Honey Ginger Baked Chicken Wings

Football season officially started Wednesday night with the Dallas Cowboys at the New York Giants.  If you remember from my queso dip post, I’m a football fan.  If you hadn’t figured it out, I’m also a New York Giants fan.  So suffice it to say, I’m not pleased at the outcome of Wednesday’s game.  Not the best way to defend your Super Bowl title, guys.  Despite the loss, I’m looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season brings.  I also always look forward to deciding what snacks I can make for game time.

Chicken wings seemed like a pretty obvious choice, so I went with that.  Okay, actually, I had a bag of frozen wings in my freezer and I am attempting to use up everything I have that needs freezing or refrigeration due to the upcoming move.  But still, wings are great football food.  These have a honey, ginger, and soy sauce glaze and are baked instead of fried.  I couldn’t be happier with the results.  Be sure to use “light” soy sauce, or they will be saltier than you can imagine.  I assure you, it is possible to have a chicken wing with nice, crispy skin without frying them.  Try these and see for yourself.

Honey Ginger Soy Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs. chicken wings (I used these, if you’re using fresh chicken wings, remove the tips and separate the drumettes and flats)
• 1/4 C. honey
• 2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 3 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Line a rimmed baking sheet (you may need two depending on the size of the wings) with aluminum foil and place a wire rack (such as a cooling rack) on top of the foil lined pan.

Place the chicken wings in a single layer on the wire rack and bake for 45-55 minutes until they are cooked through and the skin is crispy.

While the wings are baking, make the glaze by whisking the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger together in a medium saucepan.

Add 1/4 C. water to the mixture, and whisk to combine.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the glaze has reduced to about 1/4 C.

Let the glaze sit for 15 minutes to thicken slightly.

When the chicken is done baking, toss the wings in the glaze and return them to the wire rack on the baking sheet.

Return the wings to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until the glaze is glossy and lightly caramelized.

Makes about 8 appetizer servings.

Source: adapted from Bon Appetit