Plum Sauce Chicken Lollipops

Plum Sauce Chicken Lollipops are super fun and tasty appetizers that will surely be a hit with the crowd. Baked in a sweet and savory sauce, they're finger-licking, lip-smacking delicious!

The first time I tried chicken lollipops at a Filipino restaurant,  I thought they were a 100% Pinoy concept. Like honey bagoong chicken wings, something like a chicken segment shaped into a lollipop didn't seem all that far out for our creativity.

However, I found out today in my research online that these frenched drumettes originated from Indian Chinese cuisine, which is popular as hors-d'oeuvres. But original idea or not, they've become a regular mainstay in the Filipino food scene and have been heavily adapted to meet local tastes.

Ingredient notes

• Chicken Lollipops are chicken winglets (drums and flats) in which the meat is cut from the bone end and pushed down to resemble a lollipop. You can also use legs for heartier pieces.
• The sweet, savory, and slightly spicy marinade is made with plum sauce, soy sauce, honey or brown sugar, rice vinegar, chili oil, ginger, garlic, and sesame seeds. These are mostly pantry staples you can easily find in an Asian supermarket. For a kick of heat, you can use sesame oil and dried red chili flakes instead of chili oil or skip it altogether for a kid-friendly version.

How to make Plum sauce chicken lollipops

• Cut the skin and tendon around the base of the chicken drumette using scissors or a knife. Holding the exposed bone of the drumette, gently push the meat down the opposite end, forming a knob of meat like a "lollipop." Repeat with the remaining drumettes.
• Traditionally, the lollipops are breaded with a seasoned batter and deep-fried in hot oil until crispy. The exposed bone is sometimes wrapped in aluminum foil to allow easy handling. In this recipe, I skipped the breading and frying and instead marinated the drumettes overnight in a sweet, salty, and slightly spicy plum sauce mixture. Then, I baked them to juicy perfection.
• You can also grill the chicken wings until nicely charred, and a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 165 F. Any way you cook these plum sauce chicken lollipops, they're finger-licking, lip-smacking awesome!

How to serve and store

• Plum sauce chicken lollipops are tasty party food the whole crowd will love! They'll pair great with ice-cold beer or your favorite refreshments. They'll also make a light yet satisfying lunch or dinner meal paired with pasta, such as Instant Pot spaghetti, or tossed salad, like Thai Salad with Peanut Sauce Dressing.
• Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes or in an air fryer at 375 F for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. You can also microwave on HIGH for 30 to 40-second intervals, but this method can result in a soggy texture.

More appetizer recipes

Sweet Onion Fritters

Lumpia Shanghai

Baby Back Ribs with Adobo Glaze

Chicken Skin Chicharon

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @kawalingpinoy on Facebook and Instagram!

4.75 from 4 votes

Plum Sauce Chicken Lollipops

Need a fun and tasty appetizer? These plum sauce chicken lollipops baked in a sweet, savory sauce are sure to be a total hit!

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 35 minutes mins

Marinating: 8 hours hrs

Total Time: 8 hours hrs 55 minutes mins

Author: Lalaine Manalo

Course: Appetizer

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4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken wing drumettes
• ½ cup plum sauce
• 3 tablespoons calamansi or lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chili oil
• 1 thumb-size ginger, peeled and grated
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• sesame seeds, toasted

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

• With a knife or scissors, cut the skin and tendon around the base of chicken drumette. Holding the exposed bone of the drumette, gently push the meat all the way down the opposite end, forming a knob of meat like a "lollipop". Repeat with remaining drumettes.
• In a bowl, combine plum sauce, calamansi or lemon juice, soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, chili oil, ginger, garlic, red chili flakes, salt, and pepper. Whisk together until well-blended.
• Add frenched drumettes to plum sauce mixture and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight for best results.
• Drain chicken, reserving marinade. Wrap the exposed bone of each drummette with a strip of aluminum foil. 
• In a saucepan over medium heat, bring marinade to a boil for about 5 minutes or until completely heated and reduced.
• On a lightly greased baking sheet, arrange chicken in a single layer. Bake in a 350 F oven, basting every 10 minutes with marinade, for about 30 to 35 minutes or until browned and thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 165 F. 
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve hot.

Notes

• If you can't find chili oil, replace it with sesame oil and red chili flakes.
• Do not skip boiling the marinade! This will cook off any bacteria, make it safe for basting, and reduce the liquid, concentrating flavors.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 282kcal, Carbohydrates: 27g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 1335mg, Potassium: 233mg, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 105IU, Vitamin C: 5.4mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1.4mg

“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”