Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
Servings: 4 appetizer servings
Calories:
These crispy salt and pepper chicken wings are fried until golden, then tossed with butter, garlic, shallot, red chile and white pepper for a savory, peppery finish.
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Ingredients
Wings
- 2 lb chicken wings
- 3–5 cups canola or vegetable oil for frying, depending on pan size
- freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Optional Marinade
- ½ cup white wine, cooking wine, or beer
- ½ teaspoon ginger powder
- 1½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Dry Coating
- 6 tablespoon cornstarch
- 6 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Garlic-Chile Finish
- 2–3 tablespoon butter
- 4–6 red chiles minced; adjust to desired heat
- 2–3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 shallot minced
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- If marinating, combine the marinade ingredients in a large zip-top bag. Add the wings, seal, and marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Combine the dry-coating ingredients in a bowl. Let excess marinade drip from the wings, then coat each wing thoroughly, pressing the coating into the surface so it adheres.
- Add enough frying oil to a heavy-bottomed pot or deep pan to cover the wings and heat the oil to 300°F.
- Shake off excess coating and carefully lower the wings into the oil without crowding the pan. Fry in batches for 6–7 minutes, until light golden and cooked through. Poultry is food-safe at 165°F; the chef’s preferred endpoint is about 180°F for the finished texture.
- Transfer the cooked wings to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the remaining wings. For extra-crispy wings, fry each batch again for about 3 minutes.
- For the garlic-chile finish, melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the minced red chiles, garlic, shallot, white pepper, and salt. Sauté for 3–5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, add the fried wings, and gently roll or toss them in the garlic-chile mixture until coated.
- Transfer to a serving platter, spoon the crispy garlic-chile bits from the skillet over the top, finish with freshly ground black pepper, and serve immediately.
Notes
Baked: Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment. Prepare the wings through the coating step, arrange them without touching, and bake 30–35 minutes, flipping after 15 minutes. Finish with the garlic-chile mixture.
Air fryer: Preheat to 400°F and lightly oil the basket. Arrange coated wings in a single layer and cook 25–30 minutes, flipping halfway. Work in batches if needed, then finish with the garlic-chile mixture.
Make ahead: Marinate the wings overnight and mix the dry coating in advance. The garlic-chile finish can also be prepared ahead and refrigerated if held more than 3 hours; gently reheat before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for 3–4 days or freeze for 3–4 months. Reheat refrigerated wings at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until heated through to 165°F.