I'm going to let you in on my secret to Crispy Chicken Wings and I think you'll be surprised at how simple it is, but these wings wouldn't be anywhere as good if it wasn't for the sauce. Our Mexican-inspired spicy sauce combines four different types of peppers, tequila and lime. If Cinco de Mayo had a flavor, it would taste like this sauce. And when you make this recipe along with our Authentic Mexican Salsa and Frozen Strawberry Margarita, it'll be more of party.
Let's start with the chilies. This is what a chard poblano should look like. It is a critical part of layering flavors and very easy to do. Don't be scared. You got this.
When shopping for your ingredients please always take your time to touch, smell and look over what you are buying, I've noticed lately many shoppers just grabbing what's in front of them. Find the gem. The end result will be worth the extra time. And you don't have to succumb to the pressure of buying organic ingredients. A bulk of produce commercially harvested is just fine.
Once you prep the peppers and chilies, it's pretty easy from there. When your sauce is complete, you'll want to make sure to coat your wings straight from the fryer.
I'm a big fan of adding zest to a finished dish, especially if it has sauce of any kind. The acid from the zest adds another layer of flavor and perks up what's already there.
Falls in love with a hefty sprinkling of lime zest
Stir memories of a hazy birthday in Cabo San Lucas
In the spice chest you'll find the mother lode of Mexican peppers - poblano, chipolte, guajillo and jalapeño
Suggestions and Alternatives
- Serve the Crispy Chicken Wings immediately after tossing the wings. The sauce will cause the wings to loose their crispiness if they sit too long. (But they won't sit around. You'll see.)
- For a healthier alternative, strip the skin off the wings, coat lightly with grapeseed oil and bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 mins. Toss as the recipe dictates.
- Make sure to check the internal temperature and that it exceeds 165 degrees.
- An alternative to our margarita is Vintage Kitty's Orange Turmeric Margarita. You know how we love our spices, so imagine our delight.
Like the recipe? Give it some Pinterest love!
📖 Recipe
Crispy Mexican Chicken Wings
Ingredients
Crispy Chicken Brine
- 3 pounds buffalo wings quality
- 1/4 cup Kosher Salt
- 3 quarts water cold
- 3 whole bay leaves
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 cup Tequila quality
Margarita Sauce
- 1 whole poblano chili fresh
- 1 whole chipotle chili dried
- 1 whole red bell pepper fresh
- 1 whole gaujillo chilli dried
- 1 whole pasilla chilli dried
- 1/2 cup Tequila quality
- 2 cups Margarita Mix quality
- 4 tablespoons lime juice juiced
- 1 whole jalapeno roasted
- 1 whole yellow onion roasted
- 1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons light agave quality
- 1 tablespoon coriander seed toasted
- 1 teaspoon cumin seed toasted
- 1 whole lime zest micro-fine
Batter for Chicken
- 2 cups potato starch
- 1 cup AP Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Instruction for Chicken Brine
- Run 3 lbs. of Buffalo wings under cold water washing each one.
- In a large bowl add kosher salt, cold water, garlic cloves, and bay leaves
- Add 3 lbs. of Buffalo Wings to bowl and allow to brine for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- After 4 hours or overnight remove garlic cloves and bay leaves, and strain out brine. Rinse under cold water, and pat dry
- Fold in tequila to wings, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Instructions for fyring chicken
- In a large bowl add chicken batter.
- Using half batch at a time toss chicken wings together making sure each wing is coated with Chicken Batter then shake to remove excess. Do this in 2 batches, Set aside.
- In a large size pot add 4 quarts canola oil or your favorite frying oil. I prefer grapeseed oil.
- Bring temperature to 350°
- Place no more than 5 wings in at a time.
- Cook until wings are done 165°F. internal.
- Carefully remove from oil and place wings on double folded paper towel.Set aside to rest.
Instruction for Margarita Sauce
- Lightly coat poblano, red bell pepper, tomatillo, jalapeno, red onion, and garlic with oil. roast on open flame (stove top) until all are chard except garlic.
- Once chard let cool and remove skin from poblano, red bell pepper,and jalapeno.
- Add pasilla, guajillo, and chipotle to toaster oven for 4 minutes on high about 350° F.
- Toast coriander seeds and cumin seeds for 1 minute on dry pan.
- Using a mortar and pestle grind all seeds. (coarse grind is fine).
- Next add 2 quarts water to medium pot and bring to boil.
- Remove seeds from all chilies and add all peppers to boiling water.
- Reduce heat to low and cook chilies for 5 minutes.
- In a blender add all peppers and all chilies with roasted tomatillo, roasted red onion, roasted garlic, salt, and ground toasted coriander and toasted cumin seeds with 2 cups of water from blanched chilies. (very important).
- Add Margarita Mix, Tequila, fresh squeezed lime juice, 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro and Agave.
- Blend for 5 minutes on medium to medium high.
- Taste for salt.
- Set aside, but do not refrigerate.
Plating
- Add 5 wings to large bowl and coat wings with sauce. about 1 oz. of sauce per batch. If you add too much sauce you will remove all crispiness from wings.
- in center of plate start stacking your wings. Pyramid style.
- garnish with chopped cilantro and lime zest on top of wings.
- serve immediately. ( Note: If you let the sauce sit on the wings for more than 5 minutes you will loose crispiness).
- Enjoy with a light beer or a Margarita.
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