If there’s one thing I love about cooking, it’s the ability to create dishes that not only nourish the body, but also bring people together. The recipe I’m sharing today – Sesame Chicken Wings – does just that. Originating from East Asia, sesame chicken wings have become a beloved dish in many parts of the world. The combination of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, honey, and sesame seeds creates a sweet, savory, and utterly irresistible flavor that keeps people coming back for more. And the best part? You don’t need to be a master chef to make these. With just a few simple ingredients and steps, you can create a dish that’s sure to impress at your next gathering. So why do I love this recipe? It’s simple. These wings are a perfect blend of flavors – the sweetness of the honey, the richness of the sesame oil, and the tang of the soy sauce come together to create a taste sensation that’s truly out of this world. Plus, they’re incredibly versatile. Whether you’re hosting a game night, throwing a birthday party, or just having a quiet night in, these sesame chicken wings are the perfect treat. So, let’s get cooking!
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
- 1/2 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 2 lb. chicken wings, wing tips cut off
- 1 Tbsp. Oriental sesame oil
- 2 Tbsp. sesame seed, toasted lightly
Baking Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, the garlic, the ginger, the honey and the pepper.
- Add the wings; toss them to coat and let them marinate, covered and chilled, for 2 hours. Line a baking pan with foil and arrange the wings, drained (reserving the marinade) in one layer on the foil.
- Brush the wings with the
- oil; sprinkle them with the sesame seed and bake them in the middle of a preheated 400° oven, basting them occasionally with the reserved marinade, for 30 to 35 minutes or until they are browned.
- Serves 4 as an hors d’oeuvre.
Calorie: 480
Total cooking time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Difficulty level: Easy
The Soy and Sesame Tango
Once upon a time, in a kitchen not so far away, I decided to face the daunting challenge of making Sesame Chicken Wings. The main characters of this culinary dance? Light soy sauce, minced garlic, fresh ginger, honey, freshly ground black pepper, chicken wings, Oriental sesame oil, and lightly toasted sesame seeds.
The Flavor Fusion Begins
In a bowl, big enough to hold the contents of a future feast, I whisked together 3 1/2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 1/2 clove of minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger. It’s like a mini United Nations meeting of flavors in there.
I then added a tablespoon of honey into the mix. Why, you ask? Because honey is the peacemaker, the diplomat that smoothes out the raw edges of the garlic and ginger, creating an amicable union of flavors. To top it off, I added freshly ground black pepper to taste, because let’s face it, what’s a meeting (or a meal) without a little bit of spice?
Chicken Takes a Bath
The next step involved 2 lbs. of chicken wings, their tips cut off (they weren’t achieving much anyway). The wings were then tossed into the bowl, coated in the marinade, and left to chill for 2 hours. Note: the chicken wings, not you. But feel free to join them in the chilling part.
The Heat is On
After the chicken wings had sufficiently absorbed the flavors of their marinade bath, I lined a baking pan with foil and laid them out neatly. I hope they didn’t get too comfortable because things were about to heat up, literally. They got a nice glossy brush of 1 tablespoon of Oriental sesame oil before being sprinkled with 2 tablespoons of lightly toasted sesame seeds.
The Oven Dance
Into the middle of a preheated 400° oven they went. Every now and then, I’d pull them out to baste them with the reserved marinade. You know, so they don’t feel left out or forgotten. After 30 to 35 minutes, or when they had achieved a beautiful brown complexion, they were ready to exit stage left, right into my eager hands.
The Grand Finale
After all the whisking, marinating, brushing, and baking, the Sesame Chicken Wings were ready. They served 4 as an hors d’oeuvre, or just one very hungry food blogger (guess who!).
There were a few hiccups along the way, like the time I almost used the sesame oil as a hand moisturizer, but in the end, the result was a flavorful, tender, and crisp batch of Sesame Chicken Wings.
And what was the moral of this culinary tale? Cooking is like dancing. It may not always be graceful, but with the right partners (read: ingredients), it can be a whole lot of fun and produce something truly delightful. Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a plate of Sesame Chicken Wings with my name on it.
