BBQ chicken often gets overlooked on the menu, especially when up against other meats like brisket, pulled pork, or ribs. Chicken lollipops are bacon wrapped drumsticks you can eat with your hands!
Trimming the bone may take a few attempts to get down (good thing there are many of them in a pack), but the rest of the process is smooth sailing. Let’s walk through the process.
How to French Chicken Drumsticks
The most tedious part of making BBQ chicken lollipops is trimming the drumsticks. To French drumsticks, use a sharp knife and trim chicken drumsticks at the base of the meat, cutting all the way around until tendons and skin are completely disconnected.
Pull disconnected skin and tendon all the way down off the end of the bone, using a paper towel (or an actual towel) to help with grip. On the other side of the bone (where the meat is), I like to cut the tip of the bone and cartilage, as well as a sliver of meat to help create a flat surface for the chicken drumstick to stand. Trim off the remaining skin to expose meat.
This collage below shows the steps in the process.
Watch My Video Tutorial Below!
Prepping the Chicken Lollipops
This recipe calls for a dozen chicken drumsticks. You can find 12-packs in your local grocery stores, or even two six-packs will suffice. You can also half the recipe for a smaller audience if you need.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, place trimmed drumsticks and drizzle in olive oil. I like to use about a half cup. Mix around until all meat on drumsticks are covered. Lightly season each drumstick with your favorite seasoning or rub.
Remove the drumsticks from the bowl and individually wrap the meaty part of each with one strip of bacon. As you finish wrapping each one, tuck in the end of the bacon underneath itself. Season again.
What’s the Best Way to Cook BBQ Chicken Drumsticks?
Place the fully prepped bacon wrapped chicken lollipops standing up on the grill. Make sure grill is preheated to 375 degrees over indirect heat. I prefer to use cherry or pecan wood. You can cook these on the grill until the internal meat temp reaches around 170-175 degrees. You may be thinking to yourself, “isn’t chicken finished cooking when it reaches 165 degrees?” Yes, for white meat it is. Since BBQ chicken lollipops are dark meat, they finish cooking later.
Using an instant read thermometer, such as the Thermoworks ONE, will help you get quick, accurate temps.
When Are the Chicken Lollipops Done?
As the meat reaches the 150 degree range, dip the bacon wrapped chicken lollipops in BBQ sauce. Place back on the grill and cook until internal meat temp reaches 170-175 degrees (reasons stated in previous section).
My favorite way to cook these is on a grill with two-zone cooking, using both direct and indirect heat. If you have the ability to use direct heat on your grill, then place the drumsticks over the direct heat to help get the bacon a little more crispier. Make sure to also lay it on their sides as to not burn one spot of the chicken.
Note that you can use a strictly indirect heat source, such as a pellet grill, and cook these just fine.
After you pull these from the grill, make sure to let it rest a few minutes to allow it to finish cooking internally. Make sure to snap a few pics during this time to brag to your friends and family.
How Long are Chicken Lollipops Good For?
When stored in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator, chicken lollipops are good for up to three days. If placed in the freezer, they will be good for a month.
What to Serve with Chicken Lollipops
Here are some other recipes that pair well with chicken lollipops:
Honey Glazed Teriyaki BBQ Ribs
Green Beans with Bacon and Onion
BBQ Chicken Lollipop Recipe
BBQ chicken lollipops wrapped in bacon are both an eye-catcher and a tasty crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
- 12 chicken drumsticks
- 1/4 Cup olive oil
- 12 bacon strips
- 1/3 Cup seasoning
- 2 Cups BBQ sauce
Instructions
- Preheat grill to 375 degrees over indirect heat with cherry wood. Using a sharp knife, trim chicken drumsticks at the base of the meat, cutting all the way around until tendons, and skin are completely disconnected. Pull disconnected skin and tendon all the way down off the end of the bone, using a paper towel (or an actual towel) to help with grip.
- On the other side of the bone (where the meat is), cut the tip of the bone and cartilage, as well as a sliver of meat to help create a flat surface for the chicken drumstick to stand. Trim off the remaining skin to expose meat.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, place trimmed drumsticks and drizzle in olive oil. Mix around until all meat on drumsticks are covered. Season each drumstick.
- Wrap bacon around meaty part of the drumsticks. Season again.
- Place drumsticks on grill standing up. Cook for 40 minutes or until bacon starts to get a little crispy. Dunk meat end of drumsticks in BBQ sauce and place back on grill. Cook until internal temp of meat reaches 170 degrees.
Notes
1. If you have a grill set up for two-zone cooking (direct and indirect heat at the same time), then move BBQ chicken drumsticks over to direct side after saucing.
2. I like to cut the tips off both sides of the bone: the meat end to help it stand, the handle end because I think it looks cool.
