Smoked Chicken Lollipops

​Smoked Chicken Lollipops are a fun and flavorful twist on traditional drumsticks, featuring a savory BBQ rub and a smoky finish.

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Smoky, saucy and fun to eat, Smoked Chicken Lollipops are always a favorite in our house. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or not, these are easy enough to prepare and smoke. Chicken drumstick lollipops end up so juicy and full of flavor when you pull them off the smoker.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Our chicken lollipops recipe is so easy to follow, the Frenching technique will feel like riding a bike before you know it!
• This handheld chicken drumstick lollipop is easy to serve with dipping sauces for a great appetizer option.
• This is a great way to elevate regular chicken legs and make meal time a little more exciting for the kids.

Ingredients for Smoked Chicken Lollipops

• Chicken drumsticks – Be sure to buy them already separate from the thighs for easier preparation.
• Olive oil – You can use any other oil, this will be used to adhere the seasoning to the chicken legs.
• BBQ rub – Make your own homemade BBQ Rub or use your favorite storebought version. It’s always great to have ours on hand, too!
• BBQ sauce – Your favorite sauce whether it is store bought or homemade will do the trick.

How to Smoke Chicken Lollipops

1. French the drumsticks. Hold them bone-side up and use a sharp knife to cut around the bone just below the meat. Remove any tendons, cartilage, or little meat pieces from above the cut that was made.
2. Push the meat downwards on the bone to create the lollipop shape with the bone acting as the stick.
3. Add the drumsticks to a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the BBQ rub and olive oil to the mixing bowl and toss until drumsticks are well coated.
5. Smoke immediately or marinate the chicken for a few hours in the fridge.
6. Cover the tips of the lollipop drumsticks with foil.
7. Once the smoker is preheated, stand drumsticks upright on the smoker grates.
8. Smoke at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-1 ½ hours or until the chicken drumsticks have reached an internal temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. With about 30 minutes left to cook, brush the drumsticks with the BBQ sauce.
10. Once your drumstick lollipops have reached an internal temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit, remove them from the smoker and serve them immediately while they’re still warm.

Storage and Reheating

Store chicken drumstick lollipops in an airtight container once cooled in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat in the oven, on the grill or in the microwave until they reach at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Are The Best Wood Chips To Use For Chicken Lollipops?

Chicken is complimented by apple, cherry, mesquite or even pecan wood chips on your smoker.

Smoky, saucy chicken lollipops are a great way to feed a crowd at your next cookout. Guests will have so much fun eating these!

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Smoked Chicken Lollipops

Smoked Chicken Lollipops are juicy, flavorful drumsticks with a smoky BBQ twist—perfect for your next backyard cookout or game day spread!

Prep:20 minutes mins

Cook:1 hour hr

Total:1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

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6

Equipment

• Smoker
• Foil
• Sharp Knife
• Kitchen shears
• Meat Thermometer
• Basting brush

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 pounds chicken drumsticks (about 12 drumsticks)
• ▢ 3 Tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 ½ Tablespoons BBQ Rub

Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup BBQ sauce or your favorite sauce

Instructions

French the drumsticks

• Hold the drumsticks bone-side up. Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen shears, 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.
• Add the drumsticks to a large mixing bowl.

Season

• Add the BBQ rub and olive oil to the mixing bowl with the drumsticks. Toss the chicken until drumsticks are coated on all sides.
• You can cook this immediately or marinate the chicken for a few hours in the fridge for more flavor.

Smoke

• Preheat the smoker to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover the tips of the lollipop drumsticks, the bone part, with foil.
• Once the smoker is preheated, place the drumsticks on the smoker grates standing upright.
• Smoke at 275 degrees Fahrenheit for 1-1 ½ hours or until the chicken drumsticks have reached an internal temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
• With about 30 minutes left to cook, brush the drumsticks with the BBQ sauce.
• Once your drumstick lollipops have reached an internal temperature of 175 degrees Fahrenheit, remove them from the smoker and serve them immediately while they're still warm.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 2chicken legs, Calories: 348kcal (17%), Carbohydrates: 11g (4%), Protein: 27g (54%), Fat: 21g (32%), Saturated Fat: 5g (31%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 140mg (47%), Sodium: 404mg (18%), Potassium: 401mg (11%), Fiber: 0.3g (1%), Sugar: 8g (9%), Vitamin A: 150IU (3%), Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 33mg (3%), Iron: 2mg (11%)

© Gimme Some Grilling ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

How to Serve Smoked Chicken Lollipops

We love to serve these as an appetizer with lots of dip options on the side, kind of like you would do with chicken wings. Ranch, Alabama White BBQ, Sassy and Sweet, and Garlic Parmesan are just a few of our favorites.

Smoke up a batch of Macaroni and Cheese to serve alongside these lollipops and everyone will have a big smile on their face.

More Great Smoked Chicken Recipes

• Meal prep is a breeze when you cook Chicken Breasts on your smoker to use all week long for lunches and dinners. The smoky BBQ flavor goes so well with all of your favorite sides or even on a salad.
• Juicy, saucy Smoked Chicken Thighs are a great protein option for an easy weeknight supper.
• Hosting a crowd for game day? You need to throw on a batch of Smoked Chicken Wings! Fun challenge: ask everyone to bring their favorite wing sauce.
• Set and forget a super simple Beer Can Chicken and you’ll end up with the juiciest bird with perfectly crispy skin.