Portland Chicken Wings

From the book The Basic Gourmet Entertains by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart

Serves

Introduction

Buffalo landed on the food map first for its chicken wings. Now it’s Portland’s turn. It’s just a matter of time before these delectable wings appear on bar menus. We thought we better make plenty for a hungry crowd. If your crowd is smaller, enjoy the leftovers. This is great finger food. Serve with plenty of napkins.

Ingredients

3½ to 4

lb. chicken wings or chicken wing drumettes (see Cook’s Notes)

Marinade

	1	Tbsp. dry mustard
	1	tsp. paprika
	2	Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
	1	Tbsp. Tabasco sauce
	2	Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
	¼	cup low-sodium soy sauce
	½	cup honey

Steps

Cut wing tips at joint and remove from chicken wings. (Reserve these separately for making Chicken Stock.) Place chicken wings in a large, heavy-duty lock-top plastic bag.
To make marinade, in a 1-cup glass measure mix mustard, paprika, and vinegar to form a smooth paste.
Add Tabasco, Worcestershire, and soy sauce, and stir to combine. Add honey and mix well. Pour over chicken wings, seal bag, and tilt bag to distribute marinade. Set bag on its side in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish (just in case bag leaks). Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Prepare 2 rimmed baking sheets by lining bottom and sides with foil. (This saves messy cleanup.) Remove chicken wings from marinade and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheets. Space wings 1 inch apart so they cook evenly. Bake 15 minutes. Brush chicken with a little marinade, and rotate pans. Lower oven temperature to 350°F and bake 20 minutes longer. If chicken looks dry or is browning too much, brush with a bit more marinade during last 20 minutes of cooking. Place on a warmed platter and serve.

Notes

A short course in Chicken Anatomy 101. There are 3 parts to a chicken wing: the wing tip, the center section with 2 bones, and the drumette which looks like a miniature drumstick. Buying just the drumettes is preferable because they are the meatiest parts. On occasion, you’ll see drumettes in supermarkets, but if you plan in advance, a butcher can order them for you.
It feels like a bonus to save the wing tips for stock. Freeze in a heavy-duty lock-top freezer bag and save for making stock.
Portland Chicken Wings reheat well in a preheated 350°F oven or in a microwave. They aren’t quite as crisp after being refrigerated, but the taste is still great.

This content is from the book The Basic Gourmet Entertains by Diane Morgan, Dan Taggart, and Kathleen Taggart.