Keep it Simple
Salt and pepper squid was always one of my favorite Cantonese dishes as a kid. My dad and I shared a love for it, and would be the only ones finishing the plate clean. It’s one of those dishes that seems unassuming because the name is so simple. But sometimes, the simplest foods hit the hardest. This dish consisted of fried squid pieces seasoned with salt and white pepper and served with fried garlic and chilies. While it doesn’t have the most exciting flavors, the flavors of the ingredients used really shine. Reminiscing on this childhood favorite, I was inspired to create these Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings. It has all the same fried goodness and seasoning but with chicken wings!
Forget Frying
As a disclaimer, I really do not enjoy frying foods. I, maybe, fry foods 2-3 times year. It feels like a whole process, everything becomes greasy, and you’re left with a whole pot of oil. With that being said, I completely understand the hassle of frying, but there are some recipes that are 100% worth it. And you guessed it! These Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are one of them.
Because the seasonings for this recipe are quite simple, I wanted to make sure that the chicken wing meat itself still had good flavor. So we’re starting off with marinating the chicken wings in a mixture of shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, and salt. Let it marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. I was honestly surprised by how much the marinade infused into the chicken wings. It adds the perfect amount of flavor without overpowering the simple salt and pepper seasoning!
The “Mala” Flavor
Next, we’re creating a simple dry coating for the chicken wings. Whisk together cornstarch, baking powder, and white pepper in a bowl. This is going to create a thin layer of crust on the outside of the wings that will still give you a satisfying crunch. One of the reasons why I love salt and pepper squid and these Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings is because it’s not coated in a heavy batter. Sometimes when foods have too much fried batter on them, I quickly become sick of them. This coating is light and crisp, allowing you to eat the whole batch of wings without feeling sick.
The pinch of white pepper is also going to give us a slight “mala” taste. If you’ve ever had Sichuan cuisine, you’ll notice that they use a lot of peppers and Sichuan peppercorns to season their foods. These specific ingredients add spice to the dish. However, it’s not your typical spice. Compared to spicy American foods, which is related to heat, Sichuan spice is more of a tingly and numbing sensation that is referred to as “mala.” The white pepper gives us the slightest hint of “mala” especially when paired with the chili garlic topping.
Double or Nothing
Since frying food is a rare occasion for me, you better bet that when I do, I’m going all in. Not only are we frying these Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings once, but also twice! There’s nothing worse than eating soggy fried food, so we’re double frying the chicken wings to ensure they’re extra crispy on the outside. When it comes to double frying, the goal of the first fry is to cook the chicken while starting to develop a golden crust. Then the goal of the second fry is to really get that outside golden brown and crispy.
Heat a pot filled with a few inches of oil to 325℉. Using a lower temperature in the first round ensures that the chicken wings will cook on the inside without getting too dark on the outside. Pat the chicken wings dry then coat them in the cornstarch mixture. Working in batches add some of the chicken wings into the hot oil and fry for 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken wings from the oil and place them onto a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Repeat this process to fry the remaining wings.
After the chicken has cooled from the first fry, heat the oil to 375℉. The higher temperature is going to help crisp the outside. Working in batches, add the cooled chicken wings into the oil and fry for 3-5 minutes until crispy and golden brown. Remove them from the oil and place them back onto the wire rack to drain.
Taste the Flavor
Now for the final touch: the sautéed chili and garlic! Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add in the butter and allow it to melt. Mix in the serrano chilies and garlic and sauté for 1 minute until aromatic and lightly golden brown. Pour the garlic and chilies over the fried chicken wings and then you’re ready to enjoy!
Like I mentioned, the ingredients for this recipe are pretty simple. However, each individual ingredient has such a distinct and potent flavor, which is why the simplicity of ingredients works so well in this recipe. It really allows each ingredients’ flavors to stand out. You get that crispy, savory chicken paired with the aroma of the garlic, and the spices from the serrano and white pepper. The name of this recipe is unassuming, but once you try it, I think you’ll understand why I’m so obsessed with it. Let me know if you try it out in the comments below and I’ll catch you in my next post!
Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
Ingredients
For the Chicken Wings Marinade:
- 2 lbs. Chicken Wings
- ¾ cup Shaoxing Wine
- 1½ tsp Soy Sauce
- 1½ tsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tsp Fish Sauce
- 3 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 1 Tbsp Minced Ginger
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
For Frying the Chicken Wings:
- As Needed Neutral Oil (for frying)
- 1 cup Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ⅛ tsp White Pepper
For the Chili Garlic Topping:
- 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 2 Serrano Peppers (thinly sliced, use 3 if you want more spice)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (thinly sliced)
- As Needed Flaky Salt (for seasoning)
Instructions
For the Chicken Wings Marinade:
- Add all of the ingredients for the chicken wings marinade into a large bowl. Mix everything together until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
For Frying the Chicken Wings:
- Pour enough of the neutral oil into a pot so that it's 3-4 inches deep. Heat the oil to 325℉.
- While the oil heats, add the cornstarch, baking powder, and white pepper into a large bowl. Whisk so that the ingredients are combined.
- Remove the chicken wings from the marinade then pat them dry with paper towels. Dust each chicken wing in the cornstarch mixture until well coated. Shake off any excess cornstarch.
- Working in batches, gently add the coated chicken wings into the hot oil. Fry for 5-7 minutes until the chicken wings are lightly golden brown and mostly cooked through. Remove them from the oil and place them on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
- Now heat the oil to 375℉. Working in batches, add the cooled chicken wings back into the hot oil. Cook for 3-5 minutes until the chicken wings are golden brown, crispy, and fully cooked through. Remove them from the oil and place them back onto the wire rack to drain.
For the Chili Garlic Topping:
- Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add in the unsalted butter then allow it to melt. Quickly add in the sliced serrano peppers and garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until they are lightly golden brown and you can smell the aroma. Evenly distribute this mixture over the fried chicken wings. Season with a sprinkle of flaky salt over top and enjoy!
