Chicken Wings With Guajillo Anchovy Sauce Recipe (2024)

Recipe from Will Horowitz

Adapted by Jeff Gordinier

Chicken Wings With Guajillo Anchovy Sauce Recipe (1)

Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes, plus 7 to 14 hours marinating
Rating
4(74)
Notes
Read community notes

At Ducks Eatery in the East Village, the chef, Will Horowitz, believes in the bar snack as a maximum-detonation flavor bomb. And he’ll go to great lengths to achieve that: Many of the dishes at Ducks, including the restaurant's wings, shown here, depend on labor-intensive rounds of fermenting and smoking. For our version of the recipe, though, we asked him to reel in the effort without cutting back on the flavor. Think of the result (which involves anchovy fillets, Thai fish sauce, guajillo chiles, ancho chiles and ground chamomile) as a stealth way to sneak ambitious gastronomy into your next Super Bowl party. —Jeff Gordinier

Featured in: The Chicken Wings Boom

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have

    10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers.

    Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Print Options

    Include recipe photo

Advertisem*nt

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

    For Brining the Wings

    • ¼cup brown sugar
    • ¼cup kosher salt
    • ¼cup lemon juice
    • 2tablespoons granulated sugar
    • 2tablespoons Thai fish sauce
    • 2tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 3garlic cloves, peeled
    • Stems from 1 bunch fresh cilantro
    • 16large whole chicken wings

    For the Guajillo Sauce

    • 3dried guajillo chiles
    • 1dried ancho chile
    • 5garlic cloves, peeled
    • 1small shallot, roughly chopped
    • teaspoons soy sauce
    • teaspoons Thai fish sauce
    • tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
    • Rinds and pulp of 2 juiced lemons, coarsely chopped
    • ¼teaspoon smoked paprika
    • 6white anchovy fillets
    • 1tablespoon finely ground chamomile flowers (finely ground pure chamomile “tea” may be used)
    • ½cup fresh lemon juice
    • teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste

    To Roast and Serve

    • ¼cup melted clarified butter or ghee
    • Zest of 1 whole fresh lemon, or finely diced rind of 1 brined lemon
    • Coarsely chopped leaves from 1 bunch cilantro, for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

487 calories; 30 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 29 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 18 grams sugars; 27 grams protein; 1767 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Chicken Wings With Guajillo Anchovy Sauce Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Brine the Wings

    1. Step

      1

      In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, kosher salt, lemon juice, granulated sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce and smoked paprika. Add 2 quarts of water and mix well. Add the garlic, cilantro stems and chicken wings. Mix, cover, and refrigerate for 7 to 14 hours.

    2. Step

      2

      Remove wings from marinade, rinse and transfer to a sheet pan with a rack. Allow to sit uncovered until dry and slightly tacky to the touch, 30 to 45 minutes.

  2. Prepare the Guajillo Sauce

    1. Step

      3

      Cut stem and cap off the guajillo and ancho chiles and remove the seeds; if the chiles are very brittle, warm them briefly in a skillet to soften. Sauté in a dry skillet until the skins change color and begin to smoke heavily, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a container and cover with hot water. Soak until softened, 30 to 45 minutes.

    2. Step

      4

      Drain chiles and place in a food processor. Add garlic, shallot, soy sauce, fish sauce, black pepper, lemons, smoked paprika, white anchovies, chamomile, lemon juice and salt. Purée until smooth.

  3. To Roast and Serve

    1. Step

      5

      Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush wings with butter or ghee and roast until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. (Alternatively, the wings could be smoked with your choice of wood at 225 degrees for 2½ hours.)

    2. Step

      6

      Baste wings again with butter or ghee, increase oven temperature to 450 and continue to roast until the skins are brown and crispy, 10 to 15 minutes more. (Alternatively, the wings may be deep-fried at 350 degrees until golden brown and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes.) Allow wings to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.

    3. Step

      7

      To serve, slather wings with a generous amount of guajillo sauce and top with fresh lemon zest or brined lemon peel and a generous sprinkling of cilantro.

Ratings

4

out of 5

74

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Anne

Visited the website of Ducks Eatery and read reviews. Very opposite reviews, so I made my own opinion. Very very tasty. I think next time I would use a little less fish sauce. Perfect amount of zing!

George McCoy

My 1st time to fix wings. Required a little advance work but not hard. Outcome well worth it. The Guajillo Ancho sauce was especially tasty!

Shawn

Not my favorite . It made me want fried wings .

Michael

I found the sauce almost inedible. I kept trying it, thinking maybe it was a Moroccan preserved lemon thing I wasn't that into but, regardless, using the pulp and rinds of two whole lemons made it hard to like. (I read it multiple times thinking they just meant pulp and zest, but there it is on the page). After sampling a couple wings with the sauce, I scrambled to find some other glaze in my fridge because the brined wings themselves cooked up great. But that sauce...

Anne

Visited the website of Ducks Eatery and read reviews. Very opposite reviews, so I made my own opinion. Very very tasty. I think next time I would use a little less fish sauce. Perfect amount of zing!

George McCoy

My 1st time to fix wings. Required a little advance work but not hard. Outcome well worth it. The Guajillo Ancho sauce was especially tasty!

Private notes are only visible to you.

