Sweet Tea Glazed Recipe
Wings will give you one part heat and two parts sweet.
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Ingredients
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Wings
Sweet Tea Glaze
Garnish
Method
Wings
- 1
Prep
Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels. If whole wings, separate into drumettes and flats and discard tips or save for stock.
- 2
In a large bowl, toss wings with kosher salt, black pepper and baking powder until evenly coated. Baking powder helps crisp the skin during cooking.
- 3
Cook (Oven method)
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Arrange wings on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, leaving space between pieces. Lightly brush or spray with oil. Bake 40-45 minutes, flipping once at 25 minutes, until deep golden and crisp and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- 4
Cook (Frying method)
Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Working in batches, fry wings 8-10 minutes until crisp and golden and internal temp is 165°F (74°C). Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Keep warm while making glaze.
Sweet Tea Glaze
- 5
Brew strong black tea (use 1 tea bag or 1 tsp loose leaf per cup) and measure 1 cup hot tea. Alternatively use chilled strong tea warmed in the pan.
- 6
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the hot brewed tea, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, honey, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce and red pepper flakes. Stir to dissolve sugars.
- 7
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and let reduce for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Watch carefully so sugars don't burn.
- 8
Whisk the cornstarch with cold water to make a slurry. Remove pan from heat, stir in the cornstarch slurry and return to low heat for 1-2 minutes until glaze thickens to a syrupy consistency. Stir in the unsalted butter until melted and glossy. Taste and adjust heat/sweetness: add more hot sauce for heat or more honey for sweetness.
- 9
Keep glaze warm. If it becomes too thick, thin with a splash of hot tea or water.
- 10
Tossing: Place cooked wings in a large bowl, pour 1/2 to 3/4 of the warm sweet tea glaze over wings and toss gently until evenly coated. Reserve some glaze for serving.
Finish & Serve
- 11
Arrange glazed wings on a platter. Sprinkle sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds over the top. Serve immediately with remaining glaze on the side for dipping.
- 12
Serve 4-6 wings per person as an appetizer or 8-10 for a main course. Leftover glazed wings keep in airtight container refrigerated up to 2 days; reheat in oven to restore crispness and refresh with a little warmed glaze.