Key Ingredients
If deep frying chicken wings feels intimidating, this simple recipe is just for you. The crispy wings are super easy to prepare. With just a handful of ingredients, whip up a batch that will impress your guests without spending hours in the kitchen. Here’s what you need to make them:
- Chicken Wings: Two pounds of chicken wings feed my family with leftovers, but feel free to adjust the recipe to feed a crowd. Skip the legwork and purchase chicken wings split into drums and flats; I usually buy uncooked chicken wings from Costco.
- Marinade: Marinate the chicken in lightly beaten egg whites, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine or rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil.
- Coating: Achieve extra crispy soy garlic chicken wings by coating the chicken in all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, and Chinese five-spice. Include baking powder (not baking soda) for crispy chicken wings; pairing it with salt changes the acidity and pH of the skin, helping the wings become crispy.
- Oil: Fry the chicken wings in a neutral oil with a high smoking point, such as vegetable or avocado.
- Soy Garlic Sauce: Combine sautéed garlic, ginger, and scallions with honey, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.
Additions and Substitutions
- Make it gluten-free. Replace the soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos to meet your dietary needs.
- Try these replacements. Substitute brown sugar or maple syrup for honey, and hoisin sauce works well in place of oyster sauce. Use Sriracha or sambal oelek instead of chili garlic sauce for an extra kick.If you don’t have Shaoxing wine, use rice vinegar, Mirin (but reduce the honey by half), or aged sherry vinegar.
- Try a Chinese 5 spice powder substitute. If you can’t find the spice blend in your pantry or the grocery store.
- Fry the wings twice. According to America’s Test Kitchen, the secret to crispy wings is double frying. Feel free to fry the wings for a second time if you want them extra crispy.
Tools You’ll Need
- Mixing Bowls: You will need mixing bowls for marinating, mixing, and tossing the wings in sauce.
- Heavy-Bottomed Pot: Safely fry the chicken wings in a heavy-bottomed pot like a deep saute pan, stockpot, or Dutch oven.
- Food Thermometer: The oil temperature rises and drops while the chicken cooks. Use a food or candy thermometer to measure the temperature. I also use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken.
- Wire Rack: Cool the fried chicken wings on a wire rack, keeping them from becoming soggy. I set the rack on a rimmed baking sheet for easy cleanup.
- Skillet: Prepare the garlic soy sauce in a skillet.
How to Make Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Pat the chicken wings with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Transfer the chicken to a large mixing bowl with egg whites, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Toss to combine and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Combine flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a mixing bowl with a lid. Toss the marinated wings and shake off any excess flour.
Step 3: Warm two inches of oil in a deep saute pan, stockpot, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil has reached 350℉ (176℃), add the chicken wings in a single layer and fry the wings in batches for 5-10 minutes.
How do you know when the chicken is done?
You can tell the chicken is cooking when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). You can check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
Step 4: Transfer the fried wings to a wire rack to drain excess oil for 10 minutes.
Step 5: While the chicken rests, warm the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites.
Step 6: Cook for one minute and stir in the honey, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.
Step 7: Transfer the sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss it with the chicken wings to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds, and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Pat the chicken wings dry before tossing them in the marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to infuse the chicken with flavor.
- Use a food thermometer to maintain an oil temperature of 350℉ (176℃) to fry the chicken wings or check the oil by adding a pinch of flour to the hot oil. If it sizzles, add the chicken.
- Fry the chicken wings in a single layer. Overcrowding the pot will drop the oil temperature, making the wings take longer to crisp up, and they will absorb excess oil. If your pot isn’t big enough, fry the wings in smaller batches.
- Depending upon the size of the wings, cooking times may vary. Use a food thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the crispy chicken wings is at 165℉ (73℃).
- Use a slotted spoon to move the wings around as they fry to ensure they become golden brown on all sides.
If you enjoy the soy garlic chicken wings, try more dinner recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Serve soy garlic chicken wings as an appetizer or a quick dinner with traditional sides for wings such as fresh vegetables, onion rings, french fries, roasted potatoes, or small salad with creamy ranch dressing.
Because of the sweet and spicy flavor of the Chinese-inspired sauce, the chicken wings pair well with garlic green beans, Din Tai Fung cucumber salad, steamed jasmine rice, Yuxiang eggplant, easy vegetable fried rice, and homemade coleslaw with mint and cilantro leaves.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: Store crispy fried chicken wings in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze: Let the wings cool and transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag for storage. Soy garlic chicken wings freeze for 4-6 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the chicken wings in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm the leftover soy garlic wings in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 350°F (176°C).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can the chicken wings be cooked from frozen?
Use fully thawed chicken wings to make this soy garlic chicken wings recipe. Then, pat them dry to remove excess moisture. Frozen wings release water as they cook, causing them to boil and steam rather than fry.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Of course! Here is a baked and gluten-free take on the chicken wings.
For the Marinade:
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
For the Coating:
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon five spice powder
For the Soy Garlic Sauce:
2 tablespoons butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ – inch ginger, minced
2 scallions, greens and whites reserved separately, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons gluten-free oyster sauce
2 tablespoons tamari
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
1. Dry the chicken wings using a cloth to remove excess moisture.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set a wire rack onto it.
3. Add the chicken wings to a large mixing bowl with egg whites, tamari, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Toss to combine and marinate for 30 minutes.
4. Toss the chicken wings with baking powder and five spice powder.
5. Adjust the oven rack to the upper middle position and preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Arrange the chicken wings onto the wire rack in a single layer.
6. While the chicken is resting, warm the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Cook for one minute, then stir in the honey, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.
7. Stir to combine, and transfer the sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl with the chicken wings. Toss the wings to coat.
More Chicken Wing Recipes:
Soy Garlic Chicken Wings
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- oil, for frying
- 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon five spice powder
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ – inch fresh ginger, minced
- 2 scallions, greens and whites reserved separately, thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- Pat the chicken wings with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Transfer the chicken to a large mixing bowl with egg whites, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Toss to combine and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Combine flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a mixing bowl with a lid. Toss the marinated wings and shake off any excess flour.
- Warm two inches of oil in a deep saute pan, stockpot, or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When the oil has reached 350℉ (176℃), add the chicken wings in a single layer and fry the wings in batches for 5-10 minutes. Tip: You can tell the chicken is cooking when it reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F (74°C). You can check the temperature by inserting a food thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, avoiding the bone.
- Transfer the fried wings to a wire rack to drain excess oil for 10 minutes.
- While the chicken rests, warm the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites. Cook for one minute and stir in the honey, oyster sauce, soy sauce, and chili garlic sauce.
- Transfer the sauce ingredients to a mixing bowl and toss it with the chicken wings to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds, and enjoy!
- Pat the chicken wings dry before tossing them in the marinade. Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to infuse the chicken with flavor.
- Use a food thermometer to maintain an oil temperature of 350℉ (176℃) to fry the chicken wings or check the oil by adding a pinch of flour to the hot oil. If it sizzles, add the chicken.
- Fry the chicken wings in a single layer. Overcrowding the pot will drop the oil temperature, making the wings take longer to crisp up, and they will absorb excess oil. If your pot isn’t big enough, fry the wings in smaller batches.
- Depending upon the size of the wings, cooking times may vary. Use a food thermometer to make sure the internal temperature of the crispy chicken wings is at 165℉ (73℃).
- Use a slotted spoon to move the wings around as they fry to ensure they become golden brown on all sides.