All too often, chicken wings are about spice and little more. Wing establishments and their patrons brag about the level of mental illness required to consume the hottest offerings.
But I believe that above all else, eating should be about pleasure--not feats of strength. So just in time for the Super Bowl, I've come up with a recipe for wings that features smoked paprika to make delicious wings that are smoky without being spicy. Happy Super Bowl Sunday, Eaters!
You will need:
chicken wings - as many as you plan to eat
olive oil
salt
pepper
smoked paprika
tandoori seasoning
garlic powder
onion powder
sage
rosemary
thyme
Instructions:
My work on this recipe has focused more on the mix of seasonings. For the actual cooking method, if you want the juiciest possible wings, use Alton Brown's steaming/roasting approach, but with my seasoning. If you want something simpler and also delicious, follow my instructions below.
Preheat oven to 425. Separate the wings into three parts -- mini drumsticks (drumettes), flat paddles, and wing tips. Discard the wing tips (or save them for stock).
Place wings in a baking dish in a single layer. Coat with olive oil and sprinkle on both sides with all the seasonings. You want to give the chicken a light coating of all of them, with a somewhat heavier hand on the salt and smoked paprika.
Important aside: I'm not giving you precise measurements so you can tweak the flavor to your liking. The Sporkful is not a one-way conduit of information, friends. I'm learning right alongside you. So you're encouraged to experiment, and report back to me with the results!
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until dark golden brown, turning once halfway through.
After removing chicken from the oven, brush it with the extra juices in the bottom of the baking dish. Serve with absolutely no bleu cheese dressing, celery or carrots whatsoever.