If you made my Grilled Chicken Lollipops, then you need to make these Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks. Double the protein and just as fun to eat. Juicy chicken legs wrapped in smoky, crispy bacon and cooked low and slow until perfectly tender. Whether you’re firing up the grill, smoker, or oven, this recipe turns an everyday cut of chicken into something truly special.
Perfect for backyard cookouts, game day spreads, or easy family dinners. Dunked in a chili crunch honey sauce this took the chicken lollipops to a whole new flavor level.
Looking for more flavorful and fun chicken recipes, check out my Cherry Coke BBQ Chicken, Mango Habanero Drumsticks or Homemade Chicken Empanadas.
Why Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks Work So Well
Chicken drumsticks are naturally juicy and forgiving, making them ideal for grilling and smoking. Wrapping them in bacon adds even more moisture while infusing each bite with smoky, savory flavor. As the bacon cooks, it renders its fat over the chicken, basting it from the outside in and creating that irresistible crispy finish.
Unlike boneless cuts, drumsticks stay tender even when cooked low and slow, giving the bacon time to fully crisp without drying out the meat. That balance is what makes this recipe such a reliable favorite.
Ingredients needed to make Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks
- Chicken drumsticks: on the bone dark meat that is more forgiving if overcooked. Perfect for low and slow BBQ cooks.
- Bacon: thinly sliced bacon works best in the recipe for a crispy edge and tender chicken meat inside.
- Seasoning: I used my All Purpose Rub that is ideal on poultry. The classic salt, pepper and paprika spices compliment the protein.
- Chili crunch oil: this spicy textured oil adds heat and crunch to the BBQ sauce.
- Honey: the sweetness helps balance the spice and savory levels of the sauce.
- BBQ sauce: I used a store bought sauce for my base.
- Sesame seeds: adds more crunch to the BBQ sauce.
Prep the chicken lollipops
What sets this Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks recipe apart from other basic chicken recipes is the preparation of the drumstick itself. Also known as a chicken lollipop, the skin and cartilage are removed from the bone to make it resemble a lollipop. The shinny BBQ sauce adds to the visual representation of the popular childhood candy.
Start with regular chicken drumsticks and cut around the bone, right above the meaty part. This will allow you to pull off the skin and cartilage from the thiner part of the drumsticks. After the bone is nice and clean, you can push the meat down some more to make a nice, round, lollipop shaped chicken drumstick.
And don’t worry, there’s not really any waste here. We’re removing the cartilage and little bit of skin.
Spray the chicken lollipops with some avocado or olive oil which will work as a binder for the rub. For the seasoning, I used Dad’s All Purpose rub , which is awesome on chicken. It’s a great all around rub with a nice savory bbq taste.
Finally, it’s time to wrap these prepped and seasoned chicken drumsticks with bacon. Take a thin strip of bacon and wrap in around the meaty part of the chicken. Secure the bacon with a toothpick to keep it snug and help it avoid slipping off while it cooks.
Recipe Tip
Thin-cut bacon is ideal for wrapping drumsticks. It renders faster and crisps more evenly than thick-cut bacon, which can stay chewy if the chicken finishes cooking first.
After the chicken is prepped, seasoned and wrapped, it’s ready to hit the grill. I like cooking drumsticks using this handy dandy chicken holder . It allows them to hang and cook evenly on all sides.
Dad’s Seasonings
Must have grillin seasonings!
How to Grill Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks
These Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks are super easy to grill or cook in the oven.
Fire up the grill and set it up for indirect heat. I grilled mine on my Weber Searwood which is already set for indirect heat.
I like to cook these at a higher temperature, which helps crisp up the bacon but still keep the chicken meat juice and tender. Set the grill temperature for 350 degrees Fahrenheit, place the wrack on the grates and let it cook for 30-45 minutes or until the internal temperature of the drumsticks reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the ideal time to dunk in your favorite BBQ sauce.
Recipe Tip
If you notice the bacon is not getting crisp or the bacon is too thick, increase the temperature of the grill to 400 degrees.
How to make a Chili Crunch Honey BBQ Sauce
Bacon wrapped chicken drumsticks are delicious on their own, but a light glaze can elevate them even further.
This Chili Crunch Honey BBQ sauce is perfect for the Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks. It’s sweet, savory, spicy and have great texture and shine. Ingredients and steps are simple, but the outcome is amazing!
