Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with Sweet Umami Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken wings, separated into wingettes and drumettes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp white pepper powder
- 1/2 tsp MSG
Sweet Umami Sauce:
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
Crispy Shallot Crumble:
- 1 cup thinly sliced shallots
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Garnish:
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Season the chicken wings with salt, MSG, black and white pepper. In a shallow dish, combine the panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and melted butter. Press the chicken wings into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring each wing is evenly coated. Place the coated wings onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the wings for 25-30 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and cooked through.
- While the wings are baking, prepare the sweet umami sauce. In a small saucepan, combine hoisin sauce, honey, rice vinegar, gochujang, soy sauce, mirin, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Prepare the crispy shallot crumble by combining the sliced shallots, flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss well to coat the shallots evenly. Heat about 1 inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the coated shallots in batches, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the crispy shallots to a paper towel-lined plate.
- Once the wings are cooked, toss them in the sweet umami sauce until evenly coated. Arrange the sauced wings on a serving platter, then top with the crispy shallot crumble. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro and toasted sesame seeds.