Summer time and birthday parties seem to go hand-in-hand. This week over at The Back Burner, we are talking about kid’s parties, and healthy treats (for the wee ones). I am not a mom, but have had tons of experience with kids, as I use to take care of MEM full time. I have lots of experience with diapers, skinned knees, sick tummies, making up exciting play games, giving hugs, and getting creative in the kitchen.
Getting creative with meal times, meant anything from snowflake tortillas, to black bean bettle bugs, ham circles, hot-dog mummies complete with drops of blood, or maybe a big bowl of monkey brains. I, always wanted the meal to be kid-friendly (fingers), easy to make (not to interrupt play time) and healthy (lots of fruit and veggies served alongside). I never had a chance to serve MEM Lollipop Chicken; but, am positive it would have been a hit.
I simply took chicken legs and made them into lollipops, then glazed them with a tart and buttery glaze, that I added sesame seeds too (for added crunch). I served the lollipop chicken with extra candy sauce, and big bowls of cherry tomatoes. My little samplers (and the big ones) loved this fun twist to the usual candy chicken. Would make for a great snack not only during parties, but also you summer BBQs when little ones are joining their parents. Who doesn’t like lollipops, after all?
**inspired by my friend Evelyn and her Candy Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 12 chicken legs
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 lemon, zest and juiced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- grape seed oil - will not smoke when cooking at high heat
Directions
- Heat the oven to 425.
- Lightly oil a cookie sheet with some grape seed oil.
- Using sharp kitchen scissors, cut down, about a 1/4” down the chicken leg bone.
- Using your fingers, push the meat down the bone, to form a lollipop.
- Then pull the cut end off of the bone, cutting away any lose tendons or fatty pieces that may have appeared after cutting.
- Remove the skin from the chicken. Lightly coat each leg with a little of the oil.
- Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over the legs, and bake for another 10 – 15 minutes, until golden and cooked through.
- Remove from the oven. Lower the the heat to 350.
- Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each leg with some of the candy glaze.
- Slide back into the oven and bake for 7 minutes.
- Remove and let cool to finger temperature.
- Serve.
- Eat.
- Candy Glaze
- In a small saucepan add all of the ingredients (except chicken legs, salt and pepper), stir and cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat until ready to glaze the legs.
She cooks. He devours. Culinary capers in an urban kitchen in West Oakland. Other half of Chez Us can be found @laudalino on Twitter. 
One of the favourite memories I have of college…is sleeping till late in the afternoons after a long night, waking up drowsy, dragging ourselves to a local eatery called “Cosmopolitan” and order a batch of chicken lollipops. They came perfectly lollipop-ed, slick with oil, covered in a caramelized onions and chillies. Not the healthiest, but I’d give anything for a batch of those one more time! Thanks for reminding me.
Yours look so perfect and juicy! And great photos.
What an adorable dish! I know my 3 year old wouldn’t eat it, but I’d be all over it