Fried Chicken Wings (炸雞翼)

Follow Daddy Lau's tips and tricks for the crispiest, juiciest fried chicken wings you've ever tried!

flodesk gif
Prep Time
25 min
Total Time
40 min
Yields
4 servings
YouTube Tutorial

A Recipe by Daddy Lau

My dad's been cooking Chinese food for over 50 years - as a kid fending for himself in Guangzhou, as the head chef of his own restaurant, and as a loving father in our home.

Hopefully, by learning this recipe, you'll get to experience some of the delicious joy we felt growing up eating his food!

- Randy

There are endless recipes for fried chicken wings and each one comes with its own advice on how to get them crispy and juicy. To me, none quite match the taste and texture of my dad's version, a recipe that he's been perfecting for decades. His fried chicken has a perfect balance of light and airy exterior to juicy meat that I loved as a kid (and still can't get enough of!).

Today, he's finally sharing his coveted fried chicken wings recipe, including all the tips and tricks he's picked up as a longtime restaurant chef. Follow his steps on how to make fried chicken wings and you're guaranteed an irresistibly crunchy batch for parties, Super Bowl viewings and any other occassions calling for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.

An expert chef's tip for the crispiest fried chicken wings

A bit of prep work is needed to get chicken wings ready for frying. For his deep fried chicken wings, my dad first cuts apart the wings, drums and wing tips. This creates similar-sized pieces so they fry more evenly. He also marinades them for flavor before coating the wings in a batter made from cornstarch, flour and baking powder.

The final step is crucial: He fries the wings not once, but twice. The first fry helps the wings cook through and the second—done at a higher temperature—gives them that super crunchy crust everyone craves.

My dad uses this double fry technique in many of our favorite recipes, including General Tso's Chicken, Salt and Pepper Squid and Salt and Pepper Pork Chops.

Check out a quick story summary of our recipe!

Ingredients

Weight: US
oz
g
Volume: US
cup
mL
Servings
4

Main Ingredients

  • 20 oz chicken wing
  • 12 oz corn oil

Marinade Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt (

    plus more for dusting

    )
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cooking wine
  • 0.50 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

Batter Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 0.50 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4.5 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon oil

On flour and cornstarch

According to my dad, a combination of flour and cornstarch is common in frying batters and coatings when it comes to Cantonese cooking. They're usually used together because cornstarch prevents gluten from forming, so the flour coating gets airy and crispy during the frying process. Adding baking powder raises the pH levels of the skin, which then allows it to brown more evenly.

Step 1: Prep chicken

Get the chicken wings (20 oz) ready for frying by separating the drum from the wing. Hold the wing with the underside facing up, then with a twisting motion, bend the joint open to push the bone out.

Do the same in the joint between the wing and the wing tip. Remove the smaller bone by grabbing and twisting it out.

Now that the joints have been loosened, use a knife to chop the wing into three separate pieces: the drum, wing and wing tip. Repeat with all of the wings.

(Chef's Tip: My dad doesn't fry the wing tips, but don't let them go to waste. You can save them for stock!)

Step 2: Prep marinade

In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic salt (2 teaspoons), sugar (1 teaspoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), light soy sauce (2 teaspoon), cooking wine (1 teaspoon), white pepper (0.50 teaspoon) and chicken bouillon powder (1 teaspoon). Stir to thoroughly mix.

Add the chicken and mix with your hands until the pieces are coated in the marinade. Cover, place the bowl in the fridge and allow the meat to marinate from 15 minutes to 1 hour, or ideally overnight.

Step 3: Prep batter

In a separate bowl, combine the flour (3 tablespoon), cornstarch (2 tablespoon), baking powder (0.50 teaspoon) and water (4.5 tablespoon) and mix until there are no clumps. Add the oil (1 teaspoon) and stir again to mix.

Step 4: Fry wings

Heat up a wok or other frying vessel. Add the corn oil (12 oz) (you can also use another oil as long as it has a high smoke point) and once it hits 350°F, you're ready to fry.

Pour the batter over the chicken and mix to coat the wings. Lower the heat to medium and carefully place the wings into the oil.

(Chef's Tip: Get the chicken as close to the oil as safely possible before placing it into the oil. This way, there's minimal splashing. If you drop it from high above, that'll cause the oil to splatter.)

