Sticky BBQ Chicken Wings
By Joe
Source: America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.
These wings follow the same baking-powder base method as the plain oven-baked wings with smoked paprika added, then get tossed in a warm, tangy BBQ-honey glaze and topped with spring onion.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Dry and season. Pat the split wings dry, then toss with the baking powder, salt, pepper and smoked paprika in a large bowl, following the same base method as the plain oven-baked wings. The baking powder raises the skin's pH to help it blister and brown; always use baking powder here, never bicarbonate of soda, which tastes soapy.
- 2
Arrange on racks. Lay the wings skin-side up on wire racks over two trays, spaced apart. Refrigerating uncovered for 1 hour up to overnight dries the skin further, though this step can be skipped if pressed for time. Switch the oven on to 120°C (100°C fan) roughly 20 minutes ahead, setting shelves in the lower-middle and upper-middle positions.
- 3
Render at low heat. Bake at 120°C (100°C fan) on the lower-middle shelves for 30 minutes to render out the fat gently. This keeps the skin from browning too fast before the fat underneath has had a chance to melt away.
- 4
Blast at high heat. Raise the oven to 220°C (200°C fan) and bake for 40-50 minutes, swapping the trays halfway through. Continue until deep golden and blistered, with the thickest drumette at least 74°C - pushing to 80°C or above gives a more tender result.
- 5
Make the glaze. While the wings bake, simmer the barbecue sauce, honey, cider vinegar and cayenne pepper together in a small saucepan for 2-3 minutes until slightly thickened. Simmering concentrates the glaze a little so it clings to the wings rather than running straight off.
- 6
Toss in the glaze. Rest the baked wings for 5 minutes, then tip them into a big bowl with the warm glaze and toss until every piece is coated and sticky. Adding the glaze after baking rather than in the oven means the sugars can't scorch on the hot trays.
- 7
Finish and serve. Scatter over the sliced spring onions and serve while still warm, with plenty of napkins. The crisp skin underneath holds the glaze without going soggy if you eat them soon after tossing.
Storage
Keep glazed wings in the fridge for up to 3 days; freezing isn't recommended once sauced, as the glaze can turn watery on thawing. Reheat in a hot oven until piping hot and 74°C in the centre. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Why this label?
33.2 g protein for 443 kcal = 7.5 g per 100 kcal, so protein gives about 30% of the energy. High protein needs at least 20% (5 g per 100 kcal), the condition in the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
16.8 g per serving
33.6 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 67.2 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g, based on WHO free-sugar guidance (not endorsed by WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. WHO
Equipment
- 2 large baking trays
- 2 wire racks that fit the trays
- large mixing bowl
- instant-read thermometer
- small saucepan
Nutrition per serving Calculated from USDA FoodData Central
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 443 kcal |
| Protein | 33.2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 21.4 g |
| of which sugars | 17 g |
| of which free sugars | 16.8 g |
| Fat | 24.3 g |
| of which saturates | 6.6 g |
| Fibre | 0.9 g |
| Salt | 2.62 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
7.5 g meets High protein (≥ 5 g per 100 kcal = 20% of energy, and ≥ 10 g per serving)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
