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Alexandra Dudley's simple recipe for harissa honey chicken wings
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A good chicken wing should be saucy and the meat should be tender and juicy. I think these are perfect and they are incredibly simple to make. You start by cooking the wings in the oven in just a simple toss of oil, salt and pepper to get some colour and char, then they get another stint in the oven after being tossed in a sticky spicy glaze. The core of the glaze is harissa paste, which is readily available these days at most supermarkets. In terms of spices, there is smoked paprika for smokiness, cayenne pepper for optional heat (the harissa already has a good kick) and cinnamon for subtle warmth. The cinnamon is non-negotiable and really pulls the flavours together. The stickiness comes from honey; there is no need to use the really good stuff for this, a squeezy bottle is fine.
Serves: 4
Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 12 chicken wings (ask your butcher to cut them into drums and flats as it saves you doing it at home)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the glaze
To serve
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220°C fan. Line a baking tray with foil and sit a grill rack over the tray. The marinade is sticky so this is to protect your pan more than anything, but it also ensures that the wings colour all over with no need to turn them.
- If the chicken wings are whole, cut them into drums and flats. Using a sharp knife, slice through the joint so that you have a mini drumstick and a flat wing.
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl and toss them in the olive oil with plenty of salt and black pepper. Arrange the wings evenly on the rack set over the tray. Cook the chicken in the oven for 15 minutes while you make the glaze.
- To do so, combine all the ingredients for the glaze together in a large bowl. This can be done the day before if desired.
- After they have cooked for 15 minutes, tong the chicken pieces into the bowl with the glaze and give them a good toss, ensuring they are all coated. Return the chicken to the rack, spacing them apart. I toss the chicken pieces in the glaze in batches as they are easier to handle. Drizzle any excess glaze onto the wings, prioritising those that look a little bare. Return the chicken to the oven for a further 10 minutes. The wings should be glossy and charred in places.
- Sprinkle the chicken wings with the toasted sesame seeds and eat them while they are hot.
Cooking Made Simple by Alexandra Dudley is published by Ebury Press (an imprint of Ebury Publishing, part of Penguin), £28.00