CHICKEN WINGS - BAKED!!!

Most chicken wings are deep fried, but chicken wings already contain enough fat to fry themselves! and get crisp skin. This one is BAKED!!!!!!

I have nothing against frying. I believe that whatever you eat to your stomach's content(a happy stomach feeling and not a bloated feeling ) is healthy for you.

It's just that frying is time-consuming, and I want to spend less time in the kitchen. I have been playing with this recipe for a few years now. To mimic the frying, I baked the wings at 550 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes. Voila! You get nice, crispy baked chicken wings in half the time.

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 kg of chicken wings(I have used frozen wings, after thawing it will weigh a little less in weight)
2. 2 Tbsp pepper powder
3. 8 Tbsp. cornflour
4. salt to taste(4 tsp)

For the sauce

1. 2 big whole garlic cloves, finely chopped
2. 2 Tbsp. grated ginger
3. 2 tsp. red chili powder or 2 Tbsp. Kashmiri chili powder
4. 4 Tbsp. oil
5. 2 tsp cumin powder
6. 3 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey or sugar( as per taste)
7.  tamarind pulp (80 gms. wet tamarind without seeds, soaked in water, or as per taste) 
8. salt to taste; check the taste of the chicken and add salt accordingly; start with 1/2 tsp 

METHOD

• Oil and dust a baking tray with flour. This is very important. This keeps the wings from sticking to the tray. 
• Preheat the oven to 550 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
• The following steps should be aligned so you can put the chicken in the oven as soon as it is mixed. 
•  Wash the chicken and drain it in a colander for about 5 minutes to remove excess water.
•  Then, mix in the pepper powder and salt. Rub this into the chicken. Then add cornflour. Mix well for about 2 minutes. Layer this into the tray. Do this as soon as you mix the chicken. 
• Don't wait for the water to seep out of the chicken. It should be baked before that. So, time yourself between pre-heating the oven and mixing the chicken.
  
  
  
  

• Bake for 20 minutes. You can hear the skin crackling in the oven. As the crackling sound slows, switch to broil and broil for 10-15 minutes, or longer, to brown the top. No need to turn the chicken over. If possible, put the tray in the bottom-most rack of the oven. Remove all the racks above the bottom most rack, so that there are no obstructions for the chicken to cook/fry. 
• If your oven's maximum heat is 500 degrees F, preheat the oven, then bake for 30 minutes and broil for 15 minutes. 

                                            

• While the chicken is baking, prepare the sauce. 
• Use a pan big enough to accommodate the wings. Heat on medium-high heat. When warm, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chopped garlic and ginger, sauté, then add the remaining sauce ingredients. Stir well. Make the sauce to your desired consistency.  
  
  
  
  

• When the wings are fully baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Then, using a thin steel spatula, loosen the wings in the tray so you can release them.                                 

                                                                                        

• Add the chicken to the pan and stir well. At this point, let the chicken caramelize slightly. 

         

         

• Sprinkle sesame seeds over the chicken. Chicken wings are ready to serve.
  
  
  

NOTES

• Adjust the sweetness and sourness according to your family's choice.
• The sauce can be made ahead.
• Rubbing salt into the chicken is very important. So keep mixing the chicken with your hands.
• For a party, bake the chicken wings and prepare the glaze. Then, just before serving, heat the glaze, add the chicken, stir until coated, and serve. The glaze remains glossy only as long as it is prepared. After the chicken absorbs the glaze/sauce, the sauce loses its glaze, so mix everything just before serving.