Chicken wings fit so well between the thumb and the first two fingers of both our palms, like they were just meant to be there! There is sheer satisfaction in biting into a tender buffalo or grilled chicken wing, relishing its juicy, spicy flavours. Chicken wings can be made in a number of ways, they can be fried, grilled or even baked. But getting grilled chicken wings perfect can prove to be a challenge because they can either overcook or stick to the grill or simply burn if the heat is too high.
There are some handy hacks to make sure that chicken wings turn out to be the perfect, ideal finger food for a party. Grilled chicken wings can also be made as the party starts to be served hot, juicy and packed with flavour. Here are a few tips to make perfectly tender chicken wings that will be nothing but crowd pleasers:
Use The Broiler
One of the ways to make sure chicken is perfectly cooked is to broil the wings. Broiling gives the chicken a nicely brown colour without the hassle of deep frying the pieces. It also allows the marinade to seep well into the wings to extract maximum flavour out of the spices before it is tossed on the grill.
Up The Marinade Game
Grilled chicken wings are nothing without a good marinade of spices, herbs, butter or oil. Using generous amounts of hot sauce and paprika or simply buying a good quality rub from the market will ensure that the marinade has a lip-smacking flavour to enhance the taste of a perfectly good chicken wing.
Trim The Wing
Using good cuts is one of the surest ways to cook chicken right. Sometimes, readymade cuts are full wings with the tips attached. Use a quality kitchen knife to trim the cuts and slice through the joints. The tips can be used later to make chicken stock.
Prevent Sticking
While grilling, chicken wings can stick to the grill making their flesh peel off the bone and waste away in the heat. Keep a close eye while cooking these tiny pieces. Coat them in butter or vegetable oil before and during the grilling process to ensure that when they are taken off the grill, they are perfectly cooked and tender.
Get The Temperature Right
This is the most basic hack for cooking any grilled or deep-fried food perfectly. Be attentive to the heat of the grill because if it is too hot, there is a higher risk of burning and if the temperature is too low, the chicken will lie flat and raw. Keep the heat moderate to low and let the smoke of the grill do half the work of cooking the wings, especially while using an outdoor grill. For crispy skin, the tender wings can be broiled for a few minutes.