Guiltless Hot Wings – Recipe!

Hot wings are a favorite indulgence of mine.  There is a place in Fullerton, CA called Heroes, that makes the absolute best wings – crunchy, super spicy and lip smackin’ good.  I catch myself craving them every so often, but they are not always the healthiest of choices.  So, I created a lighter version roasted in the oven that have all the same juicy flavors, just with less calories.

These Guiltless Hot Wings, are baked at high heat with just the right amount of heat.  Baking wings is a bit tricky because you actually need to bake them longer than you would think for such bite sized pieces.  The sauce is a combination of coconut oil, butter and hot sauce with a few spices for nice balance.  The coconut oil actually gives these wings a hint of Thai flavor for an additional level of yum.

You can make a batch for game day or when you are craving something spicy, like hot wings.  I like to serve these wings with fresh stalks of celery to cool off the palate when it feels a little hot.

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken drumettes or wings

1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup coconut oil

1/4 cup ghee (clarified butter) or butter

1/2 cup hot sauce, I prefer Tapatio

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

celery, optional

olive oil

(Serves 4-6)

To Prepare:

1.  In a large bowl, add onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and salt.  Mix spices together and toss with flats and drumettes.  Place plastic wrap over top of bowl and marinate at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Remove wings from bowl and blot dry on paper towels. Add wings to a foil lined baking sheet that is drizzled with olive oil.  Bake first side for 15 minutes and flip over to other side to bake for 13 additional minutes.

3.  While wings are baking, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add coconut oil and ghee. Allow mixture to melt and add hot sauce.

4.  Whisk mixture gently to combine and then, add vinegar and fish sauce.  Turn heat to simmer and whisk vigorously, until it thickens slightly.  Leave sauce over simmering heat, until wings are ready.

5.  Remove wings from oven and place in a large bowl.  Pour sauce over top of wings and toss to coat.  Serve wings on plates with celery, if desired.  Enjoy!