Air Fried Funyuns Chicken Lollipops

Fried chicken takes on a new form… and in new breading! Elevate your chicken game by transforming drumsticks into lollipops, then coating them in crispy, flavorful Funyuns. You won’t believe how crispy these chicken legs get in the air fryer, giving them a delicious crunch and locking in juices.

Serve them up with our Sour Cream and Chive dipping sauce for a lip-smacking combination that will wow your taste buds and have you reaching for more!

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What Are Funyuns Chicken Lollipops?

Have you tried chicken lollipops?

No, they’re not distance cousins to popcorn chicken. Chicken lollipops are chicken legs that are butchered in the shape of a lollipop, with the exposed bone representing the stick and the meaty end pretending to be the sweet candy portion. It’s a fun way to give the drumstick a more elegant appearance., but it does require more prep time, patience, and sharp knives. I don’t make them often, but when I do my whole family enjoys the fruits of my labors!

My Air Fried Funyuns Chicken Lollipops are a take on fried chicken. I came up with the recipe when doing an Instagram challenge that asked participants to take a common dish from meh to marvelous.

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I chose to elevate fried chicken by air frying it and preparing it in lollipop style. But I wanted a unique, flavorful breading and wasn’t sure what to use until I took a walk down the snack aisle at my grocery store. When I saw that bright yellow bag of Funyuns, I knew they’d be perfect!

Why Funyuns?

If you’ve never had Funyuns before, you’re missing out on one of my favorite snacks! Funyuns are light and airy with an intense onion flavor that is reminiscent of deep fried onion rings.

I found that when they are crushed, Funyuns take on a consistency similar to panko, but with a whole lot of flavor. Once I began working with them I was surprised at how beautifully they clung to the chicken and stayed on during the air frying process. They also crisped up wonderfully, even when reheated (in the air fryer) the next day.

I actually wish I had tried using Funyuns while cooking a long time ago.

Do I Have to Use Chicken Legs?

You don’t HAVE to, but they sure are cute!

If you’re not into chicken lollipops, you can use any type of bone-in chicken and follow the breading instructions to coat each piece. Instead of rotating the chicken 1/2 turn in the air fryer, you’ll want to flip each piece over to ensure even crisping.

You can also use the Funyuns breading for boneless, medium-sized chicken breasts. Again, follow the breading directions, but air fry for 10 to 15 minutes, flipping pieces halfway through cooking time. If your chicken breasts are larger or smaller than normal, you’ll need to adjust the length of time they cook.

I highly recommend the sour cream and chive dipping sauce, no matter what type of chicken you use.

Do You Have Any Tips or Tricks?

Absolutely!

Save those chicken trimmings. You can use the chicken skin that’s removed from the bone and the discarded end pieces to make your own chicken stock. This is pretty easy to do (a lot easier than making chicken lollipops) and freezes well. I keep a quart-sized Ziploc freezer bag next to my cutting board and throw the cut-offs in there, then zip and freeze.

Slap your chicken. After dredging in flour, it’s important to shake off as much excess flour as you can, otherwise the breading may not stick. I give my legs a little slap to release that extra flour before using the egg.

Press on the breading. When you’ve rolled the eggy drumstick in the crushed Funyuns, give the breading a little press to ensure that it sticks on. Don’t try this if your fingers are full of egg or it’ll just stick to you!

Don’t skip the spray. Giving your breaded lollipops a spritz of olive oil before air frying makes a world of difference! It enhances the crispiness of the breading without drying out the meat.

Pay attention to the chicken as it cooks. All air fryers tend to cook differently, and cooking times can vary depending upon the size of the chicken legs, how many you’re cooking, and how close they are to one another when cooking. Check the chicken for doneness by inserting a meat thermometer into the meatiest part of a large leg. If it reads 175 F or above, it is fully cooked. The meat should be opaque and can range in color from off-white to pink. It is common for the meat to become more pink the closer to the bone it is.

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Directions

• Prepare the chicken lollipops. Begin by cutting the tips off the bulbous end of each chicken leg so they stand on end.
• Cut all the way around the chicken leg where the meaty portion begins. Be sure to cut all the way through to the bone.
• It is helpful to use kitchen shears to cut through the tendons.
• Pull the skin and tendons down and over the joint, then tear it away.
• Prepare the breading. Use a blender or food processor to pulverize Funyuns into crumbs. Pour onto a plate.
• Rinse the prepared chicken lollipops and pat dry. Dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
• Coat floured mixture in egg, then roll in Funyuns crumbs. Press Funyuns in place.
• Place breaded chicken lollipops in air frier basket, standing on end. Spritz with olive oil spray. Air fry at 400 F for 10-15 minutes. Rotate each lollipop 1/4 turn, then air fry another 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 175 F.
• As chicken cooks, make the dipping sauce. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir well until all ingredients are incorporated. Serve as a dipping sauce with chicken.

What Should I Serve With This Chicken?

• You don’t have to be on keto to enjoy Keto Cauliflower Baked “Mac and Cheese”
• Corn Casserole is an easy dish that goes wonderfully with this dish
• There’s something about Dill Potato Salad that pairs just right with crispy chicken

Air Fried Funyuns Chicken Lollipops

Recipe by Chicken Soup with Dumplings

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

30

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

15

minutes

Elevate your chicken game by transforming drumsticks into lollipops, then coating them in crispy, flavorful Funyuns.

Ingredients

• 12 chicken drumsticks

• 1- 15 ounce bag Funyuns Onion Flavored Rings

• 1/4 – 1/2 cup flour

• 2 eggs, beaten

• Olive oil spray

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

• Prepare the chicken lollipops. Begin by cutting the tips off the bulbous end of each chicken leg so they stand on end.
• Cut all the way around the chicken leg where the meaty portion ends, making sure to cut all the way to the bone. It is helpful to use kitchen shears to cut through the tendons. Pull the skin and tendons down and over the joint, then tear it away.
• Prepare the breading. Use a blender or food processor to pulverize Funyuns into crumbs. Pour onto a plate.
• Rinse the prepared chicken lollipops and pat dry. Dredge each piece in flour, shaking off excess.
• Coat floured mixture in beaten egg, then roll in Funyuns crumbs. Press Funyuns in place.
• Place breaded chicken lollipops in air frier basket, standing on end. Spritz with olive oil spray. Air fry at 400 F for 10-15 minutes. Rotate each lollipop 1/4 turn, then air fry another 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 175 F.
• As chicken cooks, make the dipping sauce. Combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Stir well until all ingredients are incorporated. Serve as a dipping sauce with chicken.

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