Michael Symons Lime Cilantro Hot Wings Recipes

CRISPY, SMOKED CHICKEN WINGS AND LEGS, CILANTRO, LIME AND SRIRACHA AND A CELERY AND RADISH SALAD

Steps:

• Place a deep hotel pan or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Place 2 handfuls of soaked Applewood chips into the bottom of the pan and top with a perforated hotel pan or set a cooling rack over the roasting pan. Allow the wood chips to smoke.
• For the marinade: Combine the kosher salt, sugar, paprika, juice of 2 limes and drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil into a bowl. Add the chicken wings and legs and toss to combine.
• Place the legs and wings into the perforated hotel pan or cooling rack set over the smoking chips and cover the pan with foil to smoke about 3 to 5 minutes. This will impart flavor, not cook the chicken.
• Meanwhile, place a cast iron pan over medium heat and add 4 cups duck fat and using a deep fry thermometer to monitor the temperature, allow the fat to heat to about 320 degrees F.
• For the wing sauce: Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the sriracha, apple cider vinegar, and honey (or to taste, depending on preference of sweetness versus spicy and vice versa) and place over medium heat to combine. Once the sauce is heated, taste and season with salt.
• When the fat is heated and the wings and legs have smoked, add the legs to the heated duck fat and cook for about 4 minutes, being careful of any of the fat spattering. Once they crisp and brown, flip the legs and add the wings. Be careful of splatter when adding the wings and cook until brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Flip the wings to finish cooking, about 2 more minutes or until caramelized and crispy on all sides. If desired, use a meat thermometer and make sure the temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
• When ready, remove the legs and wings and place into the heated hot sauce and turn to coat. Add 1/4 cup unsalted butter and place into a bowl and stir to coat. Taste the sauce and season with salt and juice of 1 lime and a touch of honey, if needed or desired. Toss to coat evenly and set aside.
• Salad: To a medium bowl add the radishes, celery, salt, cilantro, drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, and blue cheese crumbles and toss to combine.
• For each serving, plate 2 wings and 2 legs and top with some of the celery-radish salad. Serve any remaining hot sauce on the side.

THE BEST... SPICY SRIRACHA CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• In a very large bowl, mix the coriander and cumin seeds, cinnamon, kosher salt and olive oil. Add split chicken wings and toss to cover completely. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat your oven to 375°F.
• Spread them wings on a few rimmed baking sheets and roast for about 30 minutes, until the wings are firm but not cooked all the way through. (Healthier Option: At this point, if you don't want to fry the wings, you can roast them for 1 hour longer, until they're golden and crispy.) Wash out your bowl. Add the Sriracha, butter, cilantro, lime zest and juice.
• In a deep fryer or a very large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil to 375°F.
• Fry the wings in 4 or 5 batches until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes per batch; drain, shaking off the excess oil. If you like them crispy like we do, I say give 'em about 7 minutes. As each batch is finished, add the wings to the sauce and toss well. Transfer the wings to a platter, leaving the sauce in the bowl for the remaining batches. Recipe recommends serve hot-but I say they would be just as lovely cold!

MICHAEL SYMON'S LIME CILANTRO HOT WINGS

Steps:

• Combine the kosher salt, sugar, paprika, lime juice, and extra virgin olive oil. Add the chicken wings and toss well. Place it all in a one gallon plastic bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
• Place an enameled cast iron pot over medium high heat. Add 4 cups duck fat (I used peanut oil)and using a deep fry thermometer to monitor the temperature, allow it to reach a temperature of 320 degrees. Be careful and keep your eye on it!
• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. After the wings have marinated, spread them out in a shallow baking pan along with any leftover marinade. Bake 15-20 minutes until almost cooked through. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
• In the meantime, make the sauce by combining the Siriacha, apple cider vinegar,honey, butter, lime zest and salt in a saucepan and whisking together over medium heat. When the butter has melted, taste to see if it needs a bit more salt or honey. Turn the heat off and let the pan sit on the burner.
• The temperature in the frying pot should now be about 360. When it is, deep fry the wings for about 1-2 minutes, remove to paper towels to drain excess fat. Sprinkle with a bit more salt.
• Place the completed wings in a large bowl with the sauce and toss well until evenly coated. Add the cilantro and toss again. Serve with your favorite accompaniments - Michael Symon uses thinly sliced jalapenos, but I still like celery for the cool crunch.
• ***Note*** I tried these once without frying the wings, just baked them in the oven. They were great. Next time I did fry them and oh my goodness they were the best hot wings I have ever tasted. Michael Symon uses duck fat - it's expensive! I used peanut oil and it worked just fine. Siriacha is a hot red sauce. It is found in the "Oriental or Asian" section of our grocery stores here in Kansas City. Super Target has it too.