Chicken Wings with Explosive Chile Recipe
Adapted from Chef Danny Bowien
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Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco employs an interesting technique for its popular fried chicken wings: The wings are poached in oil, salted for flavor, frozen, deep-fried, then tossed in a spice mixture. Chef Danny Bowien says that the freezing helps stretch the skin slightly so that the second fry makes the wings extra-crispy.
Special equipment: You’ll need a spice or coffee grinder to make the spice blend. We used this Krups coffee grinder with good results.
Serving tip: Bowien says that you don’t have to eat the chiles—they’re there to add a spicy aroma when thrown on top of the hot chicken wings. And they look badass.
INGREDIENTS
- About 2 quarts canola oil
- 3 pounds chicken wings, separated into drumettes and midsections (or flats), wing tips discarded
- Kosher salt
- 1 star anise pod
- 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 cup dried red Chinese chiles or dried arbol chiles
- 1 (1/2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled, very thinly sliced, then thinly sliced into matchsticks
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
INSTRUCTIONS
- Pour 2 inches of the oil into a Dutch oven or a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 300°F on a deep-frying/candy thermometer.
- Working in batches of 6 to 7 pieces, fry the chicken wings in the oil, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a temperature of 300°F, until the skin is opaque but not browned, about 3 to 5 minutes (the wings will not be cooked through). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the wings to a large bowl and toss with a generous amount of salt. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- When all the wings are fried, let them cool completely. Cover the baking sheet and place in the freezer for at least 3 hours or overnight. Set the oil aside for use later.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place the star anise, red pepper flakes, cumin, and peppercorns in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool completely. Using a spice grinder or clean coffee grinder, grind into a fine powder; set aside.
- Place the chiles in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 3 to 5 minutes; set aside to cool.
- When ready to serve, set the reserved frying oil over medium-high heat and bring to 350°F on a deep-frying/candy thermometer. Working in batches of 6 to 7 frozen wing pieces, fry, turning the wings occasionally and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a temperature of 350°F, until the wings are cooked through, golden brown, and crispy, about 6 minutes.
- Immediately transfer each batch to a large bowl, season with salt and 1 teaspoon of the spice blend, and toss to coat. Place on a serving dish and repeat with the remaining wings.
- When all the wings are cooked, place the reserved chiles, ginger, 1 teaspoon of the spice blend, and 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil in the large bowl and toss to combine. Scatter the mixture over the chicken wings and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve immediately.
You might want to warn people about putting frozen meat into hot oil. You can lose an eye doing that.
My system is to steam the wings until done. Toss with spices and toss or spray with oil .Bake in 425 oven.
LOVE spicy hot foods, hate deep fat frying. Can anyone suggest a good baking, broiling recipe morph for this?
OMG these wings are addictive. Your mouth will hate it, love it, then love it some more. Don't drink liquids to quell the heat; you'll regret it. Eat a big hunk of rice instead.