RECIPE: Broiler is secret weapon for 30-minute lemon pepper wings
Thirty-minute chicken wings are one of those dishes that I thought to be unfeasible without a pot of hot frying oil. Baked wings require up to an hour, and most of the tricks for crisp oven wings require overnight dry brines with secret ingredients.
The solution came when I started playing with my broiler settings. Instead of the relatively gentle heat from the oven, the direct heat from the broiler can accomplish baking and crisping in a fraction of the time.
Use the low heat setting on the broiler to avoid burning the skin of the chicken; it will still be hot enough to cook the wings in 20 minutes. To further crisp and lightly char the skin, finish the wings under high heat in the final minutes of cooking. This method won’t result in crispy skin on all sides as with fried wings, but the side nearest to the broiler will provide plenty of crunchy contrast to the wings’ moist interior; indeed with this quick-cooking method, you won’t run the risk of drying out the wings with an extended baking time.
While you can use this method to prepare any manner of wing flavors, I like to use it for buttery, lemon pepper wet wings with a homemade seasoning. I rub the wings with a potent mix of salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder before baking. The lemon flavor comes in at the end, with lemon zest added to melted butter and juice spritzed on just prior to serving to preserve its bright flavor. Serve the wings with the butter sauce for dipping, or just give the wings a thorough coat and skip the dip.
- 2 pounds chicken wings
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided
- 2 teaspoons onion powder, divided
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
- Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- Heat broiler to low with an oven rack placed in the position nearest to the broiler.
- As the broiler heats, season chicken wings with the salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon onion powder. Place wings in an even layer, skin-side up, on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is foamy, remove from the heat and then immediately stir in the lemon zest, remaining garlic and onion powders, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover to keep warm.
- When the wings are cooked through, switch the broiler to high and continue to cook until the skin is well-browned, lightly charred and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and top with the butter sauce and lemon juice. Toss to coat well, then transfer to a serving platter with all or half of the sauce, depending on your preference. Serve immediately. Serves 4.
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving, with half the butter sauce: 437 calories (percent of calories from fat, 69), 30 grams protein, 3 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 33 grams total fat (13 grams saturated), 219 milligrams cholesterol, 1,106 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
