Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
Learn how to make authentic, ultra crispy restaurant style Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings with this easy recipe!
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken wing drums and flats separated
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp shaoxing wine
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1 tbsp ginger grated
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 2 fresno chilis diced
- 2 jalapenos diced
- 1 tbsp garlic minced
- 1 tbsp ginger miced
- 3 cups neutral oil for frying; I used avocado oil
- serrano peppers thinly sliced, optional garnish
Instructions
- If using whole chicken wings, separate drums and flats at the joint and marinate with salt, white pepper, shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, garlic and ginger. Cover and marinate for 1 hour or up to overnight for maximum flavor.
- Dice your fresno chilis and jalapenos (do not touch your eyes!) along with some garlic and ginger and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup of corn starch, kosher salt, and white pepper until combined.
- Dredge your chicken wings in the cornstarch dredge and cover completely, leaving no bald spots.
- Heat neutral oil to 350F and fry for 5-6 minutes (oil should not drop below 300F) or until the internal temperature of the wings reads 165F. Place on a wire rack and immediately sprinkle with white pepper while hot.
- To a hot pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and fry garlic and ginger for 15 seconds, followed by your peppers. Stir fry for 1 minute (pan should be relatively dry), then add your chicken wings and toss for 1 minute until the peppers and chicken wings are combined. Garnish with thinly sliced serranos for extra heat and serve!
Notes
Expert Tips
Marinate for Best Results- Let the chicken wings marinate for at least one hour - if you have the time, I would highly recommend marinating overnight. Building flavor from the marinade will help your Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings taste even better!
- Make sure to wash your hands well after handling the jalapeno and serrano peppers - the Capsaicin inside the peppers can irritate your skin. Do NOT touch your eyes!
- Substitute with red or green bell peppers if you are sensitive to spice.
- If you want more spice in your Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings, use diced Serrano or Thai chili peppers.
- Do not let your frying oil drop below 325-350F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 350F, fry your wings in batches.
- Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture and your Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings will end up soggy!
- I like to use a spider strainer when frying Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings - I'm able to quickly scoop and drain the wings before any of them overcook or burn.
Nutrition
Calories: 346kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 1195mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 211IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg