Game day just isn’t game day without chicken wings. But if you try this recipe, be careful, they may distract your guests from the game. Tamarind chicken wings are the best. Their tasty crispiness runs a very close second to the sticky awesomeness of the slightly spicy tamarind sauce. You and your guests will be licking lips and fingers as you take chunks out of these bad boys.
I have been testing this recipe for some time. I wanted to make sure I could consistently arrive at very crispy wings. I tried every method: deep frying, browning the wings on either side then baking, frying them in a pan, you name it. The method that gave me the best results was to fry the wings in vegetable oil in a large skillet at just above medium heat, this method makes for delightfully crispy wings, perfectly cooked. If you do not have a skillet then a deep fry pan is a good alternative.
I suppose you’re wondering – where the heck am I going to find tamarind?! Well, that’s easy, Amazon. Amazon sells an 8 oz tub of Mr. Manish’s Tamicon Paste, tamarind concentrate, at a pretty reasonable price. You’ll only need two tablespoons for this dish, leaving you with a supply of tamarind to make a few more servings of Tamarind Chicken Wings, for your next gathering.
Great thing about this recipe is that the tamarind sauce can be put to use with many other dishes, with ribs, beef, shrimp – you name it. The options are boundless and each and every dish you make will taste so good.
As I’ve said, tamarind chicken wings are the best, their sweet spiciness will urge your guests to crown you “Royal Monarch of Appetizers”, and you will have deserved it.
Tamarind Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Chicken Wings Seasoning Ingredients
- 3 lb chicken wings tips removed and split
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Mexican oregano
Tamarind Sauce Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tsp reduced salt soy sauce
- 1 tsp garlic minced
- 1 tsp ginger minced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp corn starch
Chicken Wings Coating & Frying Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 freshly ground pepper
- 32 fl oz vegetable oil
To Serve
- Chives finely chopped
Equipment & Utensils
- Large bowl with a cover
- Small saucepan with cover
- Large skillet
Instructions
Seasoning Chicken Wings Directions
- Place chicken wings in a large bowl and set side.
- Whisk soy sauce, garlic powder and oregano and then pour over chicken.
- Mix thoroughly, cover bowl and place in fridge to marinate for at least 8 hours.
Tamarind Sauce Directions
- Place water and sugar in a saucepan and place on high heat.
- Once liquid begins to boil add tamarind paste and lower heat to simmer.
- Stir until paste has dissolved.
- Add soy sauce, garlic, ginger, salt and red pepper flakes.
- Stir until ingredients are combined, then raise the heat to medium.
- Reduce sauce by one third.
- Dissolve corn starch in a small bowl and then add to sauce.
- Stir until sauce thickens, then cover and set aside.
Directions for Coating & Frying
- Once chicken wings have marinated remove from bowl and discard marinade.
- Mix flour, salt, garlic and paprika and then place on a plate or flat tray.
- Take each piece of chicken wing and coat thoroughly with flour mixture and place in container that will allow you to shake of the excess flour.
- Once all of the chicken wing pieces have been coated, shake off excess flour and set aside.
- Heat oil in skillet on high, oil should be heated to a consistent 350.
- Carefully place wing pieces in the skillet and cook until golden brown. You will likely need to fry your wings in two batches.
- Drain wings on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
To Serve
- Place wings on a large plate and drizzle tamarind sauce over wings. Reheat sauce if necessary.
- Finish with finely chopped chives
