I am teaming up with Dortios, Mountain Dew, Cheetos & Walmart for an epic battle between Team Flamin’ Hot & Team Icy Cool. Naturally, we are on the best team, aka Team Flamin’ Hot, and are spicing up the grill with some Flamin’ Hot Chicken Lollipops. Taking off that knuckle meat on some chicken drumsticks, we will season in a Spicy BBQ rub until done then dip with a Flamin’ Hot Honey glaze. Roll them in some crushed up Flamin’ Hot Cheetos and you have a winner! Let’s dive in to see how to make these right.
Sponsored by Dortio’s & MNT Dew
Tips for Chicken Lollipops
First off, chicken lollipops are mostly just for aesthetics. Yes, taking the knuckle meat cleans them up and makes for a nice handle to devour from, but overall they really are just for their show stopping presentation. Therefore, feel free to cut out the step of making them into lollipops if you do not have the time. That being said if you plan on venturing into the world of making these Flamin’ Hot Chicken Lollipops, here are some things to know.
For more chicken lollipop ideas, check out Honey Korean BBQ Chicken Lollipops, Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops and Honey Bacon BBQ Chicken Lollipops.
Flamin’ Hot Chicken Lollipops Tips:
- The Knuckle Meat Off: One of the hardest parts of the whole process is just getting the knuckle meat off. You will find once you have sliced the meat and begin pulling it off, that it is difficult to grip. I recommend using some paper towels to pull it off. Using the paper towel will provide some grip help. Moreover, make sure to save the meat you pull! You can use it for making some chicken stock later!
- Break Out the Scissors: While taking off the knuckle meat for these Flamin’ Hot Chicken Lollipops, you will notice some white strings sticking out in the meat. Do not worry, these are just tendons that can easily be cleaned up. Take out your scissors and trim them up or even pull them completely out. By taking them out, you can actually create a less firm meat and a better eating experience.
- Wrapping the Bones: While this is optional, I prefer to wrap my bare chicken lollipop bones with foil. At heat, the bone will begin to burn and become discolored. This makes them brittle, prone to breaking and not attractive. By wrapping them, you save the integrity of the Flamin’ Hot Chicken Lollipop and its presentation.
- Hang on a Rack: Lastly, I recommend getting a chicken drumstick rack for this recipe. You can easily cook them right on the grates, but the drumstick rack will help make that full chicken lollipop size!
Bringing the Flamin’ Hot Heat to Chicken Lollipops
Now that you got all the tips down for these Flamin’ Hot Chicken Lollipops, let’s crank up the heat. Once the lollipops are prepped, we season them with a Spicy BBQ rub. THis is a homemade rub, so feel free to kick it up with more heat or less if you like! Add more cayenne for a stronger spicy finish or add more sugar if you want it a little sweeter. All in all, it is just one layer of heat on these smoked chickens.
Next, we are smoking at 275F for about 2-2.5 hours until the Chicken Lollipops reach 175F internal. I know that 165F is the regular temperature you cook chicken too, but we are going past that today. Why? Well these chicken lollipops will basically fall off the bone by that point while still holding a lot of moisture. Because they are dark meat, do not be afraid that they will be dry. Trust me!
Lastly, we will make that Flamin’ Hot Honey Glaze using some of the new Mountain Dew Flamin’ Hot, butter and honey. Get it slightly warm, then dunk those chicken lollipops in it until they are dripping. Roll them in the crushed up Flamin’ Hot Cheetos for an epic crunch, and you have a winner winner chicken dinner!
For more recipes that bring the heat, check out Smoked Chicken Thighs with Spicy Peach Glaze, Spicy Shrimp with Pineapple Aioli and Nashville Hot Cast Iron Salmon.
All About Winning with #TeamFlaminHot
This recipe is a fiery epic meal that will bring all the flavors of BBQ and Flamin’ Hot together. These Flamin’ Hot Chicken Lollipops are the perfect party food because you have made a natural handle to hold while eating. The spicy bbq seasoning, Flamin’ Hot Honey glaze and the crunchy Flamin’ Hot coating on the outside makes for a slightly sweet and mostly spicy meal. Just make sure to keep the heat rollin’ by washing it down with the Flamin’ Hot Mountain Dew! Who needs Icy Cool anyway?! Cheers!
For more delicious recipes, check out my second cookbook Flavor X Fire or my first cookbook Food X Fire!
Needing more spice in your life? My spice line can help with that. Check them out here.
Full Length Recipe Video on Facebook!
Flamin' Hot Chicken Lollipops
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 2-3 lbs Chicken Drumsticks
- 1 bag Flamin’ Hot Cheetos finely crushed
Spicy BBQ Seasoning:
- 1.5 tbsp Smoked Paprika
- 1.5 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1.25 tbsp Chipotle Powder
- 1.25 tbsp Guajillo Powder or sub for chile powder
- 1 tbsp Garlic Powder
- ½ tbsp Onion Powder
- ½ tbsp Dry Mustard
- 2 tsp Cayenne Powder
- Kosher Salt to taste
- Black Pepper to taste
Flamin’ Hot Glaze:
- 1.5 oz Mountain Dew
- 1 cup Honey
- 2 tbsp Butter
Instructions
- Start by making a cut about ⅓ of the way done the drumstick towards the knuckle side. Slice all around the drumstick and pull off the excess meat/skin until the bone is the only thing showing. Trim off any excess tendons, then press the meat down to form your “lollipop.” Wrap a little bit of foil over the bones to prevent burning, if you like. Repeat this step for the rest of the drumsticks.
- Add all the ingredients for the Spicy BBQ seasoning to a bowl, mix and thoroughly coat the meat. Set aside until ready to cook.
- Finally, add the entire bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos to a plastic bag and remove as much air as possible. Carefully smash all the pieces until they are a fine grain. Add to a bowl and set aside until ready to use.
- Preheat your smoker for 275F indirect. Add some additional wood chunks or chips for added flavor.
- Add your chicken to the smoker (preferably on a smoker rack) and cook for about 2-2.5 hours until they reach 175F. When the chicken is close to being done, add a sauce pan with all the ingredients for the Flamin’ Hot Honey Glaze. Warm up for 1-2 minutes. Once warm, pull the saucepan off, stir the mixture and carefully dip each lollipop into the sauce until it is evenly coated. Let the excess glaze drain off, then roll your chicken in a bowl of the crushed up Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. Make sure to coat all areas! Repeat for each lollipop, then pull off and let cool.
- When chicken is done, pull off and rest for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with chopped scallions, serve and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