Using chopsticks or another utensil, move the chicken around the wok to prevent sticking. After about 5 to 7 minutes, remove the chicken and strain out any excess oil using a spider strainer. They should be a light golden-brown color. Repeat in batches until you’ve completed frying all of the wings, making sure to bring the oil back to 350°F.

Next, increase the heat the oil to about 400°F for the second fry. Fry the wings in batches for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the chicken and you’ll see they’ve become a darker golden-brown color.

Sprinkle on more garlic salt and plate the wings for serving.

FAQ

What is the best oil to try chicken wings in?

  • When it comes to frying wings (or any deep frying in general), it's always best to use an oil with a high smoke point. This includes vegetable oils such as canola and corn, or peanut oil. My dad uses corn oil in this recipe.

What do you put on wings to make them crispy?

  • Coating wings in cornstarch or baking powder before frying not only helps seals in the meat's juices, but also gives them a crispy, golden-brown exterior.

Summary

Print Recipe
Made With Lau
madewithlau.com/recipes/fried-chicken-wings
Fried Chicken Wings (炸雞翼)
Follow Daddy Lau's tips and tricks for the crispiest, juiciest fried chicken wings you've ever tried!
  • Prep Time: 25 min
  • Total Time: 40 min
  • Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

Main Ingredients

  • 20 oz chicken wing
  • 12 oz corn oil

Marinade Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons garlic salt (

    plus more for dusting

    )
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
  • 2 teaspoon light soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cooking wine
  • 0.50 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder

Batter Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoon flour
  • 2 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 0.50 teaspoon baking powder
  • 4.5 tablespoon water
  • 1 teaspoon oil

Step 1 - Prep chicken

↑ Jump to details

Get the chicken wings (20 oz) ready for frying. To separate the drum from the wing, bend the joint with the underside facing up.
Then use your hand to push the bone out.
Do the same with the wing and the wing tip. Remove the smaller bone in the wing by grabbing and twisting it out.

Next, use a knife to chop the wing into three separate pieces: the drum, wing and wing tip. Repeat with all of the wings. Set aside the wing tips for another use.

Step 2 - Prep marinade

↑ Jump to details

In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic salt (2 teaspoons), sugar (1 teaspoon), oyster sauce (1 tablespoon), light soy sauce (2 teaspoon), cooking wine (1 teaspoon), white pepper (0.50 teaspoon) and chicken bouillon powder (1 teaspoon). Stir to thoroughly mix.

Add the chicken and coat the pieces in the marinade. Cover, place the bowl in the fridge and allow the meat to marinate from 15 minutes to 1 hour, or ideally overnight.

Step 3 - Prep batter

↑ Jump to details

In a separate bowl, combine the flour (3 tablespoon), cornstarch (2 tablespoon), baking powder (0.50 teaspoon) and water (4.5 tablespoon) and mix until there are no clumps. Add the oil (1 teaspoon) and stir again to mix.

Step 4 - Fry wings

↑ Jump to details

Heat up a wok or other frying vessel. Add the corn oil (12 oz) until it reaches 350°F.

Pour the batter over the chicken and mix to coat the wings. Lower the heat to medium and carefully place the wings into the oil.

Using chopsticks or another utensil, move the chicken around the wok. After about 5 to 7 minutes, remove the chicken and strain out any excess oil. Repeat in batches until you’ve completed frying all of the wings, making sure to bring the oil back to 350°F.

Next, increase the heat the oil to about 400°F. Fry the wings in batches a second time for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the chicken and strain out any excess oil again.

Sprinkle on more garlic salt and plate the wings for serving.

Step 5 - Take pictures
Whip out your camera (1). Begin taking photos (1,000,000). Pick your favorites!
Step 6 - Share and tag us on Instagram @madewithlau #madewithlau!
Did you have fun making this recipe? We'd love to see & hear about it. (Especially my dad. He would be THRILLED!)

Enjoy!

We have many, many happy memories of enjoying this dish growing up.

Now, hopefully, you can create your own memories with this dish with your loved ones.

Also, I cordially invite you to eat with us and learn more about the dish, Chinese culture, and my family.

Cheers, and thanks for cooking with us!

Feel free to comment below if you have any questions about the recipe.