Lemon Chicken Wings

Last night we hit the motherlode. Remember the Orange Chicken we had last week that I raved about? Well, we decided to change it up a bit and make Lemon Chicken Wings using the same premise. Here they are in all their glistening glory.

Talk about somethin' somethin combining two of our most favorite things - chicken wings and lemon! However, a word (or two) of warning before I let your imagination tastebuds take over:

1. If you think one pound of wings is enough for two of you, then think again because believe you me you'll be craving just one more bite and there won't be any left;
2. These are not your usual dry pansy wings. You'll need a finger bowl and/or wet towel so bring it on. Oh, and please tell your significant other that the lemon in the finger bowl is for his fingers and not to eat and the finger bowl is not drinking water. Just for the record, the big guy knew that.

Lemon Chicken Wings (inspired by Annie’s Eats)

Marinade & sauce:

3/4 cup low sodium chicken stock

Grated rind of one lemon, plus julienned strips of rind from 1 other

3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

6 Tablespoons white vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

2/3 cup granulated sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 tablespoons grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons cold water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Combine chicken stock, grated rind of lemon, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, granulated sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne in a saucepan. Whisk to dissolve sugar. Remove 3/4 cup of marinade and set aside. Bring remaining sauce to a boil over medium heat. Whisk together cornstarch and water to dissolve, then whisk into sauce. Cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until sauce becomes thick and clear. Remove from heat and set aside.

For wings:

2 pound chicken wings, washed and dried

Reserved 3/4 cup marinade

Combine wings and marinade in a zip bag, sealing well. Refrigerate for minimum 1 hour, maximum 3, turning often.

1 cup cornstarch

Oil to a depth of 1&1/2 inches

Red pepper flakes

Drain marinade from chicken wings and coat with cornstarch. Let sit for 10 minutes at room temperature to allow coating to set. Deep fry in batches at 375 for 8 minutes, turning wings half way through cooking period. (Be careful not to overcrowd the pan or wings won’t brown). Drain on a wire rack. To serve, toss wings with warm sauce. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes to taste.  Download Lemon Chicken Wings

 

 

Comments

[Nanan]

I need to send William for some wings!!! I have some lovely lemons from a tree ready for this dish! Of course, I have to do half without the pepper - just for him! My mild mannered Colombian...

[June]

Lea - no problem without the red pepper flakes. They're totally optional...they're amazing!

[Mags]

These look phenomenal. I'd be embarrassed to tell you how many pounds of wings we make when we do them on the grill. And I wonder where the weight comes from.

[June]

Mags - that used to be us and I'm not saying we still don't overindulge from time to time but having that darn elliptical in a prominent place sure helps. LOL