In a saucepan add BBQ sauce of choice, some chili crunch oil, honey and toasted sesame seeds. Simmer over low heat until it starts to boil. If the sauce is too thick, add a little bit of water to loosen it up.
Go in for the Dunk
The final steps to perfecting these Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks is dunking them in the homemade sauce for the flavor and shine.
Carefully take each grilled lollipop and fully submerge the meaty piece in to the sauce and hang it back up on the wrack. Leave it on the grill for another 5 minutes for the sauce to chicken and caramelize over the bacon.
Remove the sauced Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks off the grill and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. This will help redistribute the juices and keep the meat nice and tender.
And that’s how you make an adult version of a tasty lollipop!
Perfect for Game Day, Parties, and Family Dinners
One of the biggest reasons Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks are so popular is their versatility. They’re easy to eat, full of flavor, and perfect for feeding a crowd. Serve them as a main dish with grilled sides, or pile them onto a platter for game day snacking.
They also reheat well, making leftovers just as good the next day. Whether you’re hosting friends or feeding the family, this recipe fits just about any occasion.
Final Thoughts
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks are the kind of recipe that never disappoints. They’re juicy, smoky, crispy, and packed with flavor in every bite. Simple ingredients, easy prep, and big payoff make this dish a must-have in your grilling rotation.
Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just craving a hearty, satisfying meal, these bacon wrapped drumsticks deliver bold flavor that keeps everyone coming back for more. Fire up the grill and let bacon do what it does best.
Can I make chicken lollipops in the oven? Absolutely! Follow the same time and temperatures as in the recipe. The only downside is that you won’t get that delicious smokey flavor that you would get from the grill.
Are you sure the chicken won’t be dry? I am positive! Any time I grill dark meat (drumsticks, thighs, legs) I ALWAYS cook them to a higher temperature. This helps with tenderness and just makes for a much tastier piece of chicken. And don’t worry, they will stay very juicy!
If you tried these Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the📝 comments. I love hearing from you!
Print
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks
Double the protein, and a whole lot of fun, these Bacon Wrapped Chicken Drumsticks are perfect for backyard cookouts, or easy family dinners.
Course Appetizer, Main Course, dinner
Cuisine American, BBQ, grilled
Keyword grilled chicken, chicken drumsticks, chicken lollipops, spicy bbq sauce, grillin with dad recipes, grilling with dad recipes, tailgating recipe, game day recipe, easy dinner recipe, weeknight dinner., comfort food, grilled, family-friendly, bacon
Prep Time 30 minutes minutes
Cook Time 1 hour hour
Servings 4 People
Calories 806kcal
Chicken Lollipop Ingredients
- 12 Chicken drumsticks
- 12 Thin cut bacon slices
- 3 tbsp All purpose seasoning
Chili Crunch Honey BBQ Sauce Ingredients
- 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
- 2 tbsp Chili Oil Crunch
- 2 tbsp Honey
- 1/2 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 2 tbsp Water (optional if sauce too thick)
French the drumsticks by cutting around the bone, right above the meaty part.
Remove the skin and cartilage from the top part of the bone.
Season the chicken with Dad's All Purpose Rub. Wrap a strip of bacon around each drumstick and secure it with a toothpick.
Hang the bacon wrapped chicken drumsticks on a wire rack.
Set your grill for indirect cooking and set the temperature to 350 degrees.
Place the wire rack filled on the grill and cook until the internal temperature reaches 175 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a small saucepan combine all the sauce ingredients, bring to a simmer and set aside.
Dunk the chicken drumsticks in the BBQ sauce and place back on the grill for another 5 minutes.
Remove from the grill, rest for 5-10 minutes and enjoy!
-
Use thin-cut bacon for faster rendering
-
Avoid overcrowding the grill or smoker
-
Cook over indirect heat until the chicken is done
-
Finish with higher heat to crisp the bacon
-
Rotate often for even cooking
Calories: 806kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 26g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 253mg | Sodium: 862mg | Potassium: 769mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 462IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 146mg | Iron: 6mg
Did you miss our previous article...
https://manstuffnews.com/backyard-grilling/big-green-egg-hot-and-fast-baby-back-ribs
Backyard GrillingWeekend WarriorsAdvice from DadBeard GroomingTV Shows for Guys4x4 Off-Road CarsMens FashionSports NewsAncient Archeology World NewsPrivacy PolicyTerms And Conditions
