We have a new obsession at my house: Chimichurri Chicken Wings. Which has subsequently resulted in a secondary obsession with chimichurri itself. I've watched chefs make it in cooking competitions for literally years, but I didn't actually make or try i…
We have a new obsession at my house: Chimichurri Chicken Wings. Which has subsequently resulted in a secondary obsession with chimichurri itself. I've watched chefs make it in cooking competitions for literally years, but I didn't actually make or try it until last month.
We've eaten these chicken wings every single week since. One week, I made them twice. Seriously.
Chimichurri is a South American sauce made by emulsifying oil, lots of fresh herbs, some acid, and a little heat into a smooth sauce that you can pour onto whatever the heck you want. Think of it like the spicy cousin of vinaigrette, except where vinaigrettes are used primarily on salads, chimichurris are commonly used on steaks and proteins.
This chimichurri combines avocado oil, cilantro, parsley, lime, honey, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne powder. I honestly didn't think I'd like it. But there's something about it; it's addictive! When combined with the savory chicken, it hits all the flavor profiles at once: sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and umami.
Also, I'm a big ole chicken - no pun intended - when it comes to spice levels. When I'm feeling brave, I order a level one at our local Thai restaurant. And yet, I really like these wings! Yes, the spice is there, subtly in the back of your mouth, but there's something addicting about it. However, if you really hate spice, simply leave out the cayenne; the sauce will still be incredible!
Finally, the entirety of the cookbook where I found this recipe deserves a shout out: The Whole Smiths Good Food Cookbook. Anyone who loves to eat while trying to stay balanced and healthy needs to own this cookbook. I keep grabbing it to use over and over again!
TIP: The honey in the chimichurri is going to brown quickly in the hot oven, but it's okay! Let those edges get a little charred; it tastes SO good!
3 tsp salt Black pepper to taste 2 pounds chicken wings 1/2 C avocado oil 1/3 C fresh cilantro 1/4 C fresh parsley 1 tsp lime zest (from about 1 lime) 2 TBSP fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes) 1 TBSP honey 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/2 tsp cayenne powder
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two large baking sheets with aluminum foil and parchment paper.
Sprinkle the wings with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Set aside.
Using an immersion blender, combine the avocado oil, cilantro, parsley, lime zest, lime juice, honey, cumin, chili powder, cayenne, and remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Set aside a third of the chimichurri for serving.
Add the wings to the bowl with the remaining chimichurri and toss to coat well.
Place the coated chicken wings on the prepared baking sheets, evenly spaced apart. Roast for 20 minutes.
Using tongs, flip the wings. Increase the oven to 450F. Roast for 15 minutes more, until some of the edges are charred and the meat reaches 165F.
Transfer to a serving platter. Brush the reserved chimichurri over the wings and serve.
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