Chicken drumettes are more fun if you transform them into lollipops – there’s some ravenous feeling that comes up when you sink your teeth into these luxuriously buttery and aromatic meat pops.
Chicken Lollipops may be prepared the day before. Turning drumettes into lollipops is relatively easy – all you need are a pair of sharp kitchen shears! With the chicken lightly seasoned and coated in baking powder, it is best to store them overnight in the refrigerator to dry.
Salted duck eggs are an Asian staple that is now a delicacy – with its yolk being the star. It’s creamy and oily, rich, and salty. Mmmm! You may purchase these golden nuggets at most Asian stores, or on Amazon (what can you NOT buy on Amazon), but they can easily be made at home. If you want to fully commit and can wait a month then cure eggs in a simple brine of water, salt, Chinese wine, and spices. Otherwise, do a quick overnight cure. I get my duck eggs from a local farmer but if you can’t find them, chicken eggs will do fine. I find myself reaching for the chicken eggs more often these days.
For this recipe, you may steam the yolks, mash them, and add them to the butter. But because I tend to make a dozen or so of these yolks at a time, I find that turning them into powder gives me the option to store them in the refrigerator. Then they are handy and convenient whenever an indulgent whim beckons.
Let’s talk about the curry leaves. Curry powder does not come from them. It’s a leafy herb that looks like small bay leaves. They have an unmistakable nutty aroma. I buy them fresh but because they don’t last too long in the refrigerator, then I either vacuum pack or dry them. They pair well with ginger and coconut milk. Once the leaves hit the hot butter, they sizzle and fry up a little. So, so, good!
Go ahead, make these! Bite, grunt with deliciousness, lick your fingers, repeat! No judgment.
Yields 4 servings Salted Egg Yolk and Curry Leaf Oven Baked Chicken Lollipop.
The Preparation
- 780 grams skin-on chicken drumettes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 10 medium curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons salted duck egg yolk powder
- 1 medium red bird’s eye chili
* May be found in most Asian stores or on Amazon
** May be found in most Asian stores or on Amazon, or homemade, see below
The Execution
Overnight Cured Egg Yolk Powder
1. Separate the eggs. Set aside the whites for another use. Sprinkle a layer of fine salt into half of the cracked egg shells, then gently transfer the yolks into the shells. Completely cover the yolks with another layer of fine salt. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
2. When ready to use, rinse the salt with cold running water. Dry off on paper towels. They will look bright, almost translucent orange. To make into powder, place yolks on a sheet tray and bake for 10 minutes at 300°F. Pull out of the oven, mash, and return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn oven off. Transfer cooked egg yolks to a food processor and pulse until fine. Transfer powder back into a sheet tray and spread powder into an even layer. Return to the oven and leave to dry. You’ll know it’s ready when the powder does not stick to your fingers. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate if not using right away.
Chicken Lollipops
3. Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, clip the skin from the bottom of the drumettes. Push the meat and skin down towards the opposite end of the bone to create the lollipop shape.
4. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Coat in baking powder.
5. Lay on a greased rack (this will ensure that the crispy skins will not stick when baked) for air circulation. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, best overnight. When the chicken lollipops feel “tacky”, they’re ready for baking.
6. Bake at 450°F for 30-35 minutes. Note that each oven is different so check every so often. Once golden, flip, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Salted Egg Yolk and Curry Sauce
7. Over medium heat, melt butter, and coconut oil. Add garlic and sliced chili. Cook until aromatic. Add salted egg yolk powder. Note that once the powder (or cooked and mashed egg yolk) hits the hot butter, it will start to foam.
8. Add curry leaves and cook until the foam settles and the sauce turns mustard-y in color.
9. To serve, coat the chicken lollipops with sauce. Enjoy!
This makes a total of 4 servings of Salted Egg Yolk and Curry Leaf Oven Baked Chicken Lollipop. Each serving comes out to be 441 Calories, 30.43g Fats, 2.16g Net Carbs, and 38.12g Protein.
| Oven Baked Chicken Lollipops | Calories | Fats(g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber(g) | Net Carbs(g) | Protein(g) |
| 780 grams chicken drumettes, skin on | 1139 | 64.27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 140.63 |
| ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper | 3 | 0.04 | 0.74 | 0.3 | 0.44 | 0.12 |
| 1 teaspoons baking powder | 2 | 0 | 1.27 | 0 | 1.27 | 0 |
| 3 tablespoons salted butter | 305 | 34.55 | 0.03 | 0 | 0.03 | 0.36 |
| 1 tablespoon coconut oil | 121 | 13.47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 cloves garlic | 9 | 0.38 | 1.98 | 0.1 | 1.88 | 0.38 |
| 10 medium curry leaves | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 egg yolks | 109 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 11 |
| 1 medium red bird’s eye chili | 76 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Totals | 1764 | 121.71 | 9.02 | 0.4 | 8.62 | 152.49 |
| Per Serving(/4) | 441 | 30.43 | 2.26 | 0.1 | 2.16 | 38.12 |
This makes a total of 4 servings of Salted Egg Yolk and Curry Leaf Oven Baked Chicken Lollipop. Each serving comes out to be 441 Calories, 30.43g Fats, 2.16g Net Carbs, and 38.12g Protein.
The Preparation
- 780 grams skin-on chicken drumettes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 10 medium curry leaves
- 2 tablespoons salted duck egg yolk powder
- 1 medium red bird's eye chili
The Execution
- Separate the eggs. Set aside the whites for another use. Sprinkle a layer of fine salt into half of the cracked egg shells, then gently transfer the yolks into the shells. Completely cover the yolks with another layer of fine salt. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to use, rinse the salt with cold running water. Dry off on paper towels. They will look bright, almost translucent orange. To make into powder, place yolks on a sheet tray and bake for 10 minutes at 300°F. Pull out of the oven, mash, and return to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes. Turn oven off. Transfer cooked egg yolks to a food processor and pulse until fine. Transfer powder back into a sheet tray and spread powder into an even layer. Return to the oven and leave to dry. You’ll know it’s ready when the powder does not stick to your fingers. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate if not using right away.
- Using a pair of sharp kitchen shears, clip the skin from the bottom of the drumettes. Push the meat and skin down towards the opposite end of the bone to create the lollipop shape.
- Lightly season with salt and pepper. Coat in baking powder.
- Lay on a greased rack (this will ensure that the crispy skins will not stick when baked) for air circulation. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, best overnight. When the chicken lollipops feel “tacky”, they're ready for baking.
- Bake at 450°F for 30-35 minutes. Note that each oven is different so check every so often. Once golden, flip, and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
- Over medium heat, melt butter, and coconut oil. Add garlic and sliced chili. Cook until aromatic. Add salted egg yolk powder. Note that once the powder (or cooked and mashed egg yolk) hits the hot butter, it will start to foam.
- Add curry leaves and cook until the foam settles and the sauce turns mustard-y in color.
- To serve, coat the chicken lollipops with sauce. Enjoy!
