Air Fried BBQ Chicken Lollipops
Remember last year when I had my little BBQ Series on my blog? Those were fun times. Well, not really, because it was 2020, but it was a tasty little grouping of recipes, that is for sure.
I guess I’m revisiting my BBQ Series. I’m adding to it with these here drumstick lollipops! Chicken drumsticks are a pretty economical cut of meat, but they aren’t super popular because of all of tendons attaching the muscle to the bone. If you’re even somewhat of a chicken connoisseur, you probably already know that tendons don’t make for good eats. When we lollipop the drumsticks, however, we take some of the tendons off of the bone and the rest gets pushed down into a happy little ball that cooks up into juicy little three or four bite specimens. And thanks to the air fryer, all of this can be done inside and in record time!
Do you have any fun plans for 4th of July weekend? After much deliberation, I’ve decided to head up to my mom’s boat in the Finger Lakes. We’re going to sail down to Watkins Glen again to watch the fireworks, because apparently there is a pretty good show down there. I’ve decided I’ll bring my running shoes and maybe I’ll run around town and into the state park because that will be nice to see in the summer. I visited Watkins Glen for the first time this past October. We also arrived via boat and went to the state park. It was a nice time and I’m looking forward to going again in the summer. We just had a huge downpour here in Connecticut and I’m assuming it came from New York state, as it usually does, so who knows. Maybe the falls will be gushing this time around! In October we were in a pretty big draught, so it was really cool to see deep into the rock formations that I wouldn’t have been able to see otherwise. This time should be a bit of a different experience, if I do make it there!
If the weather isn’t looking fabulous in your neck of the woods, don’t heat up your kitchen or stand out in the pouring rain and make these lollipops instead! The chicken skin gets niiiiiice and crispy and underneath is the most juicy and succulent chicken you ever will have. Surprisingly these are even good leftover. I’ve been enjoying them for my lunches this week and they are almost as good as the first time around! Air fryers truly are a gift from the gods.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add all of the spices to a small bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Lay the drumsticks out on a large cutting board and pat dry. If need be, place something under your board to give it better traction against the counter.
- Cut the tip from the fat end of the drumstick, cutting through the very tip of the bone. Test to make sure the drumstick will stand on that end without falling over. On the opposite (more pointy) end, about an inch down from the point, use a sharp knife or kitchen shears to make a deep cut all the way around the bone. Use a paring knife to scrape the meat under the cut down to the fat end of the drumstick. Use the paring knife to scrape the meat above the cut up over the pointy end as best as possible. You should be able to use the paring knife to get a good portion of the meat up, over, and off of the drumstick entirely. When you are done with the drumstick there should be an inch or two of plain bone. Repeat with the remaining drumsticks.
- Distribute the spice mixture evenly over the drumsticks and rub all over the meat with your hands. Place in a single layer on your air fryer basket. Air fry at 370° F for 10 minutes. Remove from the air fryer and use tongs to flip over on to the other side. Air fry at 370° F for 10 minutes more, or until your drumsticks read 170° F when a meat thermometer is inserted. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot with BBQ Sauce for dipping and enjoy!
