Mango-Habanero Smoked Chicken Lollipops
Serves: 4
Prep Time: inutes
Cook Time: inutes
Total Time: inutes
For an unexpected, unique take on drumsticks, fire up the smoker and try this delectable recipe! The scratch-made sauce is where the magic happens: The intense heat of habanero peppers is tamed by the honeyed tropical sweetness of ripe mango, enhanced with flavor-building ingredients, like mustard, paprika and brown sugar. You can even add the marinade directly to the Bell & Evans Chicken Drumstick Lollipops in their tray for mess-free prep before they hit the smoker!
Ingredients
- 1 Pkg Bell & Evans Chicken Drumstick Lollipops
- 2 tsp Olive oil
- 1 small Yellow onion, chopped
- 4 Habanero peppers, stems removed and seeded
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 large Ripe mango, chopped
- 3/4 cup Tomato paste
- 3/4 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar
- 3 TB Honey
- 1 TB Dijon mustard
- 1 TB Smoked paprika
- 1 TB Ground ginger
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 Green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
- 2 Limes, cut into wedges, for serving
Preparation
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and habanero peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in mango, tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, sugar, honey, mustard, paprika and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces and thickens, about 10-15 minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender and puree until a smooth sauce forms, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Let cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
- Open the chicken packaging tray. Add 1 cup mango-habanero sauce to the tray. Massage the sauce into the chicken to cover completely. Allow to marinate refrigerated for at least 1-4 hours, or overnight. Reserve 1 cup of remaining mango-habanero sauce for serving with chicken.
- Prepare a smoker with wood chips. Cover bones of lollipops with a small strip of aluminum foil to prevent burning. Smoke chicken at 225°F to 250°F, until chicken is deep golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, about 2-2 1/2 hours.
- Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onions and serve with reserved mango-habanero sauce and lime wedges.
