How to: Chicken Lollipops

The ultimate handheld meat treat, these Chicken Lollipops are the perfect appetizer for your next BBQ. Chicken drumsticks are trimmed right at the bone joint and the meat is slid up to form a handheld meat lollipop.

In this version, we trimmed the drumsticks then dipped them in our sweet and savory Cock-a-Doodle Brew Beer Can Chicken rub, filled with sweet honey granules, beer, and herbs. The lollipops are grilled until crisp and golden. 

To trim, make sure you have a sharp knife and a pair of kitchen shears handy. Start by using the knife to make a sharp cut all around the bottle of the leg, just around the knuckle. 



Cut out loose skin, tendons, and clip the small bone against the leg, then push the meat down to the opposite end to form your lollipop. Trim off any remaining skin or tendons to keep the bone and knuckle as clean as possible. Watch the full process: 

When you're ready to season, pour a couple of tablespoons of Cock-A-Doodle Brew on the corner of the sheet tray, then roll each lollipop in seasoning. We love the sweet, salty and malty flavor our honey ale seasoning gives, but these would be great rolled in our Jackpot Honey Mustard Rub or Honky Tonk Hot Chicken if you like your wings on the hotter side. 



Once your lollipops are seasoned, preheat your grill to 350° F. Place lollipops directly on grill grates and cook for 30-35 minutes, turning periodically until skin is golden and crisp. These are also delicious dunked in a vat of your favorite BBQ sauce. 

Honey Ale Chicken Lollipops

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Serves: 4

Instructions:

1. Prepare lollipops:  Use a sharp knife coupled with kitchen shears to cut around the leg, just below the knuckle, then tear/clip off.  Cut out loose skin, tendons, and clip the small bone against the leg, then push the meat down.  Transfer to a sheet tray while repeating with remaining chicken legs.
   
   
2. Pour a couple of tablespoons of Cock-A-Doodle Brew on the corner of the sheet tray, then roll each lollipop in seasoning. Set aside.
   
   
3. Preheat the grill to 350° F.
   
   
4. Place the chicken lollipops on the grill, over indirect heat and cook for 30 to 35 minutes, flipping and rotating occasionally, until an internal temperature of 165° F is reached.
   
   
5. Remove from the grill and rest for 10 minutes before serving warm.