Hot-and-Sticky Lemon-Pepper Chicken Wings

By Food & Wine

Top Chef All-Stars winner chef Richard Blais uses store-bought lemon curd and malt liquor as the surprise ingredients in his stellar chicken wings. Best Chicken Wings in the U.S.

Hot-and-Sticky Lemon-Pepper Chicken Wings Hot-and-Sticky Lemon-Pepper Chicken Wings
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup prepared lemon curd
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon hot sauce
3 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cup seltzer
1/2 cup malt liquor (high-alcohol beer)
Salt
2 1/2 pounds chicken wings (about 16)
Vegetable oil, for frying

DIRECTIONS
1. In a saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic; cook over moderate heat until fragrant, 1 minute. Whisk in the lemon curd, lemon juice and 1/4 cup of water and bring to a boil. Off the heat, stir in the hot sauce and pepper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk both flours with the cornstarch. Add the seltzer and malt liquor; whisk until smooth. Season with salt. Add the chicken wings to the batter and turn to coat.
3. In a large saucepan, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°. Scrape the excess batter from the wings. Working in batches, fry the wings in the hot oil for 3 minutes, until the crust is just set and pale golden. Drain on a wire rack and air-dry for 10 minutes.
4. Return the oil to 350°. Fry the wings a second time, in batches, until deep mahogany in color and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 170°, 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the wings on the rack.
5. In a large bowl, gently toss the fried wings with the lemon curd-pepper sauce. Transfer the wings to a platter and serve right away.

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