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Chicken Wings with Marmalade

Source of Recipe

From "Old-School Comfort Food" by Alex Guarnaschelli


Recipe Introduction

"This is the kind of recipe where I have no idea how to gauge the number of servings; in my family, we wouldn't dare think of any fewer than 6 to 8 wings per person. So take into account who the lucky people will be who will share this with you—if you are willing to share, that is. Either way, this method of cooking chicken wings is great for a small batch to enjoy solo or a larger batch for a crowd. People always marvel at the crisp exterior the cornstarch achieves and the texture the wheat germ adds. The marmalade comes from the single memory I have of my maternal grandmother cooking when I was a child. She roasted some chicken thighs and then glazed them with textured (not smooth) marmalade at the very last minute. Since it happened many years ago, I consider it a significant cooking (and flavor) memory."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 2 quarts frying oil, such as canola
â—¦ 3 pounds chicken wings (12 to 14 full wings or 24 to 28 individual pieces)

Sauce:
â—¦ ½ cup chunky orange marmalade
â—¦ 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
â—¦ 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
â—¦ Kosher salt (optional)
â—¦ 1 jalapeño chile, thinly sliced into rounds (seeds and all)

Flour mixture:
â—¦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 tablespoons wheat germ
â—¦ 1 cup cornstarch
â—¦ 1 tablespoon kosher salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon black pepper

â—¦ Kosher salt


Recipe

Preheat the oven to 300° F.

In a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot (or deep fryer), heat the 2 quarts frying oil to 360° F. Monitor the temperature of the oil with a thermometer. Place a rack in a baking sheet to drain the chicken pieces as they come out of the oil. Let the chicken wings sit at room temperature while the oil heats. If the wings are straight from the cold fridge, the oil temperature will drop drastically when you fry them, resulting in a less crisp crust.

Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, combine the marmalade, soy sauce, and vinegar. Heat gently to loosen the marmalade and then keep warm on the stove while you fry the chicken wings. Taste and add salt, if needed.

Make the flour mixture: In a paper bag (I think the bag gives it extra flavor), combine the flour, cornstarch, wheat germ, salt, and pepper. Shake to blend. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, close it, and shake until each one is fully coated with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour. Put the floured pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet.

Fry the chicken: Group your batches of chicken into similar-sized pieces so they are done cooking around the same time. Add a small batch of the wings, say eight pieces, to the hot oil. Fry until they float to the surface and are golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the rack and immediately season the pieces on both sides with salt. Keep an eye on the oil temperature because it will drop with each batch of chicken you fry. Take care the oil is hot enough before adding a new batch of chicken. Put the fried chicken on a baking sheet in the oven while you fry the rest. When all of the chicken pieces are fried, stir the jalapeño slices into the sauce. Use a pastry brush and brush each piece generously all over with the marmalade sauce. Taste for seasoning. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6