Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops

After a holiday season full of beef (not complaining), I thought it was time to throw down some chicken. Have you ever seen chicken lollipops? It’s an adult child’s perfect mix of a great meal that’s also fun! I’ve seen them on a few occasions and thought that it was the time to give these Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops a try!

Play with your Food

Our lollipops actually started out as chicken drumsticks. Fun fact, did you know that the term “drumstick” when referring to turkey and chicken legs dates back all the way to the 16th century? The name comes from the leg’s resemblance to a percussion drumstick. Must’ve been a smart drummer!

I’ve cooked drumsticks several times and love their versatility. We’ve grilled them, skewered them, beat drums with them (… kidding) and are now lollipopping them! A plateful of these Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops are sure to be an eyecatcher on any table. 

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Drumsticks turned Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops

I started by using a knife to cut a ring around the bottom third of the drumstick. I then carefully cut and pulled away meat revealing the knuckle bone underneath. After pulling that away, I cut off any of the loose tendons that were exposed and cleaned them up.

Next step is seasoning! I haven’t done anything with my Nashville Hot Chicken seasoning in a while, so this seemed like the perfect time to break it back out. I found it was easiest to pour some of the seasoning into a bowl and then cover the meat so it gets thoroughly coated. Lastly, I covered the exposed bone with aluminum foil to prevent it from blackening during cooking. Now let’s cook these Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops.

Buy all my rubs and seasonings now!

One of my favorite tricks when cooking anything spicy is to pair it with something sweet. As a cook, it’s a great way to help cut through the harshness of hot, spicy food; and as a human, it’s just straight up delicious! While the Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops were cooking, I added some maple syrup to a sauce pan to warm up over the grill. Right before the chicken was finished cooking, I dipped them in the maple syrup, let the excess drip off onto a spare plate and returned them onto the grill to caramelize. Since this is dark meat, I cooked them until they reached 175F internal. 

How Many Licks Does it Take to Reach the Center of a Chicken Lollipop?

To darn many, which is why we go straight for a bite! Once our Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops reached temperature, we pulled them off the grill and placed them directly onto a serving platter. Talk about a showstopper! Best enjoyed with friends, family and an ice cold beer. Cheers everyone! Let’s bring in this New Year right!

5 from 4 votes

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Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Total Time

2 hrs

 

Have you ever seen chicken lollipops? These Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops are an adult child's perfect mix of a great meal that’s also fun!

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Maple Hot Chicken Lollipops

Servings: 4 people

Author: Derek Wolf

Ingredients

Chicken Ingredients:

• 12 Chicken Drumsticks
• ½ cup of Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning or similar
• ½ cup of Maple Syrup

Instructions

1. 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.” Repeat this step for the rest of the drumsticks. Add the seasoning into a bowl and thoroughly coat the meat.
2. Preheat your smoker for 325F indirect. Add some additional wood chunks or chips for added flavor.
3. Add your chicken to the smoker and cook for about 1.5 hours until they reach 175F. When the chicken is close to being done, add a sauce pan on with the maple syrup. Warm up for 1-2 minutes. Once warm, pull the sauce pan off and carefully dip each lollipop into the syrup until it is evenly coated. Let the excess syrup drain off and place the chicken back on the smoker. Repeat for each lollipop, then let cook for 5 more minutes.
4. When chicken is done, pull off and rest for 2-3 minutes. Serve and enjoy!