YIELD: Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 Tbsp Morton kosher salt
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp 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
*Need a quick substitute for garam masala? Try 1 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp allspice for this recipe.
PREPARATION:
Place peppercorns in the center of a large rimmed baking sheet. Crush peppercorns with bottom of a sheet pan, 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 pan 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.
Remove baking sheet from oven and turn on broiler; let the broiler preheat for 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.
