Japanese Chicken Wings Recipe

Jumping Japanese Chicken Wings Recipe

You have probably guessed by now that I adore Asian cuisine. In fact, I can’t get enough of all the fascinating recipes this wonderful and exotic continent has to offer. But what is my favorite thing about Asian cooking?

How about the different takes various Asian cultures have on common Western dishes. For example, I bet you didn’t know that you can get chicken wings across the Asian continent – all cooked in unique and delicious ways! 

That is why I have chosen to share one of my favorite chicken wings recipes – which comes to us from the beautiful land of Japan.

These sweet and sticky chicken wings are incredibly easy to make and they are packed with traditional Asian flavors that will have your tastebuds singing. So why not check out the recipe down below and see if you can make these delicious wings from the comfort of your home. 

Step One: Prepare Your Chicken

Ingredients

  • Chicken Wingtips (800 grams)
  • Salt (½ tsp)
  • Black Pepper (½ tsp)

Today we will be looking at how to cook Tebasaki chicken wings, which means “wingtips” in Japanese. This refers to the cut of meat often used to make these chicken wings in their native land.

Unlike American chicken wings, Tebasaki wings require no breading and are traditionally seasoned after the wings have been fried. 

The recipe for these particular wings hails from the city of Nagoya, which is situated in the Chubu region of Japan. Although the wings do not use any batter or breading, they are known for their rich and crispy texture, which would bear a similar consistency to rice crackers. 

To begin making your Tebasaki wings, you will need to take 800 grams of chicken wing tips and splay them out on a metal tray. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper to the chicken wings and mix it until well seasoned.

Once you have completed this step you can place your wings in the refrigerator and prepare the ingredients for the next step. 

Step Two: Make Your Sauce

Ingredients

  • Cane Sugar (¼ cup)
  • Soy Sauce (3 tbsp)
  • Sake (⅓ cup)
  • Ginger Juice (1 tsp)
  • Garlic (4 grams)
  • Black Vinegar (1 tbsp)

Tebasaki sauce is a sweet and sticky condiment that is very similar to Teriyaki sauce in consistency and taste. However, Tebasaki sauce is flavored using ginger and garlic, before it is boiled into a thick and syrupy consistency.

The best way to ensure your sauce sticks to the chicken wings is by covering the meat with potato starch. This allows the sauce to cling to the chicken, without creating a crust that could ruin the crispy skin. 

To start making the sauce, you will need to add the sugar, soy sauce, sake, ginger juice and garlic to a shallow pan. Stir the ingredients together and then place the pan over medium heat.

Once the sauce begins to thicken into a dark glaze, then you can add in the black vinegar. When the vinegar has been combined with the glaze, you can transfer the sauce to a large mixing bowl and allow it to cool. 

Step Three: Frying The Wings

Ingredients 

  • Potato Starch (1 tbsp)
  • Vegetable Oil (for frying)

When frying your chicken wings it can be very difficult to make them crispy – especially when there is no batter or sauce to make them crispy as they fry. But there are a few techniques that can be used to give your Tebasaki wings their distinctive crispy skin. 

The most effective method involves salting the chicken and allowing it to rest for a few minutes before the frying process (see step one).

By doing this, you are allowing the salt to draw out any moisture that is in the chicken’s skin, which will help to improve the crispiness of the wings when they are cooked in the oil. 

The best thing about Tebasaki chicken wings is that you are frying the actual skin of the chicken and not a batter when you cook them.

Chicken skin is brimming with fat and collagen, and during the frying process the fat will begin to render and the collagen will begin to expand – resulting in crispy and golden wings. 

To fry your chicken wings you will need to fill a cooking pot with 2-inches of vegetable oil and then remove your wings from the refrigerator. Pat the wings dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture and then sprinkle them with the starch.

Make sure that each wing is evenly coated for the best result. 

When completed, place the pot on medium heat and then add the chicken wings to the oil in batches. Allow the wings to cook for 10 minutes and transfer them to a plate before continuing the process until you have no wings left.

Increase the heat of the oil to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and begin re-frying the chicken wings in smaller batches. Make sure that you do not overcrowd the pan and that the wings are golden-brown when removed. This process should take about 2-3 minutes. 

Step Four: Toss The Wings

Ingredients

  • Black Pepper (½ tsp)
  • Toasted Sesame Seeds (2 tbsp)

When the wings are golden-brown and crispy, transfer them immediately to the bowl containing your premade glaze. Toss the wings around in the sauce until they have been evenly coated.

When this has been accomplished, then you can add some black pepper and toasted sesame seeds to the bowl. Toss the mixture again until the wings are coated with a light layer of seasoning. 

Once you have finished this, make sure you do not leave your chicken wings in the sauce for a long time.

The wings are probably at their best when they are still hot from the fryer, so I would recommend transferring them to a clean bowl or plate once the second toss has been completed.

Pile the wings high on a plate and serve with salad or Asian greens, these wings are a sweet and zesty snack that goes down perfectly with a cold bottle of Japanese beer. 

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