Chicken lollipop recipe – A hot and spicy appetizer made with drummettes or whole chicken wings. I make chicken appetizers often at home and it is our most preferred way to enjoy chicken. We try to cut down eating fried appetizers in restaurants as we do not known the quality of oil and other ingredients used. Most times they are loaded with MSG & food color as well.
I made chicken lollipop a few times before and after several trials I settled with this one as one of the best. This is a fusion Indo-Chinese style recipe. I have included lot of options so it can be tweaked easily to suit your taste.
Chicken lollipop is great to enjoy as a appetizer & is a great addition to your party menu. However it goes amazingly good with Chinese Noodles or fried rice.
To make chicken lollipop recipe, either drummettes or whole chicken wings can be used. Both need to be frenched to get the shape of a lollipop. I have used drummettes. If you live in a place where drummettes are not available, then you can use whole chicken wings.
If you are a beginner and has not handled meat before i suggest you try with drummettes. These are the first portion of the whole chicken wings and are fairly easy to french.
The same recipe can be used to make grilled chicken lollipop. The only difference would be the color of the chicken. But once seasoned with sauce both look the same. While the grilled ones get a grilled flavor, which is not for the fried chicken.
I have blurred few step by step images, showing them as it is may irk newbies. But focused in few places, good enough to understand.
More Chicken recipes
Chilli chicken
Szechuan chicken
Chicken manchurian
Preparation for chicken lollipop
1. I always prefer to brine / soak the chicken in buttermilk for at least an hour. If using larger wings or drummettes then i suggest soaking for 4 to 6 hours in refrigerator.
I would not recommend skipping this step as it really helps to yield soft and tender chicken when fried or grilled.
To make buttermilk, add 3 to 4 tbsp curd or yogurt to a bowl. Whisk it well with a fork. Add 1 ¼ cup water and ¼ tsp salt. Then add chicken to the butter milk.
Always cover the chicken container and wrap with a few disposable plastic bags. Place the bowl in a separate compartment in the fridge which is not used for fruits, veggies and nuts.
2. Remove skin and fats before going ahead. Hold the thinner side of the drummettes. Next with the help of a knife, bring down the meat towards the other end. You can look at the picture.
3. Drain off the buttermilk completely if any. Add chili powder or paprika, spice powder, Ginger garlic and pepper powder as well. Toss gently to coat.
How to make chicken lollipop recipe
4. Mix cornflour with salt. Next add it to the bowl. Mix well. If you do not like to use corn flour, use unbleached and unbromated flour. You can make these without flour or can use only 2 tbsp rice flour as well.
5. Next shape them to balls on one side and place them all on a plate.
6. You can grill or fry the chicken. Grill in a preheated oven at 240 C for 20 to 22 minutes depending on the size. OR Heat oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough, deep fry them on medium high until cooked.
Do not fry on very high flame as it may brown the chicken outside without cooking inside. Next frying on a very low flame, will make the chicken hard. I haven’t tried shallow frying or pan frying, since I am not sure if they get cooked well.
7. Drain them on a kitchen towel. I fried in 3 batches.
Making sauce for chicken lollipop recipe
8. Transfer the oil to a bowl. After that keep 1.5 tsp oil in the pan. Add ginger garlic and fry until fragrant.
9. Next add onions and fry until transparent. While the onions fry, make red chili paste. Mix ¾ tbsp chili powder with 1.5 tbsp water. You can also use ready made chili paste.
10. Mix 1 tsp vinegar with only 1 tsp naturally brewed soya sauce for half kg chicken. Pour it to the pan.
11. Add sugar and red chili paste or sauce. Saute everything together without burning.
12. Then pour ½ cup water and Stir.
13. Allow the sauce to cook until it thickens.
14. Add the chicken and toss. I set aside a few for the kids as the sauce is spicy.
Finally garnish chicken lollipop with spring onions or celery. Wrap the lollypops with foil towards the bone. Serve as an appetizer or a side to a Chinese meal.
Related Recipes
Chicken lollipop recipe | How to make chicken lollipop
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- ½ kg chicken drummettes (or 1 lb)
- oil as needed for frying
marination
- 1 ¼ tablespoon Ginger garlic paste or mince or ½ tsp each of powder
- ¼ to ½ red chili powder or paprika (adjust) or red chili sauce
- ½ teaspoon any spice powder or garam masala
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoon cornstarch (white corn flour) or (2 tbsp rice flour)
seasoning for chicken lollipop
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- ¾ tablespoon ginger minced
- ¾ tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon soya sauce
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 tablespoon red chili sauce or red chilli paste or any hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
garnishing (optional)
- 2 tablespoon chopped celery or spring onions
Instructions
Preparation for chicken lollipop
- This section is optional but will tenderize the chicken & keeps it juicy.
- Add 3 to 4 tbsp yogurt to a bowl, whisk it.
- Then pour 1 ¼ cup water and salt.
- Transfer the chicken and brine for 1 hour to overnight to tenderize the chicken.
Frying or grilling chicken
- Drain off the buttermilk and add chili powder, ginger garlic, spice powder & salt.
- Rub these well and then sprinkle corn flour. Coat the chicken well.
- Heat oil until hot enough.
- Then fry the chicken on a medium heat until crisp and golden.
- Remove to kitchen tissues.
- Alternately you can grill then in a preheated oven at 220 C for 20 to 22 mins until cooked through.
How to make chicken lollipop
- Add 1½ tsp oil to a pan for seasoning and heat it.
- Saute ginger garlic until aromatic. Add onions & fry until transparent.
- Stir in red chili sauce, sugar, vinegar and soya sauce.
- When the sauce begins to bubble pour water and stir.
- Taste and check the salt, sweet, sour & spice.
