Soul-food-style chicken wings make any wing night with bold-seasoning, crisp texture and undeniably yum factor. From having friends over for dinner to elevating any weeknight meal with kicker soul food, these wings are bound to impress. Try some good old home cooking and put these aside from your standard buffalo wings for your next get-together!
Soul food celebrates gorgeous flavors, and with wings, flavor profiles mean everything. Soul food wings focus on heavy-seasoning good ones-fried to perfection and well-dressed in delectable sauces, from where each bite gives room for a happy explosion of flavors. Traditional wing sauces such as buffalo and barbecue can never go wrong, but soul food has more to offer, with seasonings like garlic powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and a hint of brown sugar.
Thus is birthed a distinct, homey deviation from the so-called ordinary chicken wings, deeply rooted in the culture and history of Southern cuisine. Why not let some flavor spill over into your next wing night?
Soul-food chicken wings start with how to cook and season it. It’s a harmony between flavor and texture. Here’s what you must remember so your chicken wings can be as delicious as those served in your preferred soul food joint.
Soul Food Chicken Wings starts with selecting the right chicken wings. Fresh and good-quality wings are wanted. Frozen ones might be good, but they usually do not hold a candle to the fresh ones texturally and concerning flavor. When purchasing the wings, look for plump wings with minimal fat and gristle to maximize your results.
Concerning style, you may go to either drumettes or flats, depending on your preference. Drumettes bring firm, dense flesh that many enjoy; flats offer a tender flesh set against crispy skin.
If soul food chicken wings are anything to go by, chicken brining is a must! The wings will soak in brine, water, salt, and spices to tenderize the meat and season it well! Simple brining uses water, salt, and sugar, but garlic, onions, and herbs can be added as further aromatics to yield flavoring for the chicken.
Let the wings brine for an hour, but overnight will deliver the highest flavor. This helps to keep the wings juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside after frying.
It is the seasoning, after all, that gives soul food-style wings their soul. Garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and thyme are all worthy contenders in a classic soul food seasoning arsenal. You feel warmth and depth in the palate, with just enough fire to keep coming back.
When the wings have been immersed in brine, they should be dabbed with paper towels to remove all possible moisture. This will aid in germinating crispness while frying the wings. Toss in the seasoned flour blend to coat the wings properly. Adding a touch of flour or cornstarch will extra crisp these wings to an irresistible status.
Frying is the authentic soul food-style cooking method for chicken wings. To achieve the crispy, deep golden exterior guests admire from their fried chicken, each wing is fried in scalding, hot oil. Fill a heavy pot or fryer with the oil up to 375 degrees. Hot oil is admired for its job in bringing the crisp that you desire.
Carefully lower the wings into the oil without overcrowding the pot. Fry the wings in smaller batches so each piece can accommodate correct cooking as they fry for 8 to 10 minutes until the wings turn golden brown and cook through. Split a joint in one of the wings to check for doneness; if there is no pink in the meat, it is ready.
On to the sauce! What you want for soul-food chicken wings is a rich and flavorful sauce with just the sweetness to accompany the spice. A great soul-food wing sauce could be made with just a few ingredients:
Cook the ingredients into a sauce by mixing them all in a saucepan, then simmer on low heat until they thicken. When ready – thick – do nothing but pour it all over fried wings and toss well. The sticky, flavorful sauce will cling to the crispy skin to have each mouthful burst with flavor.
The chicken wings themselves earn Star status, but garnish does not hurt. Freshly chopped parsley or cilantro will instantly burst with color and freshness. Drizzle hot sauce or squeeze fresh lemon juice for a few uplifting flavors.
Traditionally, the wings, if they stand well for themselves, will instead get elevated by the right side dishes when one attempts winging it. Great wing partners are soul food side dishes like collard greens, cornbread, macaroni, and fried okra. The sides are filling and comforting and will mellow the wings’ hotness.
Sweet tea or classic lemonade would be good drinks to cool down the heat from such wings. If stronger drinks are needed, cold beer or a whiskey cocktail would wonderfully complement the bold flavor of these wings.
Uncle Wiley’s has you covered if you are craving some soul food chicken wings and cannot muster the time or energy to prepare. From their great variety of wings designed with a soul food concept, you can appreciate this great treat while avoiding any stress of cooking. Uncle Wiley’s wings come in flavors that return to Southern comfort food.
Whether making wings at home or getting a few from Uncle Wiley’s, soul food-style chicken wings are the best way to pull bold flavors and a sense of community into your wing night.
