Kickin' Wings Recipe

Prepare wings

Pat the 6 chicken wings dry with paper towels. If not already split, remove tips and separate into drumettes and wingettes.

Place wings in a bowl and pour 120 ml buttermilk over them. Add 1 tsp fine sea salt and 1 tsp black pepper; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 2 hours (30 minutes is sufficient for this small batch).

While wings marinate, whisk together all dry coating ingredients in a shallow dish: 100 g all-purpose flour, 20 g cornstarch, 1 tbs paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 0.5 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp cayenne, 0.5 tsp dried thyme, 0.5 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Mix until evenly combined.

Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. Remove wings from buttermilk one at a time, letting excess drip off, and dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing the coating onto the skin. Place coated wings on the rack and let rest 10–15 minutes to help the crust set.

Pour about 1 cup (or enough) neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or Dutch oven to reach about 1.25–1.5 inches deep. Heat oil over medium-high until it registers 175°C (350°F) on a thermometer, or until a small piece of bread sizzles and browns in about 40–45 seconds.

Working in a single layer (do not overcrowd), carefully add wings to the hot oil. Fry for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 74°C (165°F). For extra crispness, you can fry in two stages: 4 minutes, remove and rest 3 minutes, then return for 2–3 minutes to finish.

Using tongs, transfer fried wings to the wire rack to drain for 2–3 minutes while you prepare the garlic butter and rub.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt 45 g unsalted butter. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and gently cook for 30–45 seconds until fragrant but not browned.

Stir in 1 tsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp finely chopped parsley. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, combine the dry Cajun-style rub: 0.5 tsp brown sugar, 0.5 tsp smoked paprika, 0.5 tsp garlic powder, 0.25 tsp onion powder, 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper. Mix well.

Place the drained wings in a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm garlic butter over the wings and toss gently to coat every piece evenly.

Sprinkle the Cajun dry rub over the butter-coated wings and toss again until the seasoning is evenly distributed and forms a light, clinging coating on each wing.

Arrange the wings on a serving plate. Garnish with extra chopped parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side for squeezing over.

Serve hot. This recipe yields 6 pieces (about 1 serving as an appetizer or part of a larger meal).