Chicken lollipops are such a mega hit between chicken lovers. These indo-chinese chicken lollipop fits in so well as main product on dinning table as appetiser as well as easily tucks in along side fried rice. The thick sauce on chicken offers the spicy kick. These spicy pieces of chicken are utterly delicious to easily find place in any dinner party. Hoping you love this recipe.
Table of contents
What is chicken lollipop
Chicken lollipop is chicken piece looking like lollipop and hence the name. It is basically chicken wing (or drumsticks), frenched (cut given in the meat to pull the meat), to give lollipop shape.
This is a well known Indo-Chinese starter. Here chicken pieces are wrapped in a batter and then deep fried. Finally served with schezwan sauce.
My hubby has always sweared how much he loves chicken lollipop, however his complaint being that in UK, he never found Indian like taste of chicken lollipop here.. The reason being simple, this is Indo-Chinese and hence not many UK restaurants aware of the taste. I am hoping my recipe here will help people who live outside and don’t get authentic taste can try themselves. Of course, if you in India, you can try this too and tell me if this recipe offers authentic taste.
How to prepare chicken for chicken lollipop
If you getting chicken from butcher directly, ask for pieces to be cut for chicken lollipop. If you can’t get it directly from the chicken shop, try to get chicken wings and drumsticks (drumette). Use a knife to partially slice the chicken meat from the bone and pull up the meat to get lollipop look. You can use wings or drumsticks to get the shape, however, if you looking for meaty lollipop pieces, I will recommend using drumsticks.
Method – Steps for making chicken lollipops
- First of all, wash the drumsticks and drain well. Now in a big mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt to smooth and add 2 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to it and mix well. Soak the drumstick in this and cover the bowl with cling film. Keep the bowl in fridge for at least an hour. You can keep them soaked for more time, this will tenderise chicken more.
- After that, drain them completely and with the help of knife, scrape all the meat towards the head of drumsticks to give them lollipop shape.
- Add 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper powder, 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder, corn flour and all purpose flour to the drumsticks and mix them well so that they are nicely coated.
- Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/pan for deep frying over medium-high heat. Shape all the drumstick heads round and deep fry them 3-4 drumsticks at a time, until they are cooked properly and are nice golden brown in colour.
- Take them out and put them on a plate with kitchen towel.
Recipe for chicken lollipop (Schezwan) sauce
- Now in a wide pan, add 2 tablespoon oil from the hot oil. Add chopped onion and sauté for a minute. Now add 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste and sauté again till the raw smell fades.
- Add chilli sauce, soya sauce, vinegar, salt, red chilli powder to it and sauté again. Now add 1/2 cup of water and bring the mixture to boil. Add sugar and mix well. Let the sauce cook and thickens a little.
Assembling
- Add fried chicken pieces now and toss them in the mixture so that they are well coated. Switch off the heat.
- Garnish with chopped spring onions and cover the bone part of drumsticks with foil for easy pickup.
ProTips
- Look for tender chicken pieces. Pieces should not be too big, neither tiny and should have enough meat on them.
- Marination is an important step as it makes chicken tender.
- Don’t fry the drumsticks on either too hot or too low heat. They will be cooked nicely when fried in medium hot oil without soaking excess oil.
- For more crispier version, add half tablespoon all purpose flour and half tablespoon rice flour.
- You may like to add less spices when serving kids.
Chicken lollipops in air fryer or oven
You can cook lollipops in air fryer too for 15-17 minutes on 180 degree temperature or in oven for 25-30 minutes on 200 degree temperature.
Why make these chicken lollipops
- It is instant hit for any chicken lover
- You may notice that the recipe is not complicated and can be easily made at home
- This can be a filling and hence don’t need to make many things at the same time when making it.
- You can make less oily version using air fryer.
Serving suggestion
Serve these lollipops hot, else chicken may get chewy. Put aluminium foil on other end of chicken pieces so that it is easy to hold and does not makes hand messy. Don’t forget to add that schezwan sauce on the side!
Other Indo-Chinese recipes
Cabbage Manchurian
Egg Fried Rice
Veg Manchurian
Veg Hakka Noodles
Recipe Card
Chicken lollipop
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Chicken drumsticks 9-10 pieces generally
- 3-4 tbsp Yogurt
- 1 Onion medium size, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1/2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
- 4 tbsp Cornflour
- 1 tbsp All purpose flour
- 2 tsp soya sauce
- 1 tsp White vinegar
- 1 tsp Red chilli sauce
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Oil for deep frying
- 2 tbsp Chopped spring onion
Instructions
- First of all, wash the drumsticks and drain well. Now in a big mixing bowl, whisk the yogurt to smooth and add 2 cup of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to it and mix well. Soak the drumstick in this and cover the bowl with cling film. Keep the bowl in fridge for at least an hour. You can keep them soaked for more time, this will tenderise chicken more.
- After that, drain them completely and with the help of knife, scrape all the meat towards the head of drumsticks to give them lollipop shape.
- Add 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper powder, 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder, corn flour and all purpose flour to the drumsticks and mix them well so that they are nicely coated.
- Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/pan for deep frying over medium-high heat. Shape all the drumstick heads round and deep fry them 3-4 drumsticks at a time,until they are cooked properly and are nice golden brown in colour.
- Take them out and put them on a plate with kitchen towel.
- Now in a wide pan, add 2 tablespoon oil from the hot oil. Add chopped onion and saute for a minute. Add 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste and saute again till the raw smell fades.
- Add chilli sauce, soya sauce, vinegar, salt, red chilli powder to it and saute again. Now add 1/2 cup of water and bring the mixture to boil. Add sugar and mix well. Let the sauce cook and thickens a little.
- Add fried chicken pieces now and toss them in the mixture so that they are well coated. Switch off the heat.
- Garnish with chopped spring onions and cover the bone part of drumsticks with foil for easy pickup.
- Serve Hot and Enjoy.
Notes
- Don’t skip the soaking part as that helps in tenderising the chicken pieces and make them more juicy.
- Don’t fry the drumsticks on either too hot or too low heat. They will be cooked nicely when fried in medium hot oil without soaking excess oil.
- You can cook them in air fryer too for 15-17 minutes on 180 degree temperature or in oven for 25-30 minutes on 200 degree temperature.
- For more crispier version, add half tablespoon all purpose flour and half tablespoon rice flour.