Chicken wings will always have a place in my heart and I’m always trying new ways to make them even more irresistible. These Mango Scotch Bonnet Wings are baked in the oven to become super crispy and then tossed in a homemade Mango Scotch Bonnet sauce that you could just eat from the bowl – it’s so delicious!
Ingredients:
- Crispy Chicken Wings:
- 2kg chicken wings
- 1 measuring cup plain flour
- 2 tbsp baking powder
- 1.5 tsp salt and garlic powder
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Mango Scotch Bonnet Sauce (makes enough for 6kg of wings):
- 2 medium mangos (neither ripe or unripe)
- 1 or 2 large scotch bonnet or habanero peppers
- 4 or 5 medium garlic cloves
- 1.5 tsp parsley
- 1 tsp black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, amchoor powder and salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey
- 2 – 3 tbsp hot sauce
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- up to 1 measuring cup water
- 1 measuring cup fresh chopped coriander
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 150C.
- To make the crispy chicken wings, in a large bowl add the chicken wings and ingredients listed. Coat well.
- Lightly grease a baking rack, put into a baking tray large enough and place the chicken wings on top in one single layer. You will have to do this in two batches.
- Put the tray on the lowest shelf in the oven, but not on the very base.
- Bake for 30 – 40 minutes.
- Now turn up the oven to 200C and move the tray to the top shelf of the oven and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, until the wings are golden and very crispy.
- For the sauce, blend all the ingredients in a blender, apart from the fresh coriander, until smooth.
- Transfer this to a small pan and bring to a gentle boil on the hob. Cover and simmer for a further 5 – 10 minutes, until the sauce achieves a deep orange colour. Adding some more olive oil at this stage will help the sauce cook better.
- When the wings are ready, place them in a large bowl, pour on as much of the sauce as you prefer and add the fresh coriander and toss well until well coated.
Tips:
- Cooking the chicken wings at the lower temperature of 150C melts the fat on the chicken wings, so when you put the temperature up to 200C, it ensures the crispiest skin. This step is very important.
- Baking the wings on a rack with a tray underneath is essential.
- The sauce makes enough for 6kg of chicken wings, so any remaining sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. This sauce can also be used to marinate other cuts of chicken.
- You can toss the chicken wings in a little bit of sauce, bake again in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes and then toss them again with the rest of the sauce of the amount you choose to use.