Chicken Wing Marinade
This easy chicken wing marinade gives wings a sweet and salty flavor that soaks all the way through, using simple pantry ingredients. Reserve some before it touches the chicken and it thickens into a glossy finishing sauce.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 ½ pounds split chicken wings
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika divided
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper divided
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch for thickening the marinade
Chicken Seasoning
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together soy sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, lime juice, garlic, 1 teaspoon each of cumin, salt, and paprika, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Remove ⅓ cup of the marinade and refrigerate it separately before adding the chicken.
- Place the wings in a gallon size resealable bag or large airtight container. Pour the remaining marinade over and toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, set a wire rack on top, and spray the rack liberally with cooking spray.
- Remove the wings from the marinade and pat them very dry with paper towels. Let them sit at room temperature for 20 minutes to dry the surface. Discard the marinade the raw wings sat in.
- Whisk together the flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon each of cumin, paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper. Add the dried wings and toss to coat, shaking off any excess.
- Arrange the wings on the wire rack in a single layer with space between them, drummettes toward the outer edge and flats in the center. Bake 20 minutes, turn, and bake another 15 to 20 minutes until browned and cooked through to 165°F.
- While the wings bake, heat the reserved marinade in a small saucepan. Whisk in the remaining ½ teaspoon cornstarch until smooth and bring to a boil for 1 minute until thickened.
- Add the hot wings to a large bowl, pour the thickened marinade over, and toss to coat evenly. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve immediately.
Notes
- Reserve the marinade first. Set aside ⅓ cup before the raw chicken goes in. Never use the marinade the wings sat in as a sauce.
- Marinating time: 1 hour minimum, overnight for deeper flavor, up to 24 hours.
- Drying matters most. Pat the wings very dry and let them air dry 20 minutes before coating. This is the difference between crispy and soggy skin.
- Light coating only. You want a thin dusting of the flour mixture, not a thick breading.
- Gluten free: Swap the soy sauce for tamari and skip the flour. The skin will be less crisp.
- Lime substitutes: Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar work in place of lime.
- Doneness: Wings are cooked through at an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Grill: Indirect heat at medium, 15 to 20 minutes per side, then 5 minutes over direct flame to crisp.
- Air fryer: 375°F for 10 minutes, flip, then 10 minutes more.
- Slow cooker: Skip the flour, cook on HIGH about 2.5 hours, then broil briefly to crisp.
- Storage: Refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat in an air fryer at 400°F for 5 to 7 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 4wings | Calories: 374kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 1380mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 407IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 32mg | Iron: 2mg
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