will be as good. Highly recommend.