Mango-Habanero Chicken Wings

Being a big fan of restaurant-style mango-habanero wings, I set out to create something similar. I found multiple recipes online, but none seemed up to my standards. After about a year of making a few and combining different ideas, I came up with this one. Every time I've made this, it's been a huge hit and people are always asking me for the recipe, so here it is. The cornstarch absorbs extra moisture and forms a very thin crispy crust on the wings. It's not a heavy breading, it just adds a bit of crunch.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 33 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 53 mins
• Calories: 450 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 cup cornstarch
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 stick butter
• 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
• 30 chicken wing sections
• 1 (12 ounce) can mango nectar
• 6 habanero peppers, stemmed

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 3

Rinse chicken wings and pat dry with paper towels. Place wings on a baking sheet and refrigerate to dry a bit more.

Step 4

Combine mango nectar, brown sugar, habanero peppers, soy sauce, sriracha sauce, and vinegar in a food processor. Mix until peppers are pureed; seeds will still be visible. Remove food processor lid carefully; the pepper fumes can be strong.

Step 5

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the mango-habanero mixture immediately; bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; add honey. Simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce is reduced by 75% and thickened to a glaze, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat.

Step 6

Coat wings lightly with cornstarch. Place 5 to 6 wings in the hot oil; fry until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Place wings on a paper towel to absorb excess oil; transfer to the preheated oven to keep warm. Repeat until all wings have been fried and drained.

Step 7

Place wings in a large bowl. Pour half the sauce over the wings and mix, coating the wings with the sauce. Continue adding the remaining sauce until you have coated the wings to your liking.