Equipment
Ingredients
Crispy Wings
- 1000 g chicken wings, split at the joint, tips removed
- 50 g cornstarch
- 5 g baking powder
- 10 g fine sea salt
- 2000 ml neutral frying oil
Chilli-Garlic Dressing
- 15 g garlic, finely minced
- 10 g red chilli, finely chopped
- 30 ml sherry vinegar
- 20 g honey
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
Braised Peas, Ham & Eggs
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 80 g serrano ham, diced into small cubes
- 50 g shallot, finely diced
- 5 g garlic, minced
- 300 g green peas, thawed if frozen
- 150 ml chicken stock, warm
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Thoroughly pat the raw chicken wings dry to prevent oil spatter and cross-contamination. In a large bowl, combine the cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add the chicken wings and toss until fully and evenly coated.
In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic, chopped red chilli, sherry vinegar, honey, soy sauce, and 30ml of extra virgin olive oil. Agitate vigorously until the honey dissolves and the dressing emulsifies.
Place a large skillet over medium heat and add 15ml of olive oil. Add the diced Serrano ham and cook until the fat renders and the ham becomes crispy.
Add the diced shallot and minced garlic to the skillet with the ham. Cook until the shallots are translucent and aromatic, taking care not to burn the garlic.
Pour the warm chicken stock into the skillet, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Stir in the green peas, reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture bubble gently.
Meanwhile, pour the neutral frying oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and place over medium-high heat. Securely attach a deep-fry thermometer and bring the oil to 160C / 320F.
Carefully lower half of the coated wings into the 160C / 320F oil. Fry until the meat is completely cooked through, reaching a safe internal temperature of 74C / 165F. Remove and repeat with the remaining wings.
Transfer the par-cooked wings to a wire rack to drain and allow the starch coating to hydrate slightly. Increase the heat under the frying oil until it reaches 190C / 375F.
Return to the simmering peas. Use a spoon to create four small indentations in the pea mixture. Gently crack one egg into each indentation. Cover the skillet tightly with a lid and cook until the egg whites are set but the yolks remain runny.
Return all the rested wings to the 190C / 375F oil for their second fry. Fry aggressively until the crust is highly blistered and deeply golden brown.
Transfer the double-fried wings to a large, clean mixing bowl. Pour half of the prepared chilli-garlic dressing over the hot wings and quickly agitate the bowl to coat them evenly without turning them soggy.
Spoon the hot braised peas, ham broth, and poached eggs into shallow serving bowls. Arrange the crispy dressed chicken wings alongside the peas. Serve immediately with the remaining dressing on the side.
Chef's Notes
- Double-frying is non-negotiable for lasting crunch; the first lower-temperature fry cooks the meat and renders the fat, while the second high-heat fry blisters the starch coating.
- Using baking powder slightly raises the pH of the chicken skin, promoting faster browning and breaking down peptide bonds for a phenomenally crispy result.
- When poaching eggs in the pea broth, cover the skillet tightly. The trapped steam gently cooks the tops of the egg whites while keeping the yolks perfectly runny.
- For absolute food safety, use a meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part of the wings reaches 74C / 165F during the initial frying phase before resting.
- Do not toss the wings in the dressing until the absolute last moment before plating. The intense crunch is temporary once introduced to the water content of the vinegar and soy sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store components separately. Wings will lose crunch; reheat in an air fryer at 200C.
Reheating: Reheat braised peas gently on the stove. Reheat wings in a hot oven or air fryer. Do not reheat previously poached eggs.
