Southern Fried Party Wings
Sometimes I’m in the mood for traditional chicken wings — smaller pieces with little or no breading, where the crispy skin is really the focus.
Other times, I want something more like fried chicken, but not the big traditional pieces. I’m thinking smaller, meaty pieces — bigger than a typical wing, but smaller than a full drumstick — with a proper seasoned fried-chicken breading.
This is the answer to those times when I'm not really sure. It's fried-chicken like but with the size being in between a regular wing and a leg (drumstick). I like to think of it as less mess and quicker cooking as compared to regular fried chicken.
Ingredients
14 Party Wings (from HMart)
Peanut Oil
1 Cup Corn Starch
1/2 Cup of Flour
4 Teaspoons Old Bay
4 Teaspoons Rotisserie/BBQ Seasoning
2 Teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
1 Pack of Saltine Crackers
Technique
1. In pan or mixing bowl, toss chicken pieces with thin coating of corn starch and seasonings. Sprinkle a little on top first and then mix, followed by another part of cornstarch and seasonings. Whatever seasonings you like but the cornstarch will help keep the meat juicy and not overcook. Maybe 1/2 cup of cornstarch at this point. 2 teaspoons of each seasoning is good at this point.
2. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour (maybe more).
3. In separate bowl/pan, crush saltines with hand until crumbs.
4. Add 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of cornstarch to this mixture. Another teaspoon of poultry and 1 teaspoon (each) of Old Bay and Rotisserie/BBQ seasonings.
5. Add 1/4 cup of milk at a time to this mixture until glue like and mix. Line the bottom of pan with this glue-like mix.
6. Add chicken to pan. Toss. It will be a little cumbersome and messy/crumbly and not consistent.
7. Add some more milk to make this batter-like.
8. In separate pan, do 1/4 cup (each of cornstarch and flour). Add another teaspoon (each of your seasonings).
9. Preheat peanut (other cooking oil) at 300 degrees.
9. Remove chicken from battered pan and toss in flour/cornstarch mixture. Rest on raised backing tray for 10 minutes or so while preheating oil.
10. Cook wings for 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy.
11. Optional double-fry for another 2 minutes.