Description
Smoked Chicken Lollipops are fun, flavorful drumsticks trimmed into neat handles, slow-smoked until tender, then dunked in a bold garlic buffalo sauce. Smoky, spicy, and perfectly portable, they’re guaranteed to disappear fast.
Ingredients
2–3 lbs chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons canola oil
1.5 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon mustard powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
1.5 teaspoons onion powder
1.5 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup cayenne-based hot sauce
1/8 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1.5 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1.5 teaspoons cayenne powder
Kosher salt, to taste
Instructions
- Cut around each drumstick about one-third from the knuckle and pull the meat down to expose the bone, trimming tendons and shaping into a lollipop.
- Wrap exposed bones with foil if desired to prevent burning.
- Mix all BBQ seasoning ingredients in a bowl.
- Lightly coat chicken with canola oil and season generously on all sides.
- Preheat smoker to 275°F (135°C) for indirect cooking.
- Place chicken on smoker rack and smoke for 2–2.5 hours, until internal temperature reaches about 175°F.
- For the sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add minced garlic and cook gently for 2–2.5 minutes until lightly browned.
- Stir in hot sauce, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne powder, and salt.
- Simmer sauce for 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Dip each smoked chicken lollipop into the sauce, coating fully.
- Return sauced chicken to the smoker and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove from smoker, rest 2–3 minutes, and serve hot.
Notes
Apple or hickory wood provides balanced smoke flavor.
Target 175°F internal temperature for tender meat.
Reduce cayenne or use mild hot sauce for less heat.
Sauce can be made ahead and gently reheated.
Great served with ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2–3 lollipops
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 21 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 42 g
- Cholesterol: 165 mg