- Add more if needed. Cook until the sauce thickens.
- Add the fried chicken. Toss them well to coat the sauce.
- Garnish chicken lollipop with spring onions or celery.
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Maria Alvares says
Hi Swasthi,
Thank you for the recipes. I tried a few and they were wonderful. I have a question on chicken lollipops. I am hoping to make it on the weekend. We live in Canada and we get corn flour and corn starch. They are both extremely different in texture. I realize it is different in the U.S, India and in other parts of the world. In your recipe, do you mean corn flour or corn starch?
Example of how we use it in Canada: Corn starch is usually mixed with water and then added to indo-chinese sauces like gobi manchurian to thicken it. Corn flour is a thicker flour and we use it to make Eggplant Bhajas or Vegetable Pakoras etc.
Would you recommend corn flour or corn starch for the chicken lollipops?
swasthi says
Hello Maria
Glad to know! Yes I understand. There is another Corn flour that is yellow in color. But here I mean cornstarch in this recipe. I use the Bob’s red mill cornstarch. Hope this helps
Mita Sengupta says
Swasthi, I love your recipes and your style of explaining, tips, pictures are so clear to understand.
When I think of a new recipe, I always think of you !
Thank you
Mita Sengupta
swasthi says
Welcome Mita
Happy to know! Thank you so much!
🙂
Sumi Riyas says
First time I made lollipops and it was a huge success. Easy to follow directions with proper guidance helped to make it easily. The kids want it again tomorrow. Thank you
swasthi says
Welcome Sumi
Glad to know the lollipops turned out good. Thank you!
🙂
Malavika says
Lovely recipe. Made this today, made a small change – added soya sauce and vinegar to the chicken during marination stage. Did not make the sauce as there are kids at home and it would be spicy. Thanks
swasthi says
Hello Malavika
You are welcome. Yes the sauce is spicy and kids can’t have it. Thank you!
Smita says
Awesome Receipe..Chicken was so soft & juicy due to soaking in buttermilk ..I followed all the steps & turned out super delicious than restaurant one..Thanks 😊
swasthi says
Hi Smita,
You are welcome! Glad the lollipops turned out good. Yes soaking in buttermilk does a great job. Thank you so much for the comment!
Amit Chadha says
I am a big fan of your recipes. You are doing a great job. Terrific!!
swasthi says
Thank you so much!
Sunny Raj says
Super Chicken Loli Pop
swasthi says
Thank you
Pooja says
Hi Swasthi,
Liked your recipe n am going to try it out tmrw , what is spice mix .liked the fact that you are using organic n pure ingredients. Easy recipes n smile home ingredients. Finally found a chef whose recipes I can follow . R u on Instagram
swasthi says
Hi Pooja,
You can use garam masala or any other like cajun spice mix. Yes you can find me on IG
Anupama Shetty says
Hi Swasthi, i have tried your chicken 65 recipe quite a few times. And everybody loved it. Thanks so much.
swasthi says
Hi Anupama
You are welcome. Thanks for trying the recipe. Glad to know it came out good.
🙂
Subashini Shankar says
Wow, I tried this at home today and it turned out soooooooo good. Thank U so much for the wonderful recipe.
The other recipes available online has ingredients like corn flour, refined flour, tomato ketchup, schezwan sauce i.e. either store bought ones/unhealthy ones. But ur recipe uses mostly home made ingredients, except for soya sauce. I like that. I tried it with rice flour and it came out real good.
And Instead of sugar, can we add honey? will it be ok?
swasthi says
Hey Subashini,
You are welcome. Glad to know it turned out good. Honey can be used but should not be heated as it turns toxic. Just use organic sugar and soya sauce for health reasons. If you don’t find organic soya sauce, try for naturally brewed one.
Thanks for the comment.
🙂
Subashini Shankar says
Will do. Thank U 🙂
Shagufta says
looks really yummy !
Laiba says
I tried it n it was awesome. Thanx
Aditi K says
Hi Swasthi! I always wanted to try this recipe at home, but I was wondering if there is any replacement for cornflour, or if its alright if i skip it altogether?
swasthi says
Hi Aditi
Yes I have mentioned in the recipe card. You can try with rice flour or you can skip it as well
Steve says
Hi,
Can you make these with tandoor spice?
Thanks
Steve
swasthi says
Hi Steve
Yes you can make use of tandoor spice powder in place of garam masala. You can also skip soya sauce and vinegar in seasoning, replace soya sauce with more tandoor masala. Sprinkle lemon juice just before serving. Hope this helps
Steve says
Thanks for your reply.
Will leave overnight to marinate.
swasthi says
Welcome. Yes you can marinate it overnight or even upto 24 hours
Ariana says
Hi this recipe looks yummy.
Wanted to ask u can we used chicken pieces instead of drummets
Pls lemme know as I wanna make it
Thanks
swasthi says
Hi Ariana
Thanks
Yes you can use even pieces. You can also check this link on schezwan chicken similar to this recipe but made with chicken fillets.
Ariana says
Thanks for your reply ?
Will definitely try out the schezwan chicken
Azhar khan says
Kg morning kolar
Baasha says
Thank u mam
RANJAN says
MAST HAI BHAIII IIII IIII
swasthi says
Thank you
RANJAN says
MAST HAI CHICKEN HAI BHAI
swasthi says
Thanks Ranjan
Glad to know you liked it
karish says
Mene chicken lollipop try Kiya bhot zyada tasty hua
swasthi says
Thanks for trying karishma. I forgot to reply your previous comment. Next time i suggest you buy a set of measuring spoons and cups from super market. You can find stainless steel and plastic both. Without measuring spoons, it is very difficult to make delicious food if you are a beginner.
🙂
karish says
Mere pas teaspon nhi h to kese daale