Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings

Pepper and Salt Chicken Wings

Pepper and Salt Chicken Wings

Whenever I’m in San Francisco’s Chinatown, I try to stop by the Capital Restaurant for an order of their signature dish, the Pepper and Salt Chicken Wings. Look around the dining room and you’ll notice that just about everyone in the restaurant is enjoying these wings. There are good reasons for their popularity. The wings are tangy, slightly spicy, crispy, and juicy. They are irresistible, and it takes enormous willpower not to overindulge. This recipe is a close approximation of Capital’s wings. The flavor comes from a dry marinade of salt and toasted Sichuan peppercorns. The peppercorns, along with a dusting of glutinous rice flour, provide the crispy, crunchy texture. Use only the best part of the wing, the section known as the wingette, which is the two-bone segment between the drummette and the tip. See my post on Sichuan peppercorns for information about buying and preparing this spice.

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Pepper and Salt Chicken Wings
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Recipe type: appetizer
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
 
Crispy pepper and salt chicken wings using Sichuan peppercorns and glutinous rice flour.
Ingredients
  • 1 pound chicken wingettes
  • 1 teaspoon crushed, toasted Sichuan peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup glutinous rice flour
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1 serrano chili, sliced
  • 1 to 1-1/2 cups peanut or canola oil for deep-frying
Instructions
  1. Combine the salt with the crushed, toasted Sichuan peppercorns. Rub the mixture over all surfaces of the chicken wingettes. Let stand for one hour.
  2. Heat the deep-frying oil to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  3. Coat the wingettes with the rice flour. Shake off excess flour before dropping the wingettes into the hot oil. Deep-fry until crispy and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. You may need to fry the wingettes in 2 or 3 batches, depending on the size of your cooking pan.
  4. Lightly toast the garlic in a small amount of hot oil. Do the same with the sliced serrano chili. Garnish the wingettes with the toasted garlic and sliced chili, and serve immediately.
  5. Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer, or as one course in a multi-course meal.

 

English name Salt and Pepper Chicken Wings
Chinese name 椒鹽雞翼
Cantonese (Jyutping) ziu1 jim4 gai1 jik6