Honey-Mustard “Lollipop” Chicken

Recipes excerpted from The Giving Table, by Naomi Ross, published by Menucha Publishers

A little less caloric than classic fried chicken, this oven-fried recipe still yields a flavorful crispy crust using fresh bread crumbs, but with no frying mess to clean up. Frenching the drumsticks refers to trimming or pushing the meat back away from the bone, creating a fancier and neater presentation — and the perfect handle for kids to hold.

YIELD: 12 chicken “lollipops”

PREP TIME: 15-20 minutes

COOK TIME: 25-30 minutes

DIFFICULTY: Easy-peasy

• 12 chicken drumsticks
• ⅓ cup Dijon mustard

Fresh Bread Crumbs

• 5 slices stale rye bread or French bread, crusts removed
• 1 large clove garlic
• ½ cup packed fresh parsley leaves
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup honey (scant)
• 1½ Tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1½ Tablespoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 425°F. Prepare a rimmed sheet pan with foil and grease liberally with nonstick cooking spray.

French the drumsticks: Using a sharp paring knife and/or poultry shears, cut through the skin and tendons at the end of the drumstick; push the skin and tendons back to the nub of each drumstick, leaving the bone exposed (creating a natural handle). Pull or trim off to remove the pulled-back skin. (Alternatively, you can ask your butcher to prepare these for you.)