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A platter of salt and pepper chicken wings topped with fried chilies and garlic.
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Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings

These restaurant-style Chinese Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings are so crispy and flavorful. The best part is that they are super easy to make, and everyone will love this delicious appetizer!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 212kcal
Author Wajeeha Nadeem

Equipment

  • Frying pan
  • Wire rack

Ingredients

For the Wings Marination:

  • 500 grams chicken wings
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ajinomoto MSG
  • 1 garlic clove grated
  • 1/2 inch ginger grated

For the Cornstarch Coating:

  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For Deep Frying

  • 1 cup oil

Stir Fry Topping:

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 2-3 cloves garlic finely sliced
  • 1 red chilli diced
  • 2 spring onions
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Chicken Wings Marination:

  • Place the chicken wings in a mixing bowl, and add the marination ingredients. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes (or overnight).
  • Coating the Chicken Wings:
  • Mix the cornflour, pepper, and salt.
  • Coat each chicken wing with the cornstarch, making sure there are not bald spots.

Deep Frying the Chicken Wings:

  • Heat a pot of oil till it reaches 175 C (350F), and drop the chicken wings. Fry in batches, making sure not to crowd the pot. Make sure the oil is not too hot. Fry for 6-7 minutes, until cooked through and deep golden brown.
  • Remove from the pot, and place on a cooling rack.

Prepare the Stir Fry Topping:

  • Heat the oil in a frying pan.
  • On medium heat, saute the sliced garlic, until light golden. Then add the chilli and white part of green onion. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
  • Add the cooked chicken wings and toss to coat them in the topping.
  • Transfer to a plate, and top with chopped green onion. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • Chicken Wings: If you purchase whole chicken wings, you can ask your butcher to cut them into wingettes and drumettes. Discard the wing tips as they don't have much flavor, or use for chicken stock.
  • Boneless Chicken: You can make this recipe with boneless chicken. I recommend using chicken thighs cut into chunks, as they are juicer and more flavorful than chicken breast. If using chicken breast, cooking time will be reduced.
  • Marination time: The longer you marinate the chicken wings, the more delicious they will be. I recommend marinating for overnight, but if you're in a hurry 30 minutes is good enough.
  • Ajinomoto (MSG): This is an optional ingredient, but does add an extra kick of umami.
  • Air Frying: You can air fry the chicken wings at 200 C (390 F) for about 15-16 minutes. Flip halfway through for even cooking.
  • Baking: You can also bake the chicken wings. Preheat the oven to 220 C (425 F), and place the chicken wings on a wire rack. Lightly spray with oil, and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. You will have to flip once halfway through, and coat the chicken wings with oil spray, for even cooking and browning.
  • Storage: You can store the chicken wings in an airtight container for up to 1-2 days in the refrigerator. However, there will be a loss of crispiness.
  • Reheating: To reheat, preheat the oven to 180 C (356 F), and place the chicken wings on a wire rack. Heat for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until crispy.

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 592mg | Potassium: 126mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg