Crispy Peppercorn Chicken Wings
MAKES: 4-6 Servings
PREP TIME: 20 Minutes
COOK TIME: 40-50
TOTAL TIME: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Recipe adapted from https://bonappetit.com.
Original publication date January 3, 2020
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp black peppercorns
2 Tbsp Diamond Crystal or 1 tablespoon Morton kosher salt
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 1/2½tsp garam masala or Chinese five-spice powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sugar
3 pounds chicken wings, flats and drumettes separated, patted dry with paper towels
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 scallions
1 lime
Instructions:
Place peppercorns in the center of a large rimmed baking sheet. Crush peppercorns with bottom of a saucepan, working a few peppercorns at a time and pressing down firmly until you can hear and feel the crunch of peppercorns breaking apart. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover sheet you just used with a double layer of foil; set aside. Add salt, coriander, cumin, garam masala, baking soda, and sugar to bowl with peppercorns and mix with your hands to make sure all spices are intermingled.
Add chicken wings and oil and toss with your hands until wings are evenly coated. Arrange wings on prepared sheet, spacing evenly apart. Chill, uncovered, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day. Remove wings from refrigerator and let sit until they’ve lost the chill of the fridge and are as close to room temperature as possible, at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, place racks in the top third and center of oven; preheat to 425° F. You’re going to bake and then broil the wings so they get extra crispy. If your broiler is in a drawer beneath your oven, ignore the part about the top rack.
Bake wings on center rack, removing sheet halfway through and turning wings over with a pair of tongs, until browned and crisp in spots and cooked through, 30–40 minutes.
Remove baking sheet from oven and turn on broiler; let heat at least 5 minutes. Broil wings on top rack (or in drawer) until browned and crisp all over and nubs on ends of drumettes are just a little charred, 3–4 minutes. Remove from oven and turn wings again. Broil until second side looks as crisp and lightly charred as the first, about 3 minutes. Let rest about 5 minutes.
While the wings are resting, thinly slice scallions and cut lime into wedges. Arrange wings on a platter and scatter scallions over. Serve with lime wedges alongside.
