Appetizers, Poultry, Smoked Food

Crispy Garlic Parmesan Wings

Name: Crispy Garlic Parmesan Wings
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Ingredients: 600 grams chicken wings (1 ½ pounds); 15 ml baking powder (1 tbsp); 2 ml salt (1/2 tsp); 50 ml butter, melted (¼ cup); 50 ml parmesan cheese, grated (¼ cup); 5 ml Italian seasonings (1 tsp); 1 clove garlic, minced

I have seen a lot of recipes that call for tossing chicken in baking powder to get a very crispy skin. I decided it was time to give it a try. Spoiler alert, it works.

I started with 600 grams (1 1/2 pounds) chicken wing segments. I patted them dry with a paper towel.

I put 15 ml (1 tbsp) baking powder and 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt in a plastic bag. Add the chicken wings and shake to coat.

I preheated my smoker to 250 F (120 C), You can make this in an oven but I find the airflow in my Traeger Timberline gives a great skin.

I put the wings in the smoker for 30 minutes. I increased the temperature in the smoker to 425 F (220 C) and cooked until the skin was golden and crispy. It took about 40 minutes but it will be faster if your smoker gives a lot of direct heat.

Make a garlic parmesan sauce by mixing:

50 ml (1/4 cup) melted butter
50 ml (1/4 cup) grated parmesan
5 ml (1 tsp) Italian seasonings
1 clove garlic, minced

Put the wings in a bowl and add the sauce and toss to coat.

The Verdict

The skin on the wings was incredibly crispy. You could use this technique and then toss the wings in any sauce you like to get crispy wings.

However, I find the crispiness is a little dry on the wings. I really liked it but I don’t know that it is “better” than regular smoked wings. It is more like it is different.

I will use the technique again but I won’t be giving up on my traditional way of making wings.

As for the sauce, it was very tasty and totally different than the usual Buffalo or other wing sauces. It has a leaning toward French cooking with lots of herbs, garlic and the salty taste of the Parmesan. Delicious!

The Old Fat Guy