Hot Chile Chicken Wings

Game time is the traditional time to break out a platter of wings. But really, do you need game time to enjoy some deliciously spicy Hot Chile Chicken Wings? I think not. Hot chile wings can make a great appetizer, a lunchtime snack, or even a main course. One of the great benefits of making a big batch of wings is that people can eat as much as they like, and leftovers are rarely an issue.

In our circle of friends, good food and good times go together. Over the years, we’ve had a friendly competition going to see who can make the tastiest wings. Sometimes an off-the-shelf hot sauce will suffice; there are thousands of varieties of hot sauce available around the country. We have a friend who grows ghost peppers to make his own house sauce—and I can tell you, a little bit of that sauce goes a long way! It makes a great component of one of our secret sauces we’ve made, with a heat that builds with each bite. It’s almost inspiration enough for me to try growing some super-hot peppers—but I still have some of that hot sauce left.

You don’t have to make a huge batch of hot sauce to have a great marinade for your own Hot Chile Chicken Wings; a modest amount of fiery marinade will do the trick. This recipe is a delicious balance of many flavors, both sweet and spicy. The combination of hot peppers, garlic, ginger, and horseradish is a wonderful treat for your tastebuds.

Try making a batch of these for your next big gathering—game day or not. Your guests will love the bright flavors in this sauce, so you may want to make some extra, and have plenty of napkins on hand!

Hot Chile Chicken Wings

There are so many good reasons to make a batch of Hot Chile Chicken Wings. Cook these up on your grill or in the oven for some tasty eating any time of year!

• Author: Bill Dugan
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Marination: 12 hours
• Cook Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 14 hours, 20 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4 to 6; Approximately 24 wings (after splitting) 1x
• Category: Entrées

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 pounds fresh jumbo (whole) chicken wings
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 bottle teriyaki barbeque sauce (18 ounces)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons liquid smoke seasoning
• 6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-inch piece of fresh ginger root, grated
• 8 habanero chile peppers, finely chopped
• 4 serrano chile peppers, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons horseradish

Instructions

1. Prepare the sauce. Combine all ingredients except the chicken wings in a non-stick saucepan.
2. Simmer the mixture over low heat for about an hour. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool.
3. Prepare the wings. Cut off the tip of each wing; discard.
4. Cut each wing in half at the joint to make two pieces.
5. Lay wings out on a flat baking pan with sides high enough to accommodate all the wings. Blot dry with paper towel.
6. When the sauce is cool, pour about three-quarters of it over the wings. Stir to coat evenly.
7. Cover the wings with plastic wrap and put the container in the fridge for 12 to 24 hours to allow the flavors to meld.
8. To cook the wings, set your grill to low or your oven to 325 degrees F. Spread the wings out on your grill (prepare with non-stick spray) or in a shallow pan in the oven so the wings are in just one layer.
9. Cook for 45 minutes to an hour, turning and basting several times, until the wings reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (juices should run clean when you cut into the meat).
10. Serve wings hot with the remaining unused sauce on the side (do not reuse the sauce you marinated the wings in).

Have you made Hot Chile Chicken Wings? What did you and your friends or family think? Let us know what you thought about this recipe.