SweetTangySpicy Fried Chicken Wings

For the chicken:

3.5 pounds chicken wings

1.5 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup all purpose flour

3 Tablespoons corn starch

4 cups frying oil (I like soybean, which is often labeled vegetable or peanut oil)

For the glaze:

3 Tablespoons oil

2/3 cup minced onion

2 Tablespoons minced garlic

1/3 cup fruit jam (you can use plum, grape, strawberry, apricot, or orange marmalade)

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon sriracha

1 green onion, chopped

crushed red chili flakes for extra heat

Season chicken with salt and pepper, turning and massaging gently a few times to make sure it’s evenly distributed. Let it absorb the seasoning, covered, while you bring it up to room temp. (30 minutes or so straight out of the fridge. You can speed up this process by laying all the chicken out in a single layer on a sheet pan or other large, flat surface. Room temp really is critical to crispy skin and a thorough internal cooking time in line with external browning.)

Combine the jam, brown sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce, apple cider vinegar and sriracha in a bowl.

In a small saucepan, saute the onions and minced garlic over slightly higher than medium heat in the 3 Tablespoons of oil until the onions turn translucent. Then add the jam mixture, stir to combine ingredients, and turn the heat down to medium low, allowing the glaze to simmer and thicken for about 4 minutes. If it gets hot enough to splatter during the process, turn the heat down a little. If you’d like to add some heat to the glaze, you can add crushed red chili flakes to taste.

While the glaze is simmering, preheat your frying oil to somewhere in the 360F to 375F range. I always test the oil by throwing a pinch of flour in to see if it sizzles immediately. While the oil is preheating, toss your chicken in the flour and starch mixture to coat thoroughly.

Fry the chicken for 7 to 10 minutes per side, depending on the size of the pieces, and until the chicken skin is a nice, dark, golden brown and set aside on a brown paper bag or paper towel lined dish. If it takes shorter than that, your oil’s probably too hot. Longer than that, not hot enough.

When you’re halfway through frying the last batch, quickly re-heat the glaze until it simmers and keep it on low heat while you’re finishing up the frying. You’ll want the glaze nice and hot when you pour it over the chicken.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all your fried chicken, and all the glaze (or in two batches - see Step 3, paragraph 3), and toss to coat.

Plate and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

Enjoy! :)