Soy and Honey Crispy Breaded Wings

Baked chicken wings coated in soy and honey breadcrumbs

I usually cook chicken wings simply by roasting them in the oven in a little oil or with a sauce of any one of varying types. Occasionally, I deep fry them in hot oil. I don't remember ever cooking them in precisely this way before but I'll definitely be doing so again because they were absolutely delicious! The wings were firstly dipped in a combination of light soy sauce and Scottish heather honey before being breadcrumbed and baked in the oven. They were served on a mixed leaf salad bed with the remaining soy and honey made in to a dipping sauce.

Ingredients

10 to 12 whole chicken wings
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs (see below)
4 tablespoons Scottish heather honey (or any good quality honey)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
3 or 4 handfuls of mixed salad leaves to serve

Stale bread for making breadcrumbs

The idea came about when I had bought some chicken wings for my dinner and remembered about some couple of days old bread which had to be used or discarded. This was a rustic, split tin loaf. There was a piece about two inches thick plus some crusts which I had cut off when making croutons the previous night.

Bread is broken up and added to food processor

Directions

I began by pouring the vegetable oil in to a large roasting tray and putting it in to the oven, preheating both to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6.

I then continued by breaking the bread up and putting it in to a food processor for blitzing. You may want to do this in two or three stages to make things easier.

Bread is blitzed to make crumbs

Blitz the bread until crumbed. You will probably need to stop, remove the main jug from the blender and shake it two or three times to get even crumbing. If you do pour the crumbs out and find a few larger pieces remaining, simply re-add them to the blender and blitz again.

Light soy sauce and honey are combined

Pour the honey and soy sauce in to a glass bowl and stir well to combine.

Soy and honey sauce and breadcrumbs

Pour the breadcrumbs in to a large plastic bowl or food container which has a fitable lid (very important). If you don't have such a dish, you could use a couple of large plastic bags (no holes in them), between which you should divide the breadcrumbs.

Bony tips are cut from chicken wings

Chop the tips off the chicken wings. They have no meat in them anyway and are simply going to make the wings more awkward to arrange on your oven tray.

Chicken wings are dipped individually in soy and honey sauce

One at a time, dip the wings in the soy and honey sauce, ensuring each one is evenly coated.

Dipped chicken wings are added to breadcrumbs

Lay the wings as you coat them in sauce in to the container with the breadcrumbs. If you are using plastic bags, you should put five wings in each bag.

Lid is securely fitted to bowl with chicken wings and breadcrumbs

Fit the lid securely on to the container, or alternatively twist the bags closed (one at a time), trapping as much air in the bags as possible. Hold the lid in place (or hold the twisted part of the bag neck) and invert again and again for a minute or so to ensure the wings are all evenly coated in the breadcrumbs.

Breaded chicken wings ready for baking

Take the heated tray from the oven and carefully lay the wings on it in a single layer. Scatter over any remaining breadcrumbs if bare bits of chicken are showing. Bake for thirty minutes, turning carefully with cooking tongs half way through.

Ketchup is added to remaining soy and honey sauce

When the wings have been turned, pour the remaining soy sauce and honey combination in to a small saucepan. Add the ketchup. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently and well with a wooden spoon. Simmer for two or three minutes until a lush and thick dipping sauce is formed.

Remember - The soy and honey has been used to coat raw chicken so it must be heated thoroughly and well in this way before it is used as a dip. Otherwise, the risks of serious food poisoning are very real!

Thick and luscious soy, honey and ketchup sauce

Sit the saucepan aside (covered) to let the sauce cool.

Baked soy and honey breaded wings

When they come out the oven, the chicken wings should be beautiful and golden with the breadcrumbs deliciously crisp.

Breaded wings are rested on a wire rack

Lift the wings one by one with (clean) cooking tongs to a wire rack and allow them to rest for five minutes. This not only helps them crisp up even more, it allows the juices to re-establish themselves in the chicken meat and makes it extra tender.

Wash the salad leaves under running cold water in a colander and shake dry. Pour the dipping sauce in to a ramekin.

Sit the ramekin in the centre of an appropriate serving dish and arrange the salad leaves all around. Sit the chicken wings on the salad to serve.

Soy and honey dip and salad bed for crispy wings