Description
This authentic Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings recipe offers crispy, flavorful chicken perfectly seasoned with a fragrant marinade and topped with a spicy chile-garlic butter mixture. The wings are marinated in Shaoxing wine, ginger, garlic, and salt, then coated with potato starch and deep-fried until golden brown. The final touch of sautéed chiles and garlic in butter with Szechuan pepper-salt brings a spicy kick and aromatic finish, making this dish a perfect appetizer or snack for spice lovers.
Ingredients
Scale
For the chicken
- ¾ cup Shaoxing wine (or sake, dry sherry, dry white wine, or beer)
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ pounds chicken wings
- 1 cup potato starch (or cornstarch, or sweet potato starch)
- 2 to 3 cups oil for frying (safflower, sunflower seed, peanut, canola, corn, vegetable, or grapeseed oil)
For the chile topping
- 4 to 6 chiles (serrano, red or green, or a combination, thinly sliced; alternatives: Thai chiles, jalapenos, fresnos, or bell peppers for mild)
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Szechuan pepper-salt (or substitute kosher salt and ground black or white pepper)
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large bowl, combine Shaoxing wine, minced ginger, minced garlic, and kosher salt. Stir well to mix. Add the chicken wings and toss to coat evenly. Cover and let marinate for at least 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight for deeper flavor.
- Heat the oil: In a large, heavy skillet, heat 2 to 3 cups of neutral high-smoke-point oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers and reaches about 350°F, suitable for deep frying.
- Coat the chicken wings: Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Toss the wings with potato starch to coat thoroughly. Shake off any excess starch before frying.
- Fry the chicken in batches: Carefully place 5 to 7 coated chicken wings into the hot oil without crowding. Fry the bottoms for about 5 minutes until golden brown, then flip and fry the other side for another 5 minutes until evenly golden and crispy. Remove wings and place on paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining wings.
- Prepare the chile topping: In a clean heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Once sizzling and foaming, add the sliced chiles and garlic. Cook while stirring frequently until the chiles start to brown lightly, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Assemble and serve: Arrange the fried chicken wings on a serving platter. Pour the chile and garlic butter mixture over the top. Sprinkle evenly with ground white pepper and Szechuan pepper-salt. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
Notes
- If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, suitable substitutes include sake, dry sherry, dry white wine, or even beer.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into chunks can replace wings; cook for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown outside.
- Potato starch is preferred for authentic texture, but cornstarch or sweet potato starch can be used if unavailable.
- If Szechuan pepper-salt is unavailable, substitute with kosher salt and ground black or white pepper.
- Use high-smoke-point neutral oils like safflower, peanut, canola, or grapeseed for frying.
- Choose chile types based on desired spice level; bell peppers can be used for no heat.
- Szechuan pepper-salt can be homemade or purchased from Asian markets or online.
Keywords: Chinese chicken wings, salt and pepper chicken, fried chicken wings, spicy chicken wings, Szechuan pepper chicken, Asian appetizer, crispy chicken wings, chile chicken