Preheat the oven to 120C/250F (fan) and place a rack on a large baking tray.
Cut each wing at the joint so you have a mini wing and a drumette. Dry the wings with paper towels, then place in a large bowl and add the baking powder, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Note - it's important to dry the wings first so they only get a light coating. Discard any remaining coating once tossed together.
1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) chicken wings, 2 level tbsp aluminium-free baking powder, ¾ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper
Place in a single layer on the rack, skin side up. It's fine for them to be touching. Place on the lower shelf of the oven for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, turn the oven up to 220C/425F (fan), rotate the tray and place it on a higher shelf (higher middle) in the oven for 45-50 minutes until the wings are golden and crispy. Take out of the oven to cool slightly.
Place all of the sauce ingredients into a saucepan, stir and bring to the boil. Allow to bubble for 5-10 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens slightly (it will thicken more as it cools). Turn off the heat.
1 tsp vegetable oil, pinch salt and pepper, 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 2 tbsp honey, 4 tbsp brown sugar, 5 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp lemon grass paste, 2 cloves garlic
Place the wings in a large bowl and very carefully pour over the sticky sauce (be careful, it will VERY hot). Toss to combine, then serve topped with chopped spring onions.
3 tbsp chopped spring onions/scallions
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Notes
Notes about baking powder:
I get lots of messages on how delicious these wings are, but also the occasional message that the wings tastes bitter - despite assurances the recipe was followed to the letter and baking POWDER not baking soda was used. After doing a little research, it seems that some people can be sensitive to the taste of sodium aluminum sulfate - which can be an ingredient in some baking powders. People who are sensitive to it notice a bitter taste. If you are sensitive to it, you may have noticed certain cakes taste bitter. However, cakes contain a lot less baking powder then this recipe, so you may not have noticed it before and still been sensitive to it.My tips would be to:
Dry the wings before dusting with the baking powder - so they only get a light coating.
Measure the amount of baking powder used exactly, and discard any excess left after tossing together with the wings.
Use aluminium-free baking powder - make sure it has no aluminum sulfate in it.
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Can I make these chicken wings gluten free?
Yes, you can replace the soy sauce with tamari. Also, make sure you're using a gluten-free baking powder and sweet chilli sauce.
Can I make them ahead?
I prefer these wings fresh out of the oven, but you can make the wings ahead - without the sauce- then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to a day. Reheat them on a wire rack over a tray for about 5-6 minutes at 200C/400F until they're crisp again.You can also mix the sauce ingredients together, then cover and refrigerate (uncooked). Pour into a pan and boil as per instructions before serving..Nutritional information is per chicken wing.