These finger licking, tender and juicy Grilled Chicken Lollipops will be the big hit at your 4th of July picnic, game day or tailgate. The slightly spicy rub mixed with a sweet Hawaiian BBQ Sauce creates the delicious flavor that gets nothing but high 5's!
⅛ tsp Grated Gingerfinely grated (it is a moist type paste texture, very wet to the touch)
Cornstarch *optional* see comments*
Instructions
Hawaiian BBQ Sauce
Combine all of the ingredients, except ginger and cornstarch to a small dutch oven and cook at 350-375 for 15 to 20 minutes. It will start to reduce and thicken just a bit.
*Optional* If you want a thicker sauce, combine cornstarch with water to mix together. Add to sauce and allow it to cook for a few minutes to thicken.
Remove sauce, add ginger and stir before starting to cook lollipops.
Trimming the Chicken Lollipops
Take each chicken leg and cut around the smaller end of the leg to remove the skin and the cartilage from the bone. Cut away any excess cartilage.
Cut the large/fat end of the chicken to create a flat surface. Push all the excess skin down along the bone to the meat end to create a round ball that resembles an upside down lollipop.
Grilling
Add chicken legs and seasoning to a Ziploc bag to mix and coat.
Set grill up to medium high and create direct heat and an indirect heat zones.
Stand up the legs over the direct heat and grill for 10-15 minutes or until it reaches about 150 degrees.
Remove one chicken leg at a time and dunk it into the BBQ sauce. Place it on the indirect section of the grill to finish cooking. It is done when the temperature reaches 165 degrees.
Remove from the grill and serve.
Notes
Tip: If the chicken is cooking too fast on the outside but internal temperature isn't close to 150 yet, place the chicken on the indirect heat source. They will cook a little slower but the chicken will not burn.Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days in a covered container. Sauce Storage: Store the sauce in the refrigerator until ready to use. Don't use leftover sauce if you dunked the chicken in it. You don't want cross contamination. If you think you might have too much sauce, only use half at a time so you can save some for dipping or for later. Freezer Friendly Sauce: The sauce can be made well ahead of time and frozen in a Rubbermaid container or Ziploc freezer bags. Remove the night before and place in the refrigerator to defrost. Meal Prep: Cut the chicken and prep it the morning or day before. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed/covered container. Use Chicken Thighs: If you aren't a huge fan of chicken legs, try using the exact same technique for the chicken thighs as the bone runs through the middle just the same and you won't encounter the level of cartilage that you do on the chicken drumstick.