Asian Chicken Wings
Growing up in a large family on a tight budget, one chicken often had to feed six of us. As the youngest, I usually got the wings, and to this day they remain my favorite part of the bird—moist, tender and packed with flavor. I was delighted when wings became a popular appetizer; now they’re one of the most requested dishes at my gatherings.
Chicken wings can be baked, roasted, grilled, or fried. The classic Buffalo wing is deep-fried and drenched in hot sauce; I enjoy the flavor, but the heat isn’t for everyone. For a more universally appealing option I serve this sticky Asian version. You can bake the wings using the instructions below or grill them on a barbecue: marinate as directed, cook on the grill, and reduce the sauce until thick to baste while they cook.
Hoisin sauce, a thick Asian condiment based on soy, brings sweet, salty and spicy notes that work wonderfully in marinades and glazes. It’s bold and concentrated, so a little goes a long way. Combined with other ingredients, hoisin creates a sticky, savory coating that clings to the wings—have plenty of napkins ready when you serve them.
Jane’s Tips and Hints:
The easiest way to peel ginger is to remove any knobby bits and scrape the skin off with a regular teaspoon. For grating, a Microplane gives the best results—it’s inexpensive and worth having in your kitchen.
Kitchen Skill: Reducing Sauces
Why: Reducing concentrates flavors and thickens liquids to a sauce or glaze consistency.
How: Simmer the liquid in a saucepan to evaporate moisture until it reduces in volume and thickens. When it coats the back of a spoon it’s usually ready; if you keep boiling, it will become a glaze. Because flavors intensify during reduction, start with a gently seasoned liquid and adjust seasoning at the end.
- Marinade
- 3 tbsp molasses
- 1/4 cup mirin
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce (available in Asian markets)
- 1 tbsp black bean sauce
- 1 (10 oz) can beef consommé (not beef stock)
- 1 tsp dried chili flakes, optional
- Chicken Wings
- 3 lbs chicken wings, tips discarded, cut at the joint into two pieces
- 3 green onions, minced
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds, optional
- In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. The marinade can be prepared a day or two ahead and kept refrigerated.
- Arrange the wings in a large, shallow baking dish, pour the marinade over them, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the wings, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until the meat is tender. Transfer the wings to an ovenproof serving dish, reduce oven temperature to 200°F and keep the wings warm.
- Pour the cooking juices into a saucepan and reduce over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes. Stir in the white and light green parts of the minced green onions and continue cooking, stirring regularly, for another 10–15 minutes or until the sauce is thick and sticky.
- Toss the wings with half of the reduced sauce to coat. Arrange on a serving platter, drizzle with a little of the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining green onions and sesame seeds. Serve immediately and offer extra sauce at the table for those who want more. Leftover sauce can be reserved for reheating.
- Yield: 10 to 12 appetizer servings.
- Make ahead: These wings are best the day they’re made but hold up well if prepared a day ahead. Reheat covered in a low oven until warmed through, then garnish with green onions and sesame seeds and serve hot.