I am always looking for new ways to cook chicken wings, and this one by Vivek Singh hits the spot. He calls them Firecracker Chicken Wings, and the name earns its keep — the marinade is sharp, hot and deeply savoury, with malt vinegar doing the heavy lifting alongside red chilli and a fistful of fresh coriander. I am serving mine with a couple of fermented hot sauces for dipping, because why not.
Vivek Singh was born in West Bengal and is now the force behind The Cinnamon Club in London — a chef I have a lot of time for in this kitchen.
Vivek Singh's Firecracker Chicken Wings — The Recipe
Serves 1
Ingredients
For the wings:
- 300g chicken wings, skin on
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the marinade:
- ¾ tsp garlic paste
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- ⅓ tsp sugar
- 1½ tbsp malt vinegar
- ¼ tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
- ¼ tsp Sichuan pepper — or substitute a pinch of pink peppercorns, a little lemon zest and a grind of black pepper
- 1 small green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tsp freshly chopped coriander, plus extra to garnish
- 15g rice flour
- 30g cornflour
These Vivek Singh firecracker chicken wings are best eaten straight from the oil — don't let them sit.
Method
Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Add the wings and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least a couple of hours — overnight if you can.
When ready to cook, bring the wings up to room temperature.
Heat the oil in a deep pan to 180°C. Fry the wings in batches — don't crowd the pan — for around 8–10 minutes until golden, crisp and cooked through. Drain on kitchen paper.
Serve immediately, scattered with a little fresh coriander, with your dipping sauce of choice alongside.
This Vivek Singh firecracker chicken wings recipe is featured in my Chicken Hub, a growing collection of chicken recipes from Andalucía and the road.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures — The Flexible Chef
