This is how to cook smoked chicken lollipop drumsticks! They are essentially tender chicken legs but easier to eat and always a hit with kids for dinner. We shared the oven version in our lollipop chicken drumsticks post, now comes cooking outside.
These are so good and popular with kids who have little hands. If you have never smoked drumsticks before this is a fun way to do it. Stands up on your grate so every inch can get crispy chicken skin. One of many easy smoker recipes on our site!
Ok so you don’t have to have the most popular brand but Traeger recipes are definitely the most common. We had an electric Charboil and then a pellet grill Green Mountain smoker before we got ours. They all work really well I would say. Once you get the hang of how many pellets you need, ensure it’s preheated and all you’ll be good to go.
If you live in snow country like we do you can still use it year round. All you need is a smoker blanket like to keep the temperature steady. It works surprisingly well and is pretty cute on the top too. 😉 If you’re just beginning, we will walk you thru the whole process, this is an easy one to start with too.
What is lollipop chicken?
Lollipopping chicken is a technique often used for drumsticks or wings where the meat is pushed down toward one end of the bone, exposing a clean “handle” of bone. This not only gives the chicken an appealing, professional look but also makes it exciting to eat (especially for kids) to eat more of the meat off the bone.
If you’ve only ever cooked chicken legs in Instant Pot or in the oven you’re in for a real treat. You not only get the best flavors on the outside of your meat but you can get right into the middle of the leg easier too. I remember back in the day this was the only part of the bird they would eat, it was the most fun.
How to Prepare
Let’s talk about how you prep these babies shall we? No matter how these are cooked you’ll prepare them all the same way. You’re going to need a very sharp knife first, and a cutting board. We buy chicken in bulk often and these are always super cheap so I typically load up on my orders. You just;
- Lay 1 drumstick at a time on your board
- Slice the top of the leg off, right above where the bone begins with knife or pair of kitchen shears
- Then slice the skin off of the bone itself and/or push it all the way down so it is naked
How to Season
Of course the pellets are going to give the outside flavor but adding a dry rub for chicken wings to the outside is a must for us too. I mean makes them over the top delicious and is super easy to do before adding them to the grates. I suggest purchasing organic but that is up to you. They have more meat and the texture is better.
How Long to Smoke Chicken Lollipops
The timing will vary depending on how large they are, I suggest medium. 2 hours is about how long you’ll need to set aside, or until the thickest part reaches a safe internal meat temperature of 165 F.
How to Get Crispy Chicken Skin on a Smoker
The biggest tip you need to remember whether they are sauced like Teriyaki Chicken Drumsticks afterward or not is to dry the skin before anything else. Moisture on the outside will keep it a kinda’ blubbery texture, it needs to be dry. Just use paper towels to absorb as much as possible. Beyond that you can increase the temp on your smoked chicken drumsticks for the last 30 minutes or throw into your air fryer.
Tips for Success
For Fall off the Bone Chicken Drumsticks always preheat the smoker (or grill) to 225 degrees F first, do not add until it is at temp. Rinse and pat dry the chicken drum sticks with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make a cut into the skin and through any tendons 1/3 of the way from the tip near the top of the bone. (removing about 1-1.5″ off)
Smoked Chicken Lollipop Recipe
Equipment
- 1 smoker
Ingredients
- 12 large chicken legs
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 4 tbsp chicken dry rub, or favorite seasonings
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker (or grill) to 225 degrees F. Rinse and pat dry the chicken drum sticks with paper towels. Using a sharp knife, make a cut into the skin and through any tendons 1/3 of the way from the tip. (removing about 1-1.5" off)
- Use the knife to peel and cut away any of the skin and meat off of the knuckle area revealing just the bone. With your hands, push the skin and meat as far as you can up to the top creating the “lollipop” look. (you should have nothing but bone on one side, and then meat on the other).
- Gently slide the skin over the meat as well. To make the drumsticks stand you may have to level off the top of the bone by cutting the bone. Repeat until all of the drumsticks are prepared.
- Brush with olive oil. Season each with dry seasoning by rubbing it into the skin and meat. Place on a pan to easily transport out to the smoker (or grill).
- Place the drumsticks directly onto the smoker grates with the meat side down. Close the lid and let smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165-170 degrees F (about 2 hours).
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is definitely one of our favorite chicken legs recipes ever. I would say that my kids would say they are top on their list. Does take a bit more prep but worth it.
What to do with leftovers
What if you have leftovers? They save well on the bone or with the meat removed. Wait until they are cooled completely first. Then wrap in foil and store in the fridge. I like to reheat chicken in air fryer when ready to add some crisp and warm.
OR you can remove the meat, store in a baggie and use one of our leftover chicken recipes the next day or two. I hate waste so I get it.
