Pepper salt chicken wings - healthy non-deep fried version

With Labouré-Roi Bourgogne Chardonnay, 2020

"What can be better than a classic Bourgogne Blanc for this strong flavoured chicken dish?"

"Pepper salt" (椒鹽) is a classic spice in Hong Kong homemade dish. One of my all-time favourite dish is "fried chicken wings in pepper salt" (椒鹽雞翼). In Hong Kong, we like to dip it in Worcestershire sauce.

The traditional recipe requires deep frying of the chicken wings. I am cooking for my family with two little ones so I tried to make this dish a bit less oil and healthier. This is a classic recipe with a little twist of my own.

Pepper salt chicken wings - healthy non-deep fried version

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 12 chicken wings

• 4-6 gloves of garlic; finely chopped

• 1 chilly, finely chopped*

Marinades:

• Pepper salt; 4 teaspoons**

• Light soy sauce; 1 teaspoon

• Sake; 1 teaspoon

• Sugar; 1 teaspoon

• Olive oil; 2 teaspoons

• Ground black peppers; few turns

• Rock salt; few pinches

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200 degree Celsius

2. Marinade the chicken wings with the marinade ingredients for at least 15 mins until all liquids are absorbed

3. Move chicken wings to a metal oven tray; sprinkle the chopped garlic and chilly evenly on top of the chicken; sprinkle olive oil to cover the garlic and chilly

4. Bake the chicken for 25-30mins until golden; the garlic should look crispy but not burn

5. Serve with salt pepper and Worchester sauce

Notes:

* For non-spicy variation, skip the chilly

** The amount of pepper salt needs to be adjusted depending on the brand and strength of the pepper salt you have, the one I can find in Sweden is not very strong so I added a generous amount to it

Wine pairing:

Pairing this dish is relatively easy - what can be better than a classic Bourgogne Blanc for this strong flavoured chicken dish?

This Bourgogne Blanc is refreshing with classic taste of crispy green apple and lemon. It is a relatively young wine but still with good quality and all the classic Bourgogne Blanc flavours. Since this is pepper salt chicken dish gives you a very strong and salty fatty flavour, this high acidity Bourgogne Blanc cuts through the oiliness. The lemon flavour acts as a refresher to the palate and the green apple tastes wrap up the complex flavour of the dish.

Let me know what you think of this pairing.