Middle Eastern Chicken Wings Recipes

GRILLED CHICKEN WINGS RECIPE, MEDITERRANEAN-STYLE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade, combine the onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice and spices. Pulse until well combined into a thick marinade.
• Season the chicken wings well with Kosher salt and put them in a zip top bag. Pour the marinade over and zip the bag shut. Massage the bag a bit to distribute the marinade.
• Lay the bag of wings flat on a large plate or tray. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours, turning the bag over once midway through.
• Heat a gas grill to 425 degrees F and lightly oil the grates.
• Shake off excess marinate then arrange the wings over direct heat. Cover the grill and cook the wings for 15 to 20 minutes, turning over every 5 minutes, until they are fully cooked through. Grill the lemons, flesh side down.
• Serve the wings immediately with the grilled lemons. And squeeze the lemons all over to your liking. Add your favorite sauce for dipping (I like the coolness of Tzatziki yogurt cucumber sauce).

MIDDLE EASTERN-INSPIRED HERB AND GARLIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine chicken with all but 1 teaspoon of the grated garlic (save that teaspoon for the yogurt sauce), the zest and juice of 1 lemon, oil, parsley, mint, thyme, oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and the sesame seeds and sumac, if using. Cover and marinate for 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature; you can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours.
• Heat grill or broiler. If grilling, cook chicken over high heat until charred in spots, 4 to 7 minutes. Flip pieces and continue grilling until just cooked through, another 4 to 7 minutes. If broiling, arrange a rack 3 to 4 inches from flame. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spread chicken out in a single layer. Broil chicken, turning halfway through cooking, until well colored and charred in spots, 4 to 7 minutes per side. Be careful that it doesn't burn.
• While chicken cooks, place yogurt in a small bowl. Stir in the reserved grated garlic and lemon zest and season to taste with salt. Serve the chicken drizzled with olive oil, remaining lemon juice to taste, black pepper, parsley and sesame seeds and sumac, if using, with the yogurt alongside for dipping.

ZA'ATAR CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Za'atar Spice Blend: In a medium bowl, mix together za'atar and sumac until evenly combined. Pour spice blend onto parchment paper, then pull up the edges to create a funnel. Gently pour the spice mixture into a shaker or lidded container. Set aside. Makes 1½ cups.
• Cure chicken: In a bowl, add onion powder, salt, and mustard powder, and mix until well blended. Add the chicken wings to a large bowl, sprinkle with about half the curing mixture, and get in there with your hands to coat each piece well. (Note: This is enough cure for 8 whole wings or 1 whole chicken, so you won't need to use all of it. Save it in an airtight container for next time!) On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, arrange the coated wings in a single layer, keeping the skin intact; lightly cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
• Bring the cured chicken to room temperature. (You don't want to fry ice-cold chicken, because it won't cook all the way through, and it will chill the frying oil.) Meanwhile, make the batter: In a large bowl, add the cornstarch, flour, and salt. Slowly pour in the cold water, whisking continuously, until the mixture is smooth and the consistency of thin pancake batter. Add more water as needed to thin the batter.
• Heat oil: Clip a candy or deep fry thermometer onto a large, heavy pot. Add enough canola oil to fully submerge the wings-about halfway up the side of the pot. (Oil expands as it heats, so don't overfill the pot.) Heat the oil over low heat until it reaches at least 300 degrees F. (It's fine if the oil temperature goes up as high as 350 degrees F, because it will drop once the chicken is added.) Coat chicken: Separate each wing into two pieces by slicing through the joint between the drumette and the flat. When the oil is hot, add all the chicken into the batter and fully coat each piece.
• First fry: Use tongs to pick up a wing and allow some of the excess batter to drip off. Gently swirl the tip of the wing in the hot oil to set the crust; this will prevent the chicken from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Then, ease the rest of the wing into the oil. Repeat with all the wings. Fry for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to make sure the wings don't stick together or to the bottom of the pot. If they do stick, gently separate them with the spoon; try not to tear the delicate crust!
• After 10 minutes, use the slotted spoon to transfer the wings to drain on a wire rack or paper towels on a baking sheet. The chicken will not be fully cooked-there's a second fry. Let the chicken rest, 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, reheat the oil to just above 350 degrees F (temperature will drop slightly when the chicken is added). Use the slotted spoon to remove and discard stray bits of batter from the oil. (Note: The wings can be made to this point up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated; bring it back to room temperature before the second fry.)
• Second fry: When the oil is hot, fry the wings again by gently easing them into the oil with the slotted spoon. Fry for 4 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.
• Use the slotted spoon to transfer the chicken wings to drain on a clean wire rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Use a spice shaker to shower Za'atar Spice Blend onto all sides of the chicken, or sprinkle it on with your fingers. Reserve any spice blend on the bottom of the tray to reuse on more chicken. Serve immediately. (Note: Frying oil can be reused several more times for frying chicken. Cool the oil completely, then pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean jar. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.)

CHICKEN WINGS WITH CUMIN, LEMON & GARLIC

Steps:

• Using a pair of sharp kitchen scissors, cut each wing at the knuckle into two pieces. Mix the garlic, lemon zest and juice, cumin and oil with plenty of seasoning, then tip into a dish with the chicken wings and toss to coat. Cover and put in the fridge to marinate for at least 1 hr, or overnight if you have time.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, or heat an outdoor barbecue. Bake the chicken wings on an oven tray for 45-50 mins until crisp, or barbecue for 20 mins, drizzling over the honey for the final 10 mins of each method. Serve on a platter with plenty of paper napkins. Fill small bowls with olives, pistachios or almonds, dates and pickled chillies and flatbreads to serve alongside, along with the dishes below.

MIDDLE EASTERN CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl or large ziploc bag.
• Throw the wings inches.
• Cover or seal in a ziploc bag and let marinate for 2 hours to overnight.
• Cook on a BBQ/hibatchi/grill until done.
• Serve hot.