Spicy Chicken Wings(5) Recipe

Prepare wings

Pat the wings dry with paper towels. If not already split, separate wing tips and discard (or save for stock), then split into drumettes and flats.

Place wings in a large bowl. Add kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Toss thoroughly to coat. Marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or refrigerate for up to 2 hours for deeper flavor. Remove from fridge 20 minutes before frying to come toward room temperature.

Make coating batter

In a shallow bowl or wide dish whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, and ground white pepper. Gradually whisk in cold water to form a slightly thick batter that lightly coats a spoon (adjust with up to 1–2 tbsp additional water if needed). Batter should be lump-free.

Heat oil

Pour vegetable oil into a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer to a depth of 3–4 inches (about 1 liter for a medium pot). Heat oil to 175°C (350°F). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of coating into the oil — it should sizzle and rise steadily.

Coat wings

Working in batches of 6–8 wings depending on pot size, pat wings again to remove excess marinade, then dip each wing into the batter ensuring an even, thin coat. Let excess batter drip back into the bowl.

Fry wings (first fry)

Carefully lower the coated wings into the hot oil. Fry for 6–7 minutes until a pale golden crust forms and internal temperature reaches about 70°C (160°F). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack or paper towels.

Crisp (second fry)

Increase oil temperature to 190°C (375°F). When hot, return wings in batches and fry 2–3 minutes more until deep golden-brown and crisp. Remove and drain on a wire rack. This double-fry yields crisp, non-greasy wings.

Prepare ingredients

While wings are frying, remove stems from basil and roughly chop cilantro (if using). Roughly chop chilies, garlic, and shallot to help blending.

Blend sauce

In a food processor or blender place basil leaves, cilantro, red chilies (start with 1 if you prefer milder), garlic cloves, shallot, light soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Pulse until a coarse, saucy consistency is reached. If mixture is too thick to blend smoothly, add up to 1 teaspoon water. Taste and adjust: add more lime for acidity, sugar for sweetness, or an additional chili for heat.

Finish sauce

Transfer sauce to a small bowl. Let it sit 5 minutes to let flavors meld. The sauce should be bright, spicy, savory, and slightly sweet.

Place freshly fried wings on a serving platter. Spoon or toss wings lightly with 2–3 tablespoons of the spicy basil sauce to coat (reserve remaining sauce for dipping).

Garnish with extra basil leaves, chopped scallions, and lime wedges. Serve immediately while wings are hot and crisp alongside remaining sauce for dipping.