Chicken lollipops

Spicy Chicken lollipops with fresh summer salad
Chicken thighs, the cheapest part of a chicken, but also the juiciest. here you get a recipe for chicken thighs with a twist. There is a bit of work beforehand, but the visual aspect of serving chicken thighs this way is not only great to look at, but also convenient!

What you need:

Begin with the chicken thighs
To make lollipops off your thighs, you first have to cut a section in the skin just below the bone on the leg. Use a sharp knife to cut all the way to the bone, all the way around, so you can tear the knuckle off the bone. Use a kitchen towel or paper to get a good grip.

Once you have torn the knuckle, you will be left with some strands and tendons sticking up along your leg. Now take a good grip on the bone and the meat, and pull the bone up so that all the meat and skin gathers like a ball at the bottom. ATTENTION !! along the main bone there is an extra bone, which is thin and sharp. Be careful not to prick yourself when pulling in the leg. This bone, you gently break out, by placing your knife between the bones and bending out gently so you can grasp it with your fingers. You can also use a pair of pliers to cut this out but your fingers are fine too.

Cut off the remaining tendons and strands that protrude along the bone, and try to shape the skin and flesh a little nicely. Now the meat is ready for rub.

Put the chicken in the fridge for 30/60 minutes. In the meantime, light the grill at about 150 degrees C. find a low foil tray or other refractory tray. Put 3-4 tablespoons of butter in and allow the butter to melt before adding the chicken.

When you are ready to put the chicken on the grill, take some strips of aluminum foil around the leg so that it does not scorch. This is basically just aesthetic, but when you’ve put so much work into cleaning your leg, you might as well spend 2 minutes wrapping it. Put the chicken clubs down in the butter, making sure they stand firm. Remember to use indirect heat

Leave the chicken to simmer in the butter until you have reached a core temperature of around 68-70 degrees Celsius. How long this takes depends largely on the size of the chicken thighs and various other factors. Mine (quite small) took about an hour. Once you put the chicken on the grill, start with the glaze. This should be heated so that it is thick and good, while sneaking into the crutches and cavities of the chicken afterwards. You can use your favorite BBQ sauce or you can make (This super simple sauce). Use a small saucepan to get enough depth to dip the entire chicken thigh.

When the chicken has reached 68-70 degrees Celsius, take them out of the tray, remove the aluminum foil, and dip the chicken in the sauce, making sure to cover the whole chicken with bones and everything. Put them back on the grill and let the sauce settle. This takes about 20-30 minutes. Also keep an eye on the core temperature so that it ends at about 75 degrees celsius.

Side
Now you can start making the side, but keep a close eye on the chicken so it doesn’t burn !!

Dice watermelon, strawberries and feta cheese into cubes. Mix them lightly, and top with some fresh basil and oregano leaves. Sprinkle some chives. well there you have a quick, fresh simple summer salad. You can also toss in some olive oil if you wish.

When the chicken is done, serve the piping hot straight from the grill along with the salad and napkins. And You, use your hands to eat this!