Name: Maple-Wasabi Wings
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, plus dry-brining
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: Nonstick vegetable oil spray; 3½–4-lb. chicken wings, flats and drumettes separated, wing tips removed; 4 tsp. baking powder; 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt; ¾ tsp. freshly ground white pepper; 1 1"–2" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, or 2 tsp. ginger paste; ⅓ cup pure maple syrup, preferably dark; 3 Tbsp. soy sauce; 2 tsp. sesame chili oil (preferably S&B La-Yu); 1 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter; 2–3 tsp. wasabi paste; Toasted sesame seeds (for serving; optional)

Chicken wings grilled in a marinade of maple syrup and wasabi covered in sesame seeds on a serving platter surrounded by...

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele

All right, you wingnuts, it’s football season, which means it’s really chicken wing season. These oven-baked wings get a blast of sweet-salty flavor from a blend of maple syrup and soy sauce and a one-two punch of heat from ginger, wasabi, and ra-yu sesame chili oil (sometimes labeled “la-yu”). Rather than just combine ingredients and toss with wings, we reduce the sauce to a caramel consistency so it really clings to the wings and provides plenty of umami.

Wasabi, despite its all-powerful sinus-clearing abilities, is actually quite a delicate thing, losing its potency over time, especially if exposed to heat. When making these wings, be sure wait until the last minute to stir the wasabi paste into the sauce for maximum flavor and kick.

If your chicken wing flats and drumettes do not come separated, you can do it yourself. Use a chef’s knife to cut the wings apart right at the joints—you may need to search a bit, but once you find them, your knife will easily slice through. Cut off the wing tips (the slim cartilage-y piece at one end) from the end of each wing and discard or save them for stock, then slice through the joints between the drumette (once cut the piece will look like a small chicken leg) and the flat or wingette (once cut the piece will look like a small chicken thigh).

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What you’ll need

Wasabi Paste
$7 At Amazon
La-Yu Chili Oil
$6 $5 At Amazon
Ginger Paste
$8 At Amazon

Recipe information

Total Time
1 hour, plus dry-brining
Yield
4 servings

Ingredients

Wings

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

3½–4-lb. chicken wings, flats and drumettes separated, wing tips removed

4 tsp. baking powder

1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt

¾ tsp. freshly ground white pepper

Sauce and assembly

1 1"–2" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, or 2 tsp. ginger paste

⅓ cup pure maple syrup, preferably dark

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 tsp. sesame chili oil (preferably S&B La-Yu)

1 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter

2–3 tsp. wasabi paste

Toasted sesame seeds (for serving; optional)

Preparation

Wings
Step 1
Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 450°. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with foil and place a wire rack in each one; spray both racks with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Pat 3½–4-lb. chicken wings, flats and drumettes separated, wing tips removed, dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle 4 tsp. baking powder, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, and ¾ tsp. freshly ground white pepper over and toss to evenly coat. If you have time, let wings sit at room temperature 1 hour, or chill, uncovered, up to 12 hours. If chilling, let sit at room temperature 1 hour before baking.
Step 2
Divide wings between prepared racks, taking care not to overcrowd. Bake 25 minutes. Turn wings over and rotate baking sheets top to bottom and front to back; continue to bake until golden brown, crisp, and cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part and avoiding bone should register 165°), 10–15 minutes.
Sauce and assembly
Step 3
Whisk one 1–2" piece ginger, peeled, finely grated, or 2 tsp. ginger paste, ¹⁄₃ cup pure maple syrup, preferably dark, 3 Tbsp. soy sauce, and 2 tsp. sesame chili oil in a small saucepan to combine, then bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally. Cook sauce, whisking occasionally, until reduced by about half (it should be thick enough to coat a spoon), 8–10 minutes.
Step 4
Remove sauce from heat, add 1 Tbsp. chilled unsalted butter, and whisk until incorporated and sauce is smooth and glossy.
Step 5
When you’re ready to sauce wings, whisk in 2 tsp. wasabi paste. Taste and add up to another 1 tsp. paste if needed. Transfer wings to a large metal bowl. Pour sauce over and toss until evenly coated.
Step 6
Arrange wings on a platter and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over if desired.