Honey Serrano Wings

If you tailgate often, you may find yourself wondering how to keep your menu fresh. To that, we say, “Ain’t no thing, chicken wing!” Whether slathered in an epic sauce like these Roasted Soy Citrus Wings or served alongside a Ruby Hot Red Savina Dipping Sauce, these bite-sized poultry finger foods are a quintessential game day favorite and an easy and delicious way to feed a crowd. We’ve never met a chicken wing we didn’t like and this week’s recipe is no exception. While everyone has a different level of heat they can withstand, but these wings are definitely for those who like it hot! First, they’re roasted in the oven and then tossed in a sticky, sweet and spicy honey sauce that’s kicked up a few notches with serrano chiles. You can make these wings ahead of time and then bring them to your game day gathering or grill them fresh at a tailgating event and then coat with sauce.

Watch out, Serrano chiles may be small in size but they sure pack a punch in heat! One of the hottest varieties of chiles commonly available, they deliver a Scoville rating of 15,000 to 30,000. Compare them to the Padron chile at 100 to 1,000 Scoville heat units, the Poblano at 1,000 to 1,500 or even the jalapeño chile at 3,500 to 11,000 and you’ll get the picture. In fact, they’re known as the spicier cousin of jalapeños and can be used as its substitute if you dare to kick the heat up a notch. The Serrano chile ranges in color from light to dark green and becomes a vibrant red when ripe. You can recognize them by their long finger shape at about two to three inches long. What makes this chile unique is its sudden, intense heat with a sharp herbal flavor that hits your palette at first bite. They’re popular for not just wings but also guacamole, pico de gallo and salsas.

Honey Serrano Wings 

Yields: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 lbs of chicken wings
• 3 Serrano chiles, seeded and diced, plus extra slices for garnish
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups of water
• 1/4 cup of sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup of soy sauce
• 1/4 cup of rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of honey
• 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons of ginger, peeled and diced
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, season the chicken wings with salt and pepper.

2. Roast the wings in the oven for around 15 minutes.

3. While the wings are in the oven, you can prepare the sauce. In a small saucepan, add the oil and stir the garlic, serrano chiles and ginger together and cook until softened for around 2 minutes.

4. Then add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey and brown sugar. Stir together to combine all of the ingredients.

5. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. After it starts boiling, lower the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened.

6. Remove from the heat and place the sauce into a large bowl. Combine with the unsalted butter.

7. When the wings have finished roasting, allow to cool for around 15 minutes. Then toss the wings into the bowl with the sauce and mix well.

8. Transfer the wings to a serving platter. Garnish with more slices of serrano chiles and sesame seeds.