Chile-Rubbed Wings from Food Network Magazine, January/February 2011

In about 30 seconds the Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles are going to kick off  to see who moves on in the playoffs. There's a lot I could say about this game. I'm from Chicago and have been a diehard Bears fan for decades so pulling for the Packers is impossible. The rule of thumb is to pull for anyone the Pack are playing. I don't have anything against the Eagles. Some people are up in arms about Michael Vick, but I believe he paid his due, is repentant and deserves another chance. I know I'd hope for one.

Yes, we're football people. Because of that, we have people over regularly for game parties so I do football food. Dips; a necessity. Chips and pretzels; a must. Wings; absolutely. I'm always on the hunt for new recipes, especially those that aren't deep fried but still get nice and crunchy.

Enter Chile-Rubbed Wings from Food Network Magazine. I've fallen in love with this segment of the magazine, called Some Like It Hot. While each of the four recipes here have some spice, each also has additional tips to increase the heat level from hot to hotter to hottest. I love it.

When it comes to chile-induced heat in food, I'm a wimp. I usually go through a couple of Diet Cokes (or beers) simply to try and cool my mouth when given the lowest heat level of regular hot wings. But I can't resist the flavor that any kind of chile has. I think there's something addicting about it; so I keep trying.

I made the "Hot" level of wings for our Saturday night group. This lowest level consisted of a rub with ancho chile powder, cumin, coriander, cloves, salt and pepper. Once the wings were well coated, they were baked in a hot oven until crisp and done.   The only thing to remember is to flip them over half way. I even went so far as to baste them, just to get some juice on the outside so it could crispy up the skin and keep them from drying out.

The "Hotter" level of heat adds a marinade step with jalapenos, cilantro, cayenne, lime and oil and the "Hottest" has the marinade time, the rub prior to baking and a glaze of honey and Sriracha that's put on during baking.  That last one sounds like it's really hot.

Of the three pounds of wings that I baked, zero are left. Even those who said, "Oh, I'll just have one," didn't. They're so, so good. The heat level is perfect for those who can't handle much. It builds though. Even Hubby, who enjoys hot foods said that after a while he was drinking more and another guest said he had just reached "nose running" stage. That's a good thing.  These were fantastic.

When (not if; when) I do them again, I think I'm going to combine the first level and third level. I like the rub very much, but love the look of the honey with Sriracha glaze (which is the picture in the magazine; all red, glossy and the honey a bit caramelized). In fact, if I had more wings, I'd be trying it right now.

If you like wings; make these. If you're not sure; make these. If you know someone who likes wings; make these. Seriously. Make these.

Chile-Rubbed Wings
from Food Network Magazine, January/February 2011


Vegetable oil, for greasing
1 1/2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 pounds chicken wings, split at the joint, tips removed

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly oil. Mix the chile powder, cumin, coriander, cloves, 2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add the wings and toss to coat.

Spread the wings, spaced apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, turning once, until browned and crisp, about 40 minutes.

Hot:
Ancho chile powder gives these a slightly smoky kick; serious wing lovers will want to step up the heat.

Hotter:
Put 2 jalapenos, 1/2 cup cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, the juice of 1 lime and 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a food processor and finely chop. Toss with the wings; marinate 2 hours. Brush off the marinade and rub and bake as directed, omitting the black pepper.

Hottest:
Marinate the wings in the jalapeno mixture (see above), then rub and bake as directed. About 5 minutes before they're finished baking, brush with a mixture of 3 tablespoons each honey and Sriracha sauce (hot Asian chili sauce).