Indian Chicken Wings
We had a handful of spices we really wanted to showcase, ones that are fruity and bold, kind of spicy, and complex. Although some of these spices aren’t terribly common in the American kitchen—YET, we say, because we believe in the power of good food—we love the flavors they impart and felt strongly about presenting them in a way that’s accessible, interesting, and delicious. So we got some chicken wings.
Dry the chicken wings off as thoroughly as possible to give the spice blend the best opportunity possible to adhere to the wings. Then let them sit in the refrigerator to absorb the flavors. You can leave them for up to two days; if you leave uncooked chicken in your refrigerator any longer than that, you’ll run the risk of it starting to go off.
When the wings are fully smoked, let them rest while you build a hot charcoal fire for the final cooking stage. Once the charcoal is ready, put the wings on the grill and let them crisp up. We can’t stress enough that you need to turn the wings frequently in order to avoid burning, particularly around the skinny, bone-end parts. Your wings should only take five minutes, or possibly less, to fully crisp up. Serve with your simple yogurt sauce on the side, and enjoy!
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- 4 Byadgi Chiles
- 2 Tablespoons Tamarind Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Pasilla Negro Chile Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Fenugreek
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cardamom
- 2 teaspoons Ground Mace
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric Powder
- 2 teaspoons Black Pepper Medium Grind
1. Thoroughly dry chicken wings with a lint-free kitchen towel.
2. Remove stems from the Byadgi Chiles and grind in a spice or coffee grinder.
3. Combine the ground chiles with all of the other spices.
4. Fully coat wings in the spice rub, place on a rack, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
5. Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
6. Smoke wings at 225°F until their internal temperature is 165°F, this will take roughly 1 to 1.5 hours.
7. Allow the wings to rest while preparing a hot charcoal fire.
8. Grill the wings. Make sure to turn them frequently—every 30 seconds or so, depending on the heat of the fire—to prevent burning. The skin will crisp after a total of 3 to 4 minutes on the heat.
