Smoked chicken drumsticks turn out fantastic—juicy, flavorful, and quick to pick up smoky notes. The only common drawback is the skin, which can become rubbery after smoking unless you finish the drumsticks on a hot grill to crisp them. A delicious alternative is to remove the skin and wrap the drumsticks with bacon for added flavor and moisture.
After all, everything’s better with bacon.
One fun presentation is chicken lollipops. Made from drumsticks or drummettes, lollipops are created by cutting the meat away from the knobby end of the bone, pushing the meat down to form a compact ball, and cleaning the exposed bone. Once cooked, the clean bone and meat resemble a lollipop—perfect for parties and easy eating.
Lollipopping drumsticks is straightforward. Peel the skin off each drumstick. Make a circular cut around the bone near the knobby end, slice through the tendons and sinews, then press the meat downward to shape the lollipop. Remove any remaining skin and cartilage from the knobby end and trim clean with a knife or kitchen shears.
Wrap each formed lollipop with a slice of bacon. The bacon seals in juices and adds smoky, savory richness. In many cases you can wrap the bacon twice for extra coverage and flavor.
Smoke the bacon-wrapped lollipops at 250°F for approximately two hours. The goal is to cook the chicken through while rendering and browning the bacon—resulting in crispy, caramelized bacon and tender, fully cooked meat.
If you like, brush the lollipops with your favorite barbecue sauce right after they come out of the smoker for a glossy, sticky finish.
These bacon-wrapped chicken lollipops are ideal for parties, game day, or tailgating. They’re easy to eat, kid-friendly, and consistently popular with guests.
Bacon Wrapped Smoked Chicken Lollipops
Ingredients
- 10 chicken drumsticks
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 10 slices bacon
Instructions
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Peel the skin from each chicken drumstick.
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Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, oil, garlic and cayenne. Pour the mixture over the chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate and marinate for 1–2 hours.
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After marinating, drain off excess marinade.
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Cut around the bone near the knobby end, slice through tendons and sinews, and press the meat down to form a lollipop. Clean the exposed bone with a knife or kitchen shears.
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Wrap a slice of bacon around the drumstick meat, wrapping twice if desired for full coverage.
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Preheat your smoker to 250°F (120°C).
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Place the lollipops on the smoker rack carefully so the bacon stays wrapped.
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Smoke for about 2 hours, or until the bacon is browned and the chicken is cooked through with juices running clear.
