Spicy Ginger-Orange Chicken Wings
Be sure to serve these wings with lots of napkins. Beer would be a perfect match.
Ingredients
- 900 g | 2 pounds chicken drummettes and flats
- 60 ml | ¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry (see Notes)
- 480 ml | 2 cups just-boiled water
- 6 to 8 strips orange peel, each about the length and width of your index finger (see Note)
- 45 g | 1 ½ oz peeled or unpeeled ginger, thickly sliced and gently crushed
- 2 fresh Thai chilies, lightly smashed, plus more for garnish
- 1 star anise, 8 robust points total
- 3 tablespoon regular, light Chinese soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon dark Chinese soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon molasses, such as Mother’s unsulfured brand
- 1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 60ml | ¼ cup chopped green onions, green and white parts
Instructions
- Perfume the wings with wine: Because this first move is fast, set the chicken, wine, and hot water near the stove. Put the orange peel, ginger, chile, and star anise in a small bowl.
- Heat a large (13-inch) wok or similarly-shaped pan over high heat. (See my tip above for pan selection so your clean up will be easy.) When hot -- flick a bit of wine into the pan and it evaporates within seconds -- pour the wine into the pan then dump in the wings. Immediately stir to coat the chicken in the evaporating wine.
- Simmer with the base seasonings: When most of the wine is gone, add the hot water, orange peel, ginger, chile, and star anise. Cover, bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium. Let vigorously simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the salt-sweet seasonings: Stir in the light and dark soy sauces, molasses, brown sugar, and salt. Recover and continue cooking for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring now and then, until only about a third liquid remains. To test progress, insert a paring knife tip into a wing flat and it should meet very slight resistance.
- Cook to glaze: Uncover, and if you like, use tongs to remove the orange peel and star anise. Turn up the heat to high to boil and cook down the sauce. Stir constantly for 5 to 7 minutes to coat the chicken with sticky goodness and prevent scorching. When the chicken is mahogany and glossy and no liquid remains (some of the sugary sauce will darken and stick to the wok walls), turn off the heat. Let sit a minute to settle flavors. Taste and if the heat is not enough, smash 1 or 2 more Thai chiles and stir them in.
- Garnish and serve: Add the green onions, stir to distribute and slightly wilt them, then transfer to a serving plate. njoy warm with lots of napkins. Chew on the ginger for a contrasting bite. Tell diners to enjoy or avoid the chiles.
Notes
Use a vegetable peeler to obtain the orange peel strips. If you like citrus, use more.
For an assist, check out the mega soy sauce buying guide or the Shaoxing rice wine buying guide.
