Recipe: Oven Baked Wings with Prickly Pear BBQ Dipping Sauce
Jackie Alpers is a food photographer and the author of the Taste of Tucson cookbook
These citrus, fish sauce and red chile marinated chicken wings have a southwestern kick. These wings are so good all on their own, and even better with a prickly pear barbecue sauce that’s served on the side for dipping so that bites can be savored both with and without it.
Choose a red chile powder based on taste and heat preferences. New Mexico red chile powder tends to be milder than Arbol but that’s not always the case as the heat level in chiles varies according to variations in variety and growing conditions.
The Silicone Kitchen Tools Used
Silicone Kitchen Roasting Racks
Ingredients
½ cup lime juice
3 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch, divided
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano, crushed
1 tablespoon New Mexico or Arbol red chile powder
1 tablespoon fish sauce, preferably Red Boat
3 small or 2 large cloves garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1 mandarin orange, washed and halved
10 chicken wing “party wing” segments, about 1 pound
1 cup prepared barbecue sauce, I like Sweet Baby Ray’s
1 tablespoon Prickly Pear Syrup
¼ cup chopped scallions
Instructions
In a large baking dish, whisk together lime juice, 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch, Mexican oregano, chile powder, fish sauce and garlic. Squeeze in the juice from the orange then add the halves to the dish. Add the wings and toss to coat. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, flipping the wings in the liquid halfway through.
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Remove and discard the orange halves. Add the remaining arrowroot powder to the baking dish and toss until well combined using a The Silicone Kitchen Spatula.
Fit a half sheet pan with a The Silicone Kitchen Baking Mat, then put two The Silicone Kitchen Roasting Racks side by side on top of the mat.
Using tongs, transfer the wings one-by-one to the baking sheet, skin-side-up, tapping the tongs against the side of the dish and pausing for a moment to let any extra liquid drip back into the bowl. Discard any remaining batter.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy and the internal temperature has reached 265°F when probed with a meat thermometer.
While the wings are baking, stir the prickly pear syrup into the barbecue sauce and top with chopped scallions.
Serve the wings immediately, with the dipping sauce on the side.
