Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Sesame Chicken Wings
Crispy sesame chicken wings are a delight with their audible skin and sticky edges. The air fryer excels here, quickly drying the skin while allowing the chicken fat to drain away, achieving a fryer-style crispness before the sesame glaze is applied.
Ingredients
- 1 kg chicken wings, split into drumettes and flats, tips removed if attached
- 1 tbsp neutral oil, such as rapeseed or sunflower oil
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder, not bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- ½ tsp ground white pepper or black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp smoked paprika, optional
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1½ tbsp runny honey
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger or ½ tsp ginger paste
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
- 1½ tbsp sesame seeds, toasted if possible
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tsp gochujang (or ½ tsp chilli flakes plus ½ tsp extra honey)
Method
- Pat the wings very dry with kitchen paper.
- Toss wings in a large bowl with oil, salt, baking powder, cornflour, white pepper, garlic granules, and smoked paprika until evenly coated.
- Leave coated wings uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes or cook immediately.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 3 minutes.
- Arrange wings skin-side up in a single layer in the air fryer.
- Air fry at 200°C for 10 minutes, then turn the wings with tongs.
- Cook for a further 8 minutes.
- While wings cook, make the sesame glaze by simmering light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, honey, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, and optional gochujang in a small pan for 1–2 minutes.
- Stir in the cornflour slurry and cook for another 30–60 seconds until glossy.
- Check wings after 18 minutes; if needed, cook for another 3–5 minutes before glazing.
- Tip cooked wings into a clean bowl, pour over about two-thirds of the glaze, and toss quickly until lightly coated.
- Return glazed wings to the air fryer in a single layer and cook at 190°C for 2–3 minutes.
- Transfer to a warm plate, sprinkle with sesame seeds and sliced spring onions, then rest for 2 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 250