Teriyaki Chicken Wings

If you've been keeping up on this blog, you know two things, 1) I'm no fan of green peppers and 2) I'm no fan of dark meat.

Because of fact #2 I modified this recipe to be Teriyaki Chicken Breasts Kebabs.  I like the kebab idea when chicken is being marinated.  The cubed chicken allows more parts of the chicken meat to touch the marinade or in this case the teriyaki sauce. (I spilled some of the teriyaki sauce on the cookbook and even as I sit here I can smell it and my mouth is watering.)

I love teriyaki. I especially love a thick, rich teriyaki sauce. THIS recipe is just that. A thick, flavorful, and easy recipe for teriyake.  I've put the recipe as it appears in the cookbook below and have added my "flair" to it.

Teriyaki Chicken Wings
Recipe from Tyler Florence
Serves 6

Teriyaki Sauce:

• 1 c low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 c grapefruit juice
• 1/4 c hoisin sauce
• 1/4 c ketchup
• 1/4 c rice wine vinegar
• 1/4 c light brown sugar
• 2 fresh red chiles, halved (Jenn note: When I do this again I'll use red pepper flakes. I didn't get too much heat from the red pepper I used.)
• 5 garlic cloves, halved
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, whacked open with the flat side of a knife

Chicken Wings:

• 2 dozen chicken wings, about 31/4 pounds, rinsed and patted dry (Jenn Note: I used 2 chicken breasts cubed and skewered).
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish (Jenn Note: didn't bother with this)
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish (Jenn Note: didn't bother with this)

Prepare the teriyaki sauce by combining the soy sauce, grapefruit juice, hoisin sauce, ketchup, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, chiles, garlic, and ginger in a pot. Bring to a slow boil and cook, stirring, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400F.  (Jenn Note: OR if you're going to BBQ them, like I did, start your grill up)

Season the chicken wings generously with salt and pepper. Lay the chicken wings in a single layer on a sheet pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the skin gets crispy. With tongs, dip the wings in the teriyaki sauce and return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes to glaze. An impressive presentation is to serve these chicken wings family style; arrange them on a large platter, pour the remaining sauce over them and sprinkle with sesame seeds and cilantro. Don't forget the wet naps!