S

Sweet and Spicy Calabrian Chili Chicken Wings

My brother-in-law Jared makes the world’s best chicken wings.  We have them every Thanksgiving (yes, you need wings on Thanksgiving, I don’t make the rules) and the whole family hunches over the platter of fresh from the fryer wings, shoving them into our faces as fast as we can without uttering a word. Pure family get-together bliss.  Jared has the wings down to a science, he lightly coats them in flour and a few secret seasonings, then fries them to crispy perfection outside in a good old-fashioned turkey fryer.  They get served with homemade BBQ and they are truly hard to beat. BUT these wings are a *very* close second, IMHO. 

My love for Bomba sauce is not so secret; I put it on everything and anything and I stand behind the sentiment that there are few things a Calabrian chili can’t improve.  Add butter, honey and fresh lemon and you have the perfect glaze for crispy wings.  My husband referred to these as “spicy chicken candy” and I’ve never been more proud.  When the tray came out of the oven, we each ate 6, hunched over the garbage can, without saying a word so you know they are winners!

I hope they make your Super Bowl (and Thanksgiving!!) menu. 

Sweet and Spicy Calabrian Chili Chicken Wings

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

    For the Wings:

  • 3 pounds chicken wings, flats and drumettes separated
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • Nonstick cooking spray (I like olive oil)
  • For the Glaze:

  • 3 tablespoons Bomba sauce (fermented Calabrian chili paste)
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 lemon, juiced
  • To finish:

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • Flaky salt, to garnish
  • Lemon Wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425˚F. Line a rimmed sheet pan with tin foil, then set a wire rack on top. Spray with nonstick spray and set aside.

Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel, then place in a large bowl. Evenly distribute the spice mixture over the wings, tossing the wings as you season them, until evenly coated. Repeat with the flour, tossing until each wing is evenly coated in flour.

Place the wings on the prepare sheet pan, leaving some room between each wing. Spray lightly with olive oil spray. Place in the oven and roast for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the pan from the oven and increase the heat to 450˚F. Roast the wings for 10 more minutes, flipping the wings halfway through, or until the wings are golden brown and crisp.

While the wings roast, make the glaze. Add bomba sauce, honey, butter and lemon juice to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

Add the wings to a large bowl, and add about 2/3 of the glaze. Gently toss until each wing is coated in glaze. Add the glazed wings back to the prepared sheet pan and roast for 5 more minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, flip the wings over, and add more glaze to the wings. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fresh parsley and bake for 5 more minutes or until the cheese starts to melt and turn lightly golden. *If you trust your broiler, you can also broiler them for 2-3 minutes if you prefer them a little more charred.

Serve with a sprinkle of flaky salt and lemon wedges.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

  1. I’ve had the bourbon shortbread cookies and they taste like a true “Old Fashion”.

Leave a Reply