By Irvin Lin
This crazy versatile ginger garlic marinade is awesome on pork, beef or chicken. The addition of kiwi may sound odd, but the fruit functions as both a sweetener to the marinade as well as a tenderizer. Enzymes in the kiwi help to breakdown the meat protein, making it super tender and juicy. Just be forewarned that you shouldn’t over marinade. After 12 hours or so, the kiwi starts to break down the meat and it gets weirdly mushy. So marinate overnight but don’t let them sit too long. Afterwards, it’s super easy to just pull the wings out and cook them. I’ve given instructions on how to bake, broil or grill these wings. Best wings ever indeed!
2lbschicken wingsbroken down into drummettes and flats, tips discarded or saved for stock
Instructions
Combine the garlic, grated ginger, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, green onions, sesame seeds, sugar, kiwis, black pepper, and red pepper flakes in a medium sized bowl. Stir to combine, then spoon out 1/2 cup of the marinade and reserve it in a small bowl (cover and refrigerate).
Place the chicken wings in a gallon ziplock bag and pour the marinade into the bag. Squeeze out as much air as you can in the bag and seal it. Massage the chicken to make sure the marinade reaches every chicken piece. Place the bag in a large bowl and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, massaging and turning the bag every now and then if you have the chance.
To bake the wings, preheat the oven to 400˚F and spray or coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking oil. Place the wings on the baking sheet, discarding the marinade in the bag. Bake for 30 minutes, then flip each wing with a spatula and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Once the wings are done, remove from the oven and let rest on the pan. Take the reserve marinade out and puree it in a food processor until smooth. Pour the marinade puree into a medium size nonstick pan. Cook the marinade for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat until it darkens in color and thickens. Remove the wings from the pan (they’ll still be hot) and place them in a large bowl. Scrape the reduced marinade out of the pan and onto the chicken and gently toss. Serve immediately.
To broil the wings, place wings on a rack of a broiler pan. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat, for about 10 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through. While the chicken is broiling take the reserve marinade out and puree it in a food processor until smooth. Pour the marinade puree into a medium size nonstick pan. Cook the marinade for about 2-3 minutes on medium heat until it darkens in color and thickens. Once the chicken is done, baste the chicken with the reduced marinade. Serve immediately.
To grill the wings, preheat the grill for high heat. Take the reserve marinade out and puree it in a food processor until smooth. If the grate on your grill is widely spaced apart, you might want to skewer the wings together so they don’t fall through or use a grill basket. Place the wings on the grill and cook 8 minutes per side, until the wings are cooked through. Baste the wings as you grill them with the pureed marinade. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
Makes 12-16 medium sized wings. Enough for 4-6 people as appetizers.