Now THIS is what we’re talking about for the big game or any get together you might have. This is a winner winner for your Superbowl Party and we know these babies will taste like sweet Victory. They are absolutely worth the time to make, so have no fear. Like our recipe for E.J.’s Crunchy Fried Chicken, we use a blend of superfine white rice flour and cornstarch to get a super crispy, crunchy coating on the chicken. The spicy, garlicky Sriracha combined with the zesty, tart citrus is the best tag team for a sauce we could have dreamt up. So dunk on, my friends. May the Sriracha be with you!
Makes 4 to 6 Servings (about 22 wings)
SRIRACHA & LIME SAUCE:
Ingredients:
1 stalk fresh lemongrass, outer brown leaves peeled and discarded
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 to 4 tablespoons Sriracha sauce (4 if you want it very spicy!)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons nuoc mam cham (fish sauce)
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger or ginger puree (from a jar)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon roughly chopped mint
1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh cilantro
CHICKEN WINGS:
Ingredients:
2 + 1/2 pounds high-quality chicken wings, separated at joints, no wing tips
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup cool water
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 + 1/2 cups superfine white rice flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 + 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon Emeril’s Original Essence seasoning (or any other GF cajun seasoning you prefer)
vegetable oil, for frying
STEPS:
1.) First, make the sauce. Place the stalk of lemongrass on a cutting board and, using either a heavy wooden spoon or a meat mallet, beat the stalk a few times to release the flavors. You don’t need to kill it, just whack it a few times.
2.) In a small, nonstick saucepan, combine the lemongrass stalk with all the ingredients except for the mint and cilantro. Over medium-low heat, bring it to a gentle bubble.
3.) Once bubbling, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat.
4.) Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain this liquid into a heatproof glass jar or bowl. Stir in the fresh mint and cilantro and allow to cool to room temperature before refrigerating until needed.
5.) Now make the chicken wings. Rinse the chicken wings well and pat them dry with paper towels. Place all the wings into a gallon-size resealable plastic bag.
6.) In a measuring jug or plastic bowl, combine the lime juice, water, sugar and garlic salt. Mix well and pour into the bag with the chicken wings. Seal the bag well and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but no more than 8 hours, turning the bag occasionally to make sure the wings are marinating evenly.
7.) After the marinating time, take the chicken out of the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature.
8.) In another gallon-size resealable plastic bag, combine the rice flour, cornstarch, onion powder, and Essence and shake well.
9.) Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
10.) Transfer the wings about six at a time from the bag of marinade into the bag of flour mixture and shake to coat the wings evenly. Lay them on the prepared baking sheet. Continue this process, working in batches, until all the wings have been floured.
11.) Now let’s fry the wings! You’ll need a large baking sheet lined with paper towels here. If you have a deep fryer, fry the wings until golden brown and cooked through following the manufacturer’s instructions for chicken. If you don’t have a deep fryer, use an 8 to 10 inch cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. Fill the pan with vegetable oil until the pan is halfway full. DO NOT fill the pan up fully with oil!!
12.) Over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees F, being sure to check it with a candy/deep-fry thermometer. You want the oil not to dip below 350 degrees F or rise any higher than 375 degrees F, so try to keep the oil in this window.
13.) Once it reaches 350 to 375 degrees F, carefully fry the chicken wings in batches, about six to seven wings per batch. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes on the first side, until golden brown and crispy. After 5 minutes, carefully flip the wings using metal tongs and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes on the other side, until crispy and brown. We suggest you use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken to make sure the wings are properly cooked through. The internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees F. If you are worried about your wings being cooked through, you can always cook them in a 375 degree F oven for another 10 minutes on a baking sheet, to be safe.
14.) Once fried, transfer the wings to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to cool. Continure frying in batches unti all the chicken wings are cooked.
15.) Once all the wings are cooked, take the Sriracha sauce out of the fridge. You’ll need a clean pair of tongs and a cooling rack placed over a large baking sheet or roasting pan to catch any drips.
16.) Using the tongs, dunk one of the cooked wings into the sauce. Submerge it quickly but make sure it’s well coated. Place it onto the rack and continue this process until all the wings have been dunked generously into the sauce. Serve immediately while hot or cool if you prefer. Discard any remaining sauce.