Dulce De Leche Wing Recipe

prepare wings

Pat the wings very dry with paper towels. If the wings have skin separated, tuck it back. Place wings in a large bowl.

Season the wings with 1.5 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder and toss thoroughly to coat. The baking powder dries the skin and helps crisping.

Let the wings rest uncovered in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to air-dry the skin—this yields crisper skin when cooked. If short on time, rest 15 minutes at room temperature.

fry or roast

Option A - Fry: In a heavy pan or deep-fryer, heat neutral oil to 180°C (350°F). Pat wings again and fry in batches for 8–10 minutes until golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F). Drain on paper towel. Option B - Roast: Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F). Place wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet and roast 35–45 minutes, turning once, until skin is deeply golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F).

Place 1 cup dulce de leche, 2 tbs unsalted butter and 2 tbs heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat.

Gently warm, stirring constantly, until butter is melted and sauce is smooth and slightly thinner — about 3–5 minutes. Do not boil vigorously; just keep low heat to combine.

Stir in 1/4 tsp fine sea salt and 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice to balance sweetness. Taste and adjust: if too sweet, add an extra 1/4 tsp vinegar; if too thick, stir in up to 1 tbs extra cream.

Keep sauce warm on very low heat, or transfer to a small serving bowl and cover to retain warmth until wings are ready.

In a small bowl combine 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper and 1/2 tsp granulated garlic. This is the chilli dust. Adjust cayenne to your heat preference.

If you want extra crispy chicken skin garnish: remove skin pieces from a few wings before cooking (or use additional skin trimmings). To crisp them, lay skin flat on a baking sheet and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 10–15 minutes until bubbly and golden, or pan-fry in a little oil until crisp. Drain on paper towel and crumble into roughly 1/2 cup.

When wings are hot and crisp, place them in a large bowl. Spoon 4–6 tbs of the warm dulce de leche sauce over the wings (reserve some for serving) and toss very gently to coat each wing with a thin layer of caramel. You want a glossy coating, not a thick sticky shell.

Sprinkle the chilli dust evenly over the coated wings to taste, tossing gently to distribute the spice mix.

Immediately transfer wings to a serving platter. While the caramel is still slightly tacky, sprinkle 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese evenly over the wings so it sticks to the sauce.

Finish with crumbled crispy chicken skin (about 1/2 cup) and a light scatter of finely chopped chives or parsley if using.

Serve right away with remaining warm dulce de leche sauce on the side for dipping.