Love a chicken drumstick? Then you'll really get a kick out of a chicken lollipop with a sweet and sticky homemade sauce.
Chicken Lollipop
Published on Mar. 27, 2025
Think of chicken lollipops as an upgrade to regular barbecued chicken legs. There’s nothing super fancy going on—but it sure looks like there is! You’ll start with basic chicken legs, then push the meat from the bottom of the bone to the top so it looks like a lollipop. The chicken is then rubbed with a blend of seasonings and spices before it hits the grill and is slathered with a sweet and sticky sauce made with fruit preserves, ketchup and cider vinegar.
Chicken lollipops are a popular appetizer at Indo-Chinese restaurants. They’re fried until crisp and served with lime wedges and a spicy dip. When you make them at home, you can control the seasoning and sauce ingredients to make them your own. Serve a chicken lollipop with other favorite summer barbecue recipes, including salads, grilled vegetables and more.
Chicken Lollipop Ingredients
- Chicken drumsticks: Drumsticks are economical and easily found in most grocery stores. You may find skinless chicken drumsticks in some markets; though if not, removing the skin is easy.
- Sauce: The sweet-and-tangy sauce for the chicken lollipop recipe is a blend of soy sauce, apricot preserves, ketchup, cider vinegar and brown sugar.
- Olive oil: Coat the chicken drumsticks in olive oil; it will hold the spices on the chicken as it browns and crisps during cooking.
- Seasonings: To add a layer of flavor under the sauce, coat the chicken drumsticks in a blend of paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, ground ginger and cayenne.
Directions
Step 1: Make the sauce
In a small saucepan, combine the apricot preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then cook it for three to four minutes or until it’s slightly thickened, stirring it frequently. Set it aside.
Step 2: Prepare the chicken drumsticks
Cut back the skin and ligament portion of the chicken legs.
Remove the skin.
Push the meat up the leg to create a lollipop shape with meat on one end.
Pull the meat off the other end so that the bone is visible.
Repeat with the rest of the drumsticks.
Step 3: Season the chicken
Brush the drumsticks with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, ginger and cayenne pepper.
Sprinkle the spice mixture on the lollipops, coating all sides of the chicken.
Step 4: Grill the lollipops
Prepare the grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Place the chicken over drip pan and grill them, covered, over indirect medium heat until internal temperature reaches 160°F, about 45 minutes.
Brush the chicken lollipops with the prepared sauce, and grill 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Editor’s Tip: For a fancier presentation, wrap small pieces of aluminum foil around the lollipop ends.
Chicken Lollipop Sauce Variations
- Make a Dr. Pepper version: Chicken lollipops are quite tasty with the sauce from our Dr. Pepper drumsticks, which is made with spicy soda and a little bourbon.
- Try barbecue lollipops: Choose one of our top barbecue sauce picks to make basting the lollipops even easier.
- Get spicy with Buffalo lollipops: Make our Buffalo wings glaze with Frank’s RedHot sauce and melted butter.
- Try cherry chicken lollipops: Use this cherry barbecue sauce, which is made with cherries, onions, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar.
How to Store Chicken Lollipops
Leftover chicken lollipops make a tasty lunch or late-night snack. Let them cool, then transfer them to an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator.
How long do chicken lollipops last?
Keep lollipop chicken cold and tightly sealed for the best texture, and plan to enjoy them within three to four days.
How do you reheat chicken lollipops?
Reheat chicken lollipops gently, so they don’t dry out. Transfer them to a baking dish and cover it with foil. Reheat the chicken lollipops in a 400° oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until they’re warmed through.
Chicken Lollipop Tips
Can you make lollipop chicken in the oven?
Yes, you can make chicken lollipops in the oven; there’s no need to wait for grilling season. Prepare the drumsticks as directed, coating them with oil and spices. Place them on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them in a 400° oven for 40 to 45 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 160°. Brush them with the sauce and bake them for 5 to 10 minutes more until the sauce is thickened and sticky.
What should you serve with chicken lollipops?
Serve the tangy chicken lollipops with everyone’s favorite barbecue sides, like creamy coleslaw, slow-cooker cheesy corn and cowboy beans. The lollipops also make a tasty appetizer or game day snack to set out with mac and cheese bites, jalapeno popper dip or homemade onion rings. If you want to make a dip for the lollipops, try curry mayo dip or blooming onion sauce.
Watch How to Make Chicken Lollipops
Chicken Lollipops
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
50 min
Yield
8 servings
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
- LOLLIPOPS:
- 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions
- In a small saucepan, combine preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer; cook 3-4 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring frequently. Set aside.
- Cut back the skin and ligament portion of the chicken legs; remove skin and push the meat up the leg to create a lollipop shape with meat on one end, visible bone on the other. Brush with olive oil. In a small bowl, combine paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, ginger and cayenne. Sprinkle spice mixture on lollipops.
- Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. Place chicken over drip pan and grill, covered, over indirect medium heat until internal temperature reaches 160°, about 45 minutes. Brush with prepared sauce, grill 5-10 minutes longer.
Nutrition Facts
1 serving: 171 calories, 8g fat (2g saturated fat), 47mg cholesterol, 486mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 0 fiber), 15g protein.
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Take your barbecue game up a notch with these chicken lollipops. Each bite is sweet and tangy from a marinade of apricot, ketchup and soy sauce. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan
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