Chicken Wings With Guajillo Anchovy Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Do you put sauce on wings before or after cooking? ›

Most oven-baked chicken wings are tossed in sauce after they have been cooked, which means that the skin needs to be perfectly crisp to soak up all the sauce. Thoroughly pat the wings dry with paper towels before seasoning them with salt and placing them on a baking sheet.

How do you get sauce to stick to chicken wings? ›

However, there's a simple technique that can help the maximum amount of sauce coat every inch of the wing's surface area: Dusting chicken wings with flour before cooking. This easy step transforms the wings into a canvas that both promotes a crispy texture and ensures that the sauce clings irresistibly to every inch.

What is the best method of cooking chicken wings? ›

Food stylist Richmond Flores' go-to method is marinating the wings and then steaming them before frying. This method, he says, imparts tremendous flavor and tenderizes the meat, but more importantly, the steaming helps render the fat from the skin which then allows the wings to crisp up perfectly.

How to sauce wings and keep them crispy? ›

In general, it's best to add your sauce only at the end of baking or until you're ready to serve. Doing so will preserve the crispiness of your wings and maintain the desired texture and taste all throughout the big game. Indeed, it's challenging to achieve the right balance between crispy and saucy wings.

Is it better to fry or bake chicken wings? ›

Removing the skin and baking also reduces the fat content which is extremely healthy for seniors and children. Baking keeps the nutrient content of the meat intact making it an utterly healthy cooking process.

Should you coat chicken wings before frying? ›

Flour: Coat the wings in a seasoned all-purpose flour mixture before frying for extra crispy skin. Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil, to fry the chicken wings. Sauce: Use store-bought Buffalo wing sauce or make your own at home.

Why add butter to wing sauce? ›

Buffalo Sauce Ingredients

A hot, cayenne-pepper sauce (such as Frank's or Crystal) is the spicy base for this classic Buffalo sauce. Butter adds a velvety smooth richness. It also balances the flavors of the other ingredients.

How do you get sauce to stick to wings without flour? ›

The most effective way to get the buffalo sauce to stick to your wings is by baking the sauce on. Once your wings are fully baked + crispy, simply make the sauce in the skillet, toss them in the sauce, and add them back to the baking sheet with the wire rack and broil them for 5 minutes or so, until the sauce sticks.

Do you Season chicken before or after frying? ›

Yes, you should always season your chicken before cooking when it's raw. You can even do this up to 24 hours before if you have the time. Why? Because leaving the seasoning on your chicken overnight in the fridge will help it start to trap moisture in the chicken, which will make it nice and juicy once cooked.

What is the secret ingredient to crispy wings? ›

Make the crispiest chicken wings with this one secret ingredient: baking powder. Baking powder is widely used for its leavening power, giving baked goods volume and lighter textures.

What is the secret to perfect wings? ›

The most widespread trick on the internet involves sprinkling a little baking powder onto the wings before baking them. The kitchen science wizards at America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats both found this worked best for them.

Do you add seasoning before or after cooking wings? ›

The best way to apply a rub to your chicken wings is the night before cooking. This allows much more time for the spices to blend into the chicken. We also recommend adding the spices by hand, rubbing the rub on all sides of the wings.

When should I add sauce to wings? ›

When wings are baked, dip in sauce to coat well, then shake off excess and return coated wings to baking sheet. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) and bake for another 15 minutes to set sauce.

How do you sauce wings without making them soggy? ›

If you want to prepare the wings and sauce in advance, preheat your oven to 160°F and keep the wings in the oven until party time, says Wichert. Then, toss the wings in the sauce just before serving to prevent them from getting soggy.

How to get more flavor in chicken wings? ›

For the beginner, a great and fool-proof dry rub for a dozen chicken wings can consist of a few tablespoons of brown sugar, a tablespoon of baking powder, a tablespoon of smoked paprika, a tablespoon of chipotle chili powder, a teaspoon of garlic powder, a teaspoon of onion powder, a teaspoon of kosher salt, and a ...

Do you add sauce before or after cooking chicken? ›

Barbecue sauce typically contains sugar that will brown faster than the meat. This can make it difficult to tell when the chicken is done. To ensure you don't pull the chicken off too soon, add the BBQ sauce when you're nearly done cooking the meat.

Do you add pasta sauce before or after cooking? ›

First, in authentic Italian cuisine, the sauce is always tossed with the pasta before it ever hits the plate. Just before the sauce is done cooking, the hot pasta is added to the saucepan. Generally speaking, we recommend cooking the pasta in the sauce together for about 1-2 minutes.

Do you rub or sauce first? ›

As a general rule, season whatever meat you're using with the dry rub before you cook it and sauce it towards the end or even after it's finished. The amount of rub that you use can vary depending on the type of meat that you're cooking, but, generally, you want to coat the meat with rub.

Do you marinate chicken wings before or after cooking? ›

We like a Mediterranean-inspired mix of oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil, but any fresh marinade will help infuse the wings with flavor down to the bone. Resealable plastic bags are your friend here; combine the marinade and wings in one and let it sit for at least an hour before grilling.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jamar Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 5663

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (75 voted)

Reviews: 90% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jamar Nader

Birthday: 1995-02-28

Address: Apt. 536 6162 Reichel Greens, Port Zackaryside, CT 22682-9804

Phone: +9958384818317

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Scrapbooking, Hiking, Hunting, Kite flying, Blacksmithing, Video gaming, Foraging

Introduction: My name is Jamar Nader, I am a fine, shiny, colorful, bright, nice, perfect, curious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.