Chicken wings are possibly THE messiest thing to eat. Ever. Maybe that's what makes them SO GOOD?!?! Whether they're coated in sticky sauce or crisped to perfection with a crumb, they go down a real treat.
There is no beating the homely, comforting crunch of Southern-Style Cornflake Chicken Wings. When I was in New Orleans I LOVED going for fried chicken, mash and gravy - I actually queued for over an hour to get some from Willy Mae's. So this is my little nod to those super crispy, flavour-smacking Louisiana wings.
Southern-Style Corn-flake Chicken Wings
Serves: as many as you have wings for!
Prep time: 30 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Special equipment needed:
Deep-fat fryer full of rapeseed or vegetable oil
3 large tupperware containers or trays to coat your wings in
A meat thermometer to ensure the wings are cooked through
Ingredients
250ml buttermilk
300g Panko Breadcrumbs
300g Cornflakes
200g Cornflour
1 tsp Dried Parsley
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Dried Chives
1 tsp Dried Basil
1 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Chilli Powder
2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp Smoked Paprika
½ tsp Ground Cumin
½ tsp Ground Coriander
½ tsp Ground Ginger
½ tsp Ground Fennel
12 Chicken Wings
4 Eggs
Method:
Mix all the herbs and buttermilk together in a large mixing bowl
Coat the chicken wings in the herby buttermilk thoroughly, cover and leave for at least 6 hours, or overnight if you can
Heat the fryer to 180 degrees and preheat your oven to 180 degrees also (these is to keep the wings warm, and ensure they are cooked whilst you fry off the remaining wings)
Meanwhile, using a rolling pin, crush the panko breadcrumbs and cornflakes together in a container ensuring you season them with some salt and pepper
Tip the cornflour into one container and beat the eggs with a splash of water into another
To coat the wings, dip each in cornflour, then the eggwash and finally the crumb mix - which you can scrunch onto the wings to ensure they are fully coated
Cook the wings in batches in your fryer until they are golden brown. Then transfer to the oven until all the wings are ready
Once all the wings are cooked, you can serve immediately with your choice of sides and dips. If you are concerned about the chicken being cooked, use a meat thermometer to check the wings read 75 degrees inside - this means that they are fully cooked.
CHEATS: You can use a ready made Cajun Seasoning and add the dried green herbs to it if you prefer - but you can always mix up a big batch of your own seasoning mix and store for later as well!
I served my wings in a family-style way with creamy chive mash, dirty rice, corn on the cob and chicken gravy.
Remember, anyone can cook